Fans of the Harry Potter movies have a unique opportunity this weekend. The music for the first of the films will be performed live by the Lansing Symphony Orchestra.
The movie version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone was much anticipated by fans of the books when it was released in 2001. Famed soundtrack composer John Williams created a score that has become instantly recognizable.
Gretchen Morse of the Lansing Symphony Orchestra plays both oboe and English horn with the LSO. She said playing for Harry Potter fans is a great opportunity for the orchestra to reach a more diverse audience, especially the younger folks you don’t often see in concert halls.
"To be able to play something that’s exciting for them, I’ve heard many families and kids already express their excitement about being able to come to this," said Morse.
John Williams' scores sound simple, but Morse said with a lot going on, it’s challenging to get ready to perform his iconic music and orchestra members get excited about shows like this.
“He’s written so many great film scores,” she added, “And they just really do have some riveting and heroic and melodic and very expressive melodies to them. And so, it’s a lot of fun to play that.”
The musicians have been preparing on their own this week. There are only two planned rehearsals before the concerts. That isn’t unusual, according to Morse.
“In Hollywood, the musicians that are doing this type of soundtrack recording all the time have to be at the very top of their game, because they have very limited rehearsals for any of the recordings they do. Time is money.”
Morse said she realizes that for lots of people, this will be their first time attending a symphonic program, hoping some will return to see more traditional classical music concerts.
She doesn’t expect the musicians to have any trouble playing the music, but it is a bit scary to think about syncing the music with the film.
“I would imagine that the conductor at the very least has what’s called a click track going on in his headset that gives a tempo and it gives cues,” Morse explained. “And it’s very possible that all of us musicians will have the same, so that we can sync up with the film.”
There’s nothing official, but if these shows go well, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the orchestra plan similar programs with the rest of the Harry Potter movies in the future.
The Lansing Symphony Orchestra provides the live soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at MSU’s Wharton Center, Friday night at 8 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
The Wharton Center is a financial supporter of WKAR.
