The Lowcountry Wind Symphony will be in concert on Sunday, April 17, at 4:00 p.m. at Sea Island Presbyterian Church, 81 Lady’s Island Drive in Beaufort. LWS and our Musical Director, Donald F. Jemella, invite you to join us for a great afternoon of concert band selections. Our concerts are free, but donations are always gratefully accepted.

What sets a wonderful movie or a fabulous stage production apart from all others? Memorable music, of course! That score creates a mood, gets your feet tapping, or invites you to sing along. It can make you cheer, laugh, and sometimes cry. As the credits roll or the curtains close, you feel a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. And it’s all thanks to those incredibly talented composers and lyricists. Unlike the days of Mozart, Handel, or Beethoven, our present day composers are not dependent on the patronage of kings and queens! It’s the ticket holders who support them with trips to movie theatres, stage productions, and concert halls.

Here is a sampling of what our audiences will hear at the concert on Sunday:

Among the most memorable of scores is ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ with its iconic character, Tevye. As the patriarch of his family and the leader of his small Russian Jewish village, this father of five daughters is the keeper of that most important value ‘Tradition’. Originally ‘Fiddler’ was a stage production starring Zero Mostel. Then came the movie version, which faithfully followed the story, based on the writings of Shalom Aleichem. The movie creates a great opportunity for any of our modern families to introduce the timeless story and music to our younger generations. ‘Fiddler’ will head back to Broadway for a much awaited revival in December.

A lowdown bluesy trumpet solo kicks off selections from ‘Chicago’ as LWS heads into ‘All That Jazz’. Chicago became an instant Broadway hit in 1975 with Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera in the roles of the two women convicts who swore, ‘He Had it Comin’!!! This fine musical, written by Fred Eb and John Kande, with its high energy and catchy syncopated rhythms has toured all over the US. It is the longest running American musical in Broadway history, winner of six Tony Awards, a Grammy, and thousands of standing ovations.

Bet you can hum ‘Goldfinger’ as you conjure up a mental picture of that suave British secret agent 007, James Bond, tooling down the road in a sports car we wish we all owned! There have been twenty-six Bond movies in 53 years, beginning with Sean Connery in the leading role. Then came David Niven, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. Among the tunes LWS will showcase are ‘Nobody Does it Better’, ‘Live and Let Die’ and ‘Skyfall’.

The name, John Williams is synonymous with musical success. He has been a highly visible and respected conductor and composer for decades. Most recently, he collaborated with director Stephen Spielberg on the film ‘War Horse’, about a boy and his horse that refused to remain separated. This drama, set in Britain during WW I, is based on real life events, and received excellent reviews. LWS plays ‘Dartmoor, 1912’ from this powerful and moving musical score. Although it is a family friendly drama, be prepared with four hankies while viewing it!

Pretend for a moment that you are the thief of the people as LWS launches into ‘The Mask of Zorro’. This is a film from the swashbuckling genre. Anthony Hopkins portrays the aging Zorro returning to seek justice in this 1989 film. With the help of his young protégé Antonio Banderas, the exciting music of composer James Horner will make you stand up and cheer!

‘The Wizard of Oz’ debuted on screen in 1939. Judy Garland was the little girl from Kansas, who, with her little dog Toto, captured our hearts in song and story. Harold Arlen’s and Yip Harburg’s wonderful music has more than stood the test of time. Dorothy and her friends, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow band together to explore those most important qualities we all share – a heart, courage, and a brain. When the journey is complete, she realizes that traveling afar is wonderful, but there’s no place like home! Musical audiences, young and old, continue to love these great songs - ‘Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead‘, ‘If I Only Had a Brain’, ‘The Merry Old Land of Oz’ and of course, ‘Over the Rainbow’.

As you can see, there’s something for everybody in this wonderful family concert. The musicians of LWS, along with our Musical Director, Donald F. Jemella, First Assistant Director, Steve Giove, and Second Assistant Director, Deborah Hamner invite you to join us as we ‘Explore What’s Musically Possible’

For more information please visit our website, at www.lowcountrywindsymphony.com. You may also contact Anton Ross, 843-8338-7459 or Chris Raskind, 843-838-6744.