Hillsdale students heard the Detroit Symphony Orchestra perform “Epic Film Scores” live, sponsored by the Student Activities Board on Jan. 31.
After two hours of freedom in the city, students settled into their seats at the Orchestra Hall. The performance began the way all good movies do — with the 20th Century Fox opening song, “20th Century Studios Fanfare” composed by Alfred Newman in 1933. The symphony began with songs from Hollywood’s golden age and ended with today’s biggest blockbusters. Conductor Steven Reineke brought the silver screen to life with 16 classic movie scores.
The movie scores spanned from the 1922 German silent film “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” to the 2022 horror/sci-fi movie “Nope.” Classic horror films were a common theme of the night. A crowd favorite was Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 “Psycho,” according to junior and SAB member Devin Houts.
“I’ve never sat down and listened to a horror movie score on purpose,” Houts said. “It was fun to imagine the scenes of a silent film that accompanied the early scores, or laugh with the rest of the audience at hearing the classic Hitchcock ‘Psycho’ strings live.”
According to sophomore SAB member Ross Phelps, one of his favorite movie scores was the “Love Theme From ‘The Godfather.’”
“They killed that one,” Phelps said. “I felt in love at that moment.”
At intermission Phelps said the symphony had already blown him away with its performance of the Wild West theme from “The Magnificent Seven,” and the sound of the 1962 James Bond film “Dr. No.”
“They’ve done an incredible job, and we’re not even to the ’80s, which in my opinion is the greatest era of music,” Phelps said. “They’ve blown my socks off already, and I still have the rest of the night, so I need to find my socks.”
Houts said, “Main Theme (From “The Magnificent Seven”)” was her favorite song of the night.
“Hearing ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ brought me back to all those great western movies I grew up watching,” Houts said.
Freshman Samuel Goetz said it was an amazing experience to watch a live symphony perform iconic movie scores he has always loved.
“All of the symphonies I’ve been to have played pieces I’m not super familiar with,” Goetz said. “So, it was a refreshing and new experience to hear pieces I’m so familiar with.”
Goetz said his favorite movie scores were classics by Michael Giacchino and Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
“I think Giacchino’s music from ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ was amazing,” Goetz said. “I also loved Korngold’s music from ‘The Sea Hawk.’ It made me tear up a bit.”
The audience was pleased with a surprise at the end of the performance, according to Goetz.
“When they played their ‘last’ piece, and then started playing the ‘The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme),’ that was a fun surprise that I think made the audience appreciate it more than they would have if it was played formally, like all the other pieces they played.”
According to Phelps, the SAB team will consider hosting the trip again next year.
“The trip has been anticipated by the SAB board,” Phelps said. “We thought everyone would really enjoy it, and I think now that everyone is enjoying it, we will definitely put it on the ‘we should do this again’ list.”
Goetz said he would attend the trip again.
“The night was wonderful,” Goetz said. “It was so great to be able to go for such a good price, and it’s such a unique experience that I loved.”
Houts was emotionally taken by the symphony, and would not have left the moment if given the chance to stay.
“The opportunity to experience all the musical moments — the emotional swells and ups and downs you feel while watching a film — all the while sitting in a symphony hall with nothing to watch except the artists themselves, was delightful,” Houts said.