Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra Delights Audience with Movie Music

Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra's A Night at the Movies on Wednesday, June 29 was a?crowd-pleaser.?Performed before an audience of nearly 500 at the historic Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles, Youth Symphony, EYSO’s flagship ensemble, played a variety of music from some of Hollywood’s most successful and beloved movies.  

Matthew Sheppard, EYSO Artistic Director and the Illinois Council of Orchestras Conductor of the Year, led the orchestra. His insightful commentary explored how each composer used music to add emotion to the film. 

“Filmmakers and composers are experts at using musical devices to dictate our emotional landscape, both in obvious and subtle ways. It’s impossible to get the same emotional impact and narrative journey from a movie without the music,” said Sheppard.  

The stars of the show were the Youth Symphony musicians who pivoted from performing the final concert of their season in May to learning in a few weeks a challenging program that included selections from the Lord of the Rings, West Side Story, Schindler’s List, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Casablanca, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Howard Shore, Leonard Bernstein, John Williams, Klaus Badelt, and Max Steiner composed the memorable scores for these blockbuster films. 

The program began with a dramatic performance of Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra, famous for opening the iconic 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.   

A Night at the Movies at the Arcada Theatre and a program of film scores was a departure from the norm for the 47-year-old youth orchestra. EYSO typically performs at the Blizzard Theatre at Elgin Community College where they are an in-residence ensemble with a program focused on a thematic curriculum. 

“The Arcada Theatre with its regional draw and popularity among Fox Valley residents gave us the opportunity to bring orchestral music to new audiences. We were delighted with the turnout —and proud of the students for an incredible concert!” said Sheppard.  

Visit eyso.org/arcada to view a slide show of the event.

About EYSO??? 

The mission of EYSO is to create a community of young musicians, enriching their lives and the lives of their families, schools, communities, and beyond, through the study and performance of excellent music.??? 

Since its beginnings as a small string orchestra in 1976, EYSO has grown to a community of nine ensembles and a thriving Chamber Music Institute. Serving over 300 students in grades four through college from 70 Chicagoland communities, EYSO has a national reputation for providing students with an engaging musical experience and a comprehensive learning environment of curiosity, imagination, critical thinking, and collaboration. The Illinois Council of Orchestras has recently recognized EYSO with three prestigious awards: Orchestra of the Year, Conductor of the Year, and Programming of the Year.  

To learn more about EYSO, visit EYSO.org or call (847) 841-7700.???