The Hillsdale College Symphony Orchestra filled Markel Auditorium for both days of its “Let’s All Go To The Movies” program, where it performed both classical pieces and modern film scores. 

On March 2 and 3, the orchestra performed its modern ensemble pieces including “Overture to West Side Story,” “Theme from Jurassic Park,” “Suite for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and “Back to the Future Suite for Orchestra.” 

The winners of this year’s concerto competition, sophomore Elena Bull and junior Paul Sri, each performed solos accompanied by the orchestra.

Bull performed both as a soloist and a member of the orchestral ensemble. After her solo piece, “Concerto for Flute” by Carl Nielson, Bull joined her peers in the orchestra’s wind instrument section. 

“It was a bit like a mental shift, going from the very classical concerto to the more light film stuff,” Bull said. 

Sri said he had no prior experience working with the college orchestra before rehearsing this performance. He played  “Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, op. 18” by Sergei Rachmaninoff.

“This is the kind of piece that I really need the orchestra for. It’s a team effort,” Sri said. “All the musicians behind me are every bit a part of the piece as I am.” 

Sri said the orchestra only had four weeks to incorporate both his and Bull’s pieces into the program. He said he was very impressed with the result and thankful for the support of both the orchestra and his friends and family. 

Director of Choirs and Orchestras James Holleman said he was eager to take advantage of the change in venue from the normal Christ Chapel to play a different type of orchestral music. He said there are many different watered-down versions of the modern film pieces, but he wanted the students to do the original pieces.

“When professionals do their series, they do the same pieces we do,” Holleman said. 

The orchestra performed a similar program featuring popular film scores two years ago, according to Holleman. When choosing the pieces for this year, Holleman said he wanted to choose different scores from the last performance but still widely recognized pieces of renowned composers like John Williams.

Jack Jarzab, the father of sophomore clarinet player Samuel Jarzab, attended both programs. He said he has attended orchestral concerts in Cincinnati, Detroit, Cleveland, and many other places with his son. 

“My oldest son performing a lot of these film pieces has developed another level of connection,” Jarzab said. “Seeing the orchestra perform them is like an ultimate treat for me as well.”

The program also included a collection of short pieces titled “Silent Movie” by Ralph Herman that encompassed an entire storyline through music, according to Holleman. The pieces incorporated unconventional instruments like bird whistles, which Holleman said are used in professional live performances and are entertaining for the percussion section. 

Sophomore Stephen Zhu attended the Sunday concert mainly to support his friends but said he enjoyed the pieces.

“The movie pieces were really fun,” Zhu said. “Different styles, but still fun. I liked how over the top the movie was. It didn’t take itself too seriously.” 

Hillsdale’s music department puts on more than 100 performances every academic year, according to Holleman. The next orchestra concert will be on May 10 and will feature three more of the concerto competition winners as well as “Appalachian Spring Suite” by Aaron Copland and “Pines of Rome” by Ottorino Respighi.

“I came mostly to see Elena and Paul, but John Williams is like, my favorite composer ever,” sophomore Andrew Winter said. “It was pretty darn excellent.”