American Festival Chorus celebrates 75th anniversary of ‘The Wizard of Oz’
The American Festival Chorus and Orchestra was off to see the wizard last Friday night for their second annual contemporary music concert in celebration of the 75th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz.”
“Oz and Beyond: A Family Pops Concert” followed the “pops” genre and featured more popular songs than traditional choral concerts do, said Elaine Olson, managing director of the American Festival Chorus and Orchestra.
“Last year was our first year [for the pops concert] and the theme was Disney,” said Craig Jessop, artistic director and conductor of the concert. “It was a huge success and so we decided to do it again, and this year, because it’s the 75th anniversary of the movie ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ we decided to have an Oz theme. … We didn’t want to be confined to just the movie, so we took it to the ‘Oz and Beyond.'”
As well as musical numbers from “The Wizard of Oz,” the Broadway productions “Wicked” and “The Wiz,” the concert also included songs from “Frozen,” “The Lion King” and many others.
“I love the fairy tale aspect of it and I’m sure the children will as well,” said Roger Hunzeker, a choir member from Montpelier, Idaho. “It’s just breathtaking to see the little faces, children and even adults as we bring back memories of the beauty of being a child and going to the land of Oz.”
The Polovetzian Dance from Prince Igor was one of the songs that fit into the “beyond” category, Jessop said.
“It’s this fantasy world, and I wanted the chorus to sing some real substantial music that will challenge them and at the same time entertain our audiences,” he said.
Young dancers from the Cache Valley Civic Ballet joined the chorus and orchestra during the Polovetzian Dance and other numbers, along with Juanito Bandito, the concert’s master of ceremonies.
“I didn’t know what to expect when Dr. Jessop contacted me about it,” said TJ Davis, the face behind Bandito and a Utah State University alumnus. “I just knew that he was awesome, so I figured that it would be awesome and it was way better than I even expected it to be.”
Davis ran a number of skits throughout the concert while introducing the different numbers and wore different costumes for his routines including that of a scarecrow, Russian garb during the Polovetizian Dance, an African-style dress as he started off the Circle of Life and finally a Utah State Jersey over a kilt.
“You should see my dressing room,” Davis said. “There’s clothes all over the place. I just chucked them in a corner. If it wasn’t in a corner then I knew that was the one I was supposed to put on. I’ve never worn this many costumes in a show.”
The Beyond theme included Disney’s “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” conducted by Jessop and a boy around the age of 8, and a musical rendition of It’s a Small World.
“It’s a Small World is almost universally known by young children,” Jessop said. “It’s such a universal, happy song that almost all children know. I wanted something that they would recognize and identify with.”
Friday’s concert also featured a 10-year-old musician’s performance of Mozart’s “Piano Concerto #12 in A Major” with an orchestral accompaniment.
“This show we really want kids to see, especially by having a cute little pianist that’s 10 years old playing a Mozart piece, kind of enticing those little people that struggle at the piano or don’t want to practice into thinking, ‘Wow, someday I could do that,'” Olson said.
It was also a great opportunity for Richie, the pianist, said his mother Wei Sheng. Sheng travels with her son from Pocatello, Idaho, almost weekly to Utah State for her son’s lessons with music professor Gary Amano.
“We are proud of him,” Sheng said. “It’s the first time he’s played with an orchestra and he’s so excited. Thanks to Professor Amano and Dr. Jessop for giving him such a great opportunity to play such a big venue.”
Jessop gave special thanks to Paul and Marilyn Woodland and Primary Care Pediatrics among other concert sponsors.
The concert ended with a song called “Home,” from “The Wiz,” which lead into the finale: “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The anthem included a second verse written earlier this year for its 200th anniversary, Olson said. A final encore followed with Utah State’s own “Scotsman.”
“Oh, it was so fun to do,” said choir member Debbie Ellis. “Seeing everyone enjoying it, especially children dancing in the aisles, we’re glad we can do it.”
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