Kerrville-based Symphony of the Hills' next concert is called Out of This World. Who better to ask why than Artistic Director and Conductor Gene Dowdy?
"It's music of the cosmos, in a way. Gustav Holst's The Planets — we're going to do Jupiter from The Planets, but also, composers are just inspired by other-worldly things,” Dowdy said.
We noted to Dowdy that while it’s called a pops concert, there's a lot of great classical music within that pops concert. He enthusiastically agreed.
"Well, there you go, because even going back to Richard Strauss, 'Also Sprach Zarathurstra,' that inspired Stanly Kubrick,” he said.
He then began to mimic the iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey theme, humming the opening that came to suggest the music track of the future in the years leading up to 2001. That theme opens the concert, and is followed by more selections with other-worldly vibes.
"Going into music from Wicked, followed by music from Harry Potter, and John Williams' incredible score. Lord of the Rings is going to feature prominently in this concert, as well as music from Jurassic Park, The Lost World, another John Williams set,” Dowdy said. “'Course you can't go to a concert like this without hearing Somewhere Over the Rainbow, another beautiful, imaginative place. Selections from Apollo 13 — I love that movie with Tom Hanks — and of course, ending with Gustav Holst's epic entitled Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity."
Dowdy says the Symphony of the Hills draws musicians from communities all across the Hill Country.
"It's really remarkable that a community of that size has a professional orchestra that's in a gorgeous theater. The Kathleen Cailloux theatre is just the gem of the Texas Hill Country and this orchestra is playing at a remarkably high level,” he said.
You can catch the concert on Jan. 11, Saturday night with a pre-concert wine reception at 6:30.
IF YOU GO What: Symphony of the Hills concert Where: Cailloux Theatre, Kerrville When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 Cost: $25-$35
Clarification: The date of the concert is Saturday, Jan. 11.
Jack Morgan can be reached at Jack@TPR.org and on Twitter at @JackMorganii.
