Entertainment

Orchestra enchants MCCC

by Andrew Hoppert

 Devil’s night brings out the true colors of the mischief in each of us.
Toledo Symphony Orchestra first chair violinist Kirk Tothplayed the role of Death for Camille Saint-Saens’ Danse Macabre.
Conductor Chelsea Tipton II sorted himself into Slytherin house.
The TSO’s Harry Potter Meets the Toledo Symphony Orchestra delighted an almost full Meyer Theate on Oct. 30 with music and trivia from the popularly enchanting movies, based on the beloved book series by J.K Rowling.
Narrator Merwin Siu, who plays second chair violin for the TSO, swapped his bow for a wand to deliver a magical performance that was both interesting and charming, allowing his muggle audience of all ages to take something from the evening.
Tipton, who is in his seventh and final season with the TSO, said that the Harry Potter series, which the orchestra performs once or twice a year, is fun because it mixes education with music and entertainment, making it an enjoyable evening for everybody. 
The Orchestra played familiar classics from John Williams’ work in the first four movies, along with some other selections that coincided well with the theme but weren’t from the films.
“It is hard to get a hold of the music from the later films, and we picked these selections because they work well,” said Siu.
The witty banter between Siu, Tipton and the audience, the varying degrees of musical tone from the playful “Nimbus 2000” to the powerful “Duel and Death Scene from Hamlet” and the jazzy  “Knight Bus” captivated the ears and the hearts of the audience through skillful, near flawless play from the orchestra.
The best part of the evening was Jerry Brubaker’s arrangement of “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” The work included all of the great songs from the fourth movie, opening with a threatening theme for “He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named,” to the ethnically intriguing themes for the Irish Quidditch team and the Durmstrung Institute, to the sweet waltz from the students’ first dance. The seamless transitions strung together a well-orchestrated, amazing set.