The Symphony of the Hills has its first concert of the new year this Saturday night. If you don't know them, the Symphony of the Hills is situated in Kerrville, but people come from all around to hear symphonic music they won't otherwise hear. Gene Dowdy is its conductor.
"We're very proud that people come from all over: Junction, Hunt, Harper, Fredericksburg, Comfort, Boerne. People drive from San Antonio; I've got friends who come up, watch the shows."
As the Symphony normally does, this first concert of the year is thematic. Its theme: The Best of Broadway.
"We're going to kick off the night with Phantom of the Opera, so those big, thundering chords...bum-bum-bum! But we're also going to do both new and old, so A Chorus Line, Marvin Hamlisch's great book. Fiddler on the Roof. We're doing a beautiful orchestral setting, and this is really cool, arranged by the great film composer John Williams."
Dowdy continued with his rundown.
"And then My Fair Lady--Lerner and Lowe, just a wonderful duo--I Could've Danced All Night. Second half we're going to kick off with something newer--the music from Wicked. Very wonderful Steven Schwartz music. Cabaret--Fabulous musical. And it is interesting how these musicals tend to jump to Hollywood. Here's one that went the other way: The Lion King. Started as this wonderful animated special. Music by Elton John, Hans Zimmer, great collaborators, but then jumped to Broadway. And then we're going to end the concert with Oklahoma...Rodgers and Hammerstein, the great orchestrator, Robert Russell Bennett. Oh What a Beautiful Morning."
For those thinking of going it all happens 7:30 this Saturday at Kerrville's Kathleen Cailloux Theater.
"This music is timeless. We're looking forward to welcoming everybody for a new year and a new season."
Find more on the Symphony of the Hills here.
