The Southwest Symphony filled the R. N. Tydings Auditorium in Hobbs on Monday evening February 7 with sounds of popular “gaming and movie themes” — all composed by the legendary John Williams. The concert brought many fond memories and much enjoyment to young and old alike.
About the special evening Melissa Gilcrease of Roswell commented on Facebook, “Each musician played so beautifully! The music was fun and enjoyable. My family had such a wonderful evening!”
Titled “Video Games meet John Williams”, the concert included familiar, sing-a-long pieces like the Empire Strikes Back Medley, the Theme from Schindler’s List, Hooray for Hollywood and Suite from Video Games Live.
Third, Fourth and Fifth Graders Treated to Their Own Concerts
Before the Monday evening public concert, third and fourth grade students from both Hobbs and Lovington schools gathered at the Tydings Auditorium for a preview of the concert the general public would enjoy that evening. Lea County fifth graders came together at the Tydings on Tuesday morning to enjoy their special performance.
The student concerts are a part of the symphony’s educational Youth Series. On Monday and Tuesday mornings’ students learned about the various instruments the symphony’s musicians play during the “Video Games” performance.
Music Great John Williams
The list of accolades for composer John Williams goes on and on. Williams has won the coveted Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition numerous times. His winning scores include but certainly are not limited to “Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, The Empire Strikes Back, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Angela’s Ashes, Munich, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” as well as The Book of Thief.
The theme to Jaws, “one of the most memorable themes in film history”, earned Williams his second Oscar. Although director Steven Spielberg was not that sold on Williams’ Jaws theme music when he first heard it, Spielberg later said that Williams’ score was the “‘signature for the entire movie,'” states an article posted at NYPost.com. Spielberg went on to say, “I think the score was responsible for half of the success of that movie.”
The Southwest Symphony
Since its inception in 1983, the Southwest Symphony’s mission has been to “present and promote music programs of the highest artistic quality for the region’s enrichment,” the residents of southeastern New Mexico, states the organization’s website.
March 11 is the date for the symphony’s next concert of the year. The venue is the Pannel Auditorium, 1205 South 6th Street, in Lovington. Quarteto Nuevo, winners of the Beverly Hills National Auditions, will be the featured artists. According to the Southwest Symphony website, the group merges western classical music with folk sounds from eastern Europe, as well as “… Latin and jazz with an organic feel that packs a wallop!”
Tickets for the concert are $25 and can be purchased online or at the door. The symphony also offers a season pass for $100.
Special thanks are in order to Chevron, The City of Hobbs Lodgers’ Tax and the Maddox Foundation, sponsors of the Video Games meet John Williams concert. The help from these sponsors brings fine musical performances for all folks of Lea County to enjoy.
