The Symphonic Pops of Long Island is adding a twist to the traditional concert experience with a movie soundtrack trivia challenge—complete with prizes—on Sunday, June 1.
The event begins at 2 p.m. at Levittown Hall in Hicksville. Each attendee will have a chance to win a prize, with grand prizes awarded based on trivia performance.
“It’s something we’re trying for the first time,” Music Director Taylor Massey told South Shore Press. “This is a brand-new idea, and basically we’re playing a live game where every member of the audience is invited to play and if you win there’s prizes.”
Attendees are not expected to identify obscure or complex musical pieces.
“It’s going to be stuff that most people would hopefully have a good chance at recognizing, nothing abstract…It’s all blockbuster films so it’s meant to be friendly for any audience member,” Massey said. Audience members will hear selections lasting one to two minutes before being asked to answer a related trivia question or identify the film.
Founded in 1979, the Symphonic Pops is a community-based orchestra known for blending musical styles. Massey said the group hopes the trivia format will help make orchestral music more accessible.
“This changes the way people experience a live orchestra. In so many instances you go to a concert, and it’s at night. You have to dress up, you have to park somewhere and walk a ways, and it might be cost prohibitive, and the music might be a couple hundred years old and something that maybe you’ve never heard before,” he said.
“So this is really an idea to get everyone having fun listening to a live orchestra based on music they probably already know and in a setting that’s more fun and interactive,” he added.
Following the trivia challenge, the second half of the performance will feature full versions of popular movie scores to showcase the orchestra’s range.
If the event is successful, the orchestra may consider making it an annual program.
“This time we’re doing movie soundtracks, but we could do love songs, we could do cartoon music, we could do Broadway musicals, we could do ‘80s rock ‘n’ roll. There’s really no limit on the categories we could do. I think people would have a lot of fun.”
Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $10 at the door. No tickets are required.
Levittown Hall, located at 201 Levittown Parkway, is accessible to people with disabilities and offers free parking.
For more information, visit the Symphonic Pops of Long Island website.