How to go
What: “Pixar in Concert”
Where: Schuster Center, Second and Main streets, Dayton
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Cost: $12.50-$78
Tickets/more info: Call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or go online to www.ticketcenterstage.com.
Journey to infinity and beyond by way of the Schuster Center as the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra salutes the movie music of Pixar in its latest, family-friendly SuperPops Series concert slated Friday and Saturday.
Founded nearly 30 years ago and headquartered in Emeryville, Calif., Pixar has revolutionized the film industry with computer animated, Academy Award-winning successes such as “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” “The Incredibles,” “WALL-E,” “Up,” “Toy Story 3” and “Brave.” The tender, touching duo of “Up” and “Toy Story 3” were particularly nominated as Best Picture, a rarity for animated films.
Composers such as Randy Newman, Thomas Newman and Michael Giacchino have also reaped Oscar nominations with Randy Newman notably winning twice for his original songs “If I Didn’t Have You” from “Monsters, Inc.” and “We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3.” Thomas Newman, Randy’s cousin, has been nominated for 12 Oscars, making him the most nominated living composer to have never won an Oscar. Giacchino won the Oscar for scoring “Up.”
“These amazing musical scores by Randy Newman, Patrick Doyle, Thomas Newman and Michael Giacchino have won 10 Grammys and three Academy Awards, and beyond this, have received 10 Oscar nominations,” said DPO associate conductor Patrick Reynolds who helms the concert. “For 100 years composers have been drawn to scoring movies. In fact, in our time, many of the greatest composers have devoted themselves and their art to movie music. For me, it’s the fun and excitement of the music – the infinite variety and brilliant imagery of the music itself — that draws people into film action. I think it’s those same characteristics that make it so appealing to everyone regardless of age or whether or not they’ve ever attended a ‘traditional’ concert.”
A big fan of “Finding Nemo,” Reynolds regards Pixar films as “life-affirming,” particularly in its portrayals of humanity. He is excited for audiences to relive their favorite Pixar moments as various clips from the studio’s canon accompany the orchestra.
“This concert is visually brilliant,” Reynolds said. “The production is a high-definition, multimedia concert featuring montages of clips from 14 of Pixar’s films (such as) ‘A Bug’s Life,’ ‘Cars,’ ‘Ratatouille’ and ‘Monsters University.’ For someone who might not have ever attended a symphonic concert before, they might just be drawn back into the concert hall again after seeing ‘Pixar in Concert.’ I certainly hope so. It doesn’t matter if it’s Pixar, Puccini, Purcell or Pachelbel, orchestras make wonderful sounds!”
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