2008 Woodie Awards
Mobile Pops opens 2007-2008 season
Gruner, Ashley
Issue date: 10/1/07 Section: Fine Arts
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On Sept. 29, the Mobile Pops Band performed at the First Baptist Church of Citronelle, under the direction of Greg Gruner. The concert was the first of the Mobile Pops' 2007-2008 season.
The opening piece of "An Evening with the Pops" was Mark Camphouse's "Symphonic Fanfare." This powerful and energetic concert opener was commissioned to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Municipal Band of Wheaton, Ill.
This was followed by Gioacchino Rossini's "Italian in Algiers Overture." This lighthearted piece depicts the efforts of the Ruler of Algiers, in trying to capture the heart of Isabella, a beautiful Italian girl.
Gustav Mahler's "Finale from Symphony No. 3" was the sixth movement of the work completed in 1895. In Mahler's own words, this slow and lyrical movement can best be described as "the peak, the highest level from which one can view the world." Its beautiful melodies were presented throughout and were abruptly ended with a very powerful and majestic conclusion.
The first half of the performance ended with Stephen Reineke's "The Witch and The Saint." This piece included five different sections, each depicting the lives of twin sisters born in Germany in 1558. The birth of twins was considered to be a bad omen in this period of time, and as the sisters grew older, it became clear they had been given a gift of predicting future events. The piece illustrates the fear of the townspeople towards the twins.
The second half of the concert was attributed mainly to the guest artists of the evening. Sarah and Scott Wright, leading vocalists and familiar performers on the Gulf Coast, were the guest artists for the Mobile Pops Band's 2007-2008 premier performance. They have both been working with the Mobile Opera in performing over 40 productions since 1980, including "La Traviata," which opens Oct. 25.
The Wright's have performed all along the Gulf Coast, with several familiar groups such as the Mobile Symphony, St. Paul's Choral Society and the Baldwin Pops. Scott is the conductor of the Bay Area Strings Community Orchestra and currently serves as president of the Mobile Arts Council, while Sarah is the education director for the Mobile Symphony.
The opening piece of "An Evening with the Pops" was Mark Camphouse's "Symphonic Fanfare." This powerful and energetic concert opener was commissioned to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Municipal Band of Wheaton, Ill.
This was followed by Gioacchino Rossini's "Italian in Algiers Overture." This lighthearted piece depicts the efforts of the Ruler of Algiers, in trying to capture the heart of Isabella, a beautiful Italian girl.
Gustav Mahler's "Finale from Symphony No. 3" was the sixth movement of the work completed in 1895. In Mahler's own words, this slow and lyrical movement can best be described as "the peak, the highest level from which one can view the world." Its beautiful melodies were presented throughout and were abruptly ended with a very powerful and majestic conclusion.
The first half of the performance ended with Stephen Reineke's "The Witch and The Saint." This piece included five different sections, each depicting the lives of twin sisters born in Germany in 1558. The birth of twins was considered to be a bad omen in this period of time, and as the sisters grew older, it became clear they had been given a gift of predicting future events. The piece illustrates the fear of the townspeople towards the twins.
The second half of the concert was attributed mainly to the guest artists of the evening. Sarah and Scott Wright, leading vocalists and familiar performers on the Gulf Coast, were the guest artists for the Mobile Pops Band's 2007-2008 premier performance. They have both been working with the Mobile Opera in performing over 40 productions since 1980, including "La Traviata," which opens Oct. 25.
The Wright's have performed all along the Gulf Coast, with several familiar groups such as the Mobile Symphony, St. Paul's Choral Society and the Baldwin Pops. Scott is the conductor of the Bay Area Strings Community Orchestra and currently serves as president of the Mobile Arts Council, while Sarah is the education director for the Mobile Symphony.
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