Page 6 - Imagination Comes To Life

Literature, movies, and television shows have always been a source of inspiration and imagination. To-
night my friends in the symphony and I are looking forward to taking you on some memorable journeys
through some of your most beloved musical experiences.
I can vividly recall the first time I saw the original Jurassic Park. The wonder and awe in what I was
watching made me feel like a young child instantaneously. The music only enhanced what I was visually
seeing on the big screen, and the big screen was the place to see this movie.
A couple of years ago, a bassist and I were talking about the phenomenon that was HBO’s Game of
Thrones. I hadn’t seen an episode, I was a faithful Walking Dead fan, and hearing there were “White
Walkers” on G.O.T., I thought it was probably a campy way to compete. Boy, did I get that wrong. My
wife Rei and I watched the first episode and ended up binge watching the entire first season in one week-
end. Amazing cinematography, story telling and of course – the music!
I grew up playing Pacman, Space Invaders and Pong on the Atari 2600 video game consol. But today, the
technology is mind-blowing and the designers have incorporated some of the most
action-packed and beautiful music written. One of my favorite “new” World War II games has the most
incredible soundtrack; I sometimes just sit and listen to it before grabbing the controller.
And, Fantasia.. What an incredible production by the Disney movie studios. It brought purely classical
music into theaters (and homes) and connected the music to some of the most brilliant animation, which
was built upon with Fantasia 2000.

I not only experienced all of these as a child, but I have enjoyed sharing them sharing with my
children. Symphonic music can be loved and understood in so many different ways, and it is up to us, the
adults, to ensure we give this same exposure to our young family members.