Arts & EntertainmentMusicStage

The Houston Symphony’s “Blockbuster Film Scores” is Just as Enchanting as Hollywood Itself

by Barrett White

On the night of March 8, Jones Hall hosted the Houston Symphony for their masterful production of “Blockbuster Film Scores,” which touted the likes of works by John Williams and Hans Zimmer, and scores from other hit movies such as Titanic, Jurassic Park, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Batman, and The Wizard of Oz, to name just a few.

Cracking jokes between tunes was principal POPS conductor Michael Krajewski (who is celebrating 15 years with the Houston Symphony, but for his tenure he only received a magnet with his face on it, he tells the audience). Krajewski entered to his own theme song (the Rocky theme, appropriately) and took the stage with grace and humor.

As one expects from the nationally renowned Houston Symphony, the orchestra provided gorgeous and familiar melodious sways and soaring notes with colorful visuals while we in the audience giggled and sighed at the motion pictures playing along in our heads to the live representations.

To cap off the evening, Krajewski reentered one last time to conduct the encore, which was none other than the theme to Ghostbusters, directing the audience in the lower house to ask, “Who you gonna call?,” and for the mezzanine to answer joyously, “Ghostbusters!” As the theater vacated, smiles abounded while the exodus buzzed about what a spectacular show it had been.

The Symphony and its family of fans will surely miss Krajewski after he steps down at the conclusion of the 2016-17 season.

Upcoming events at the Houston Symphony include Dvorak, Verdi, and Mozart, “U.K. Rocks,” and Chopin, to touch on a mere few of the acts in the impressive lineup.

Though the performances of “Blockbuster Film Scores” have ended, head on over to houstonsymphony.org to find details on tickets, upcoming shows, and where you will find your connection with this incomparable musical experience.

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Barrett White

Barrett White is a regular contributor to OutSmart Magazine.
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