Anna-Catherine Kueng ~ Assistant Editor
According to the New in Lynchburg website, the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra will be hosting “Broadway by Request” on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, from 7:30-9:30 p.m.. The description of the show is, “Vocal stars from Broadway join the LSO for this memorable night featuring highlights from Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Jersey Boys, Rent, and much more!”
David Glover, Conductor of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, said, “This is the first time the LSO has done this specific show, and it has been quite awhile since the orchestra has done an all Broadway concert.”
The LSO has been planning the concert for almost a year now. Glover explained, “There are lots of moving parts for each concert, so we begin the planning process almost a full year out. Right now, we are working on plans for winter and spring of 2021 and beyond! Singers have to be contacted, songs chosen, musicians hired, music prepared, and parts practiced. It all takes time. As a professional orchestra, we have wonderful musicians, so the rehearsal process itself takes just a few days, but we are able to do that because of all the careful planning beforehand.”
Tierenan Harcourt-Brooke, a second-year student, said, “I have heard about [the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra] through my theatre friends on campus, but have not personally been able to go yet. It does sound like something I would like to see, Broadway By Request especially. I really love listening to Broadway and an opportunity to hear some of my favorite songs in person or to hear some new ones sounds like a lot of fun.”
As far as how Broadway By Request differs from past shows, Glover said, “Broadway by Request is going to be unique in a few ways. First of all, we have two great singers coming to us from New York, Teri Hansen and Nicholas Rodriguez. Both have appeared on Broadway, and done numerous high profile national tours. We will also be featuring a wide variety of music from some of the biggest hits over the past few years. There will be featured songs from Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot, Cats, Wicked, Jersey Boys, and Next to Normal, just to name a few. We will be performing hits from 15 different shows, so it is incredibly diverse.”
Harcourt-Brooke said, “I like a lot of Broadway, but the production I have a soft spot for is The Lightning Thief. I grew up loving the Rick Riordan Percy Jackson books and that musical is a fantastic representation. Besides that, it has a message I really identify with. They say ‘Normal is a myth,’ telling you not to be ashamed of who you are just because you do not look or act like everyone else.”
About the upcoming concert, Glover added, “It is also thrilling to perform these songs with a full 60 piece orchestra. Even the biggest Broadway pit orchestras are around 30 musicians. Nothing quite compares with the thrill of hearing a full symphony orchestra live, and it is a rare chance to here these arrangements right here in Lynchburg.”
To purchase tickets, Glover said, “You can go to lynchburgsymphony.org and click the “click for tickets” link which will take you to the Broadway by Request page at the Academy, or go directly to academycenter.org and find our show on the calendar on January 25th. Buying online is a great way to do it, but you can also call the Academy box office at 434-846-8499.”
“It will be enjoyable for everyone. These are great, timeless songs, with lyrics and melodies that grab their listeners. It is why so many of these shows have had epic Broadway runs, stretching into the thousands of performances. The emotion of these songs is so powerful, you will know immediately what the song is saying, even if you do not know the surrounding story. Finally, if you are new to Broadway, this is a great introduction to some the biggest hits of the past 30 years, and a fun relaxed way to get to know them.”
