Lights, camera, action! Music from blockbuster movies will be performed by the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra in their May concert as part of the Sonic Herts Festival.
The de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra (dHPO) will collaborate with the University of Hertfordshire’s annual music festival, Sonic Herts, for a celebration of music from the stage and screen on May 12.
Hosted by UH Arts + Culture, this exciting concert in Hatfield features epic music from the giants of the big screen.
Inna Allen, head of UH Arts + Culture, said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with the Sonic Herts Festival to present something new to our audiences — playing well-known masterpieces from some of the most popular films of our time!
"The talented dHPO will tackle a diverse range of scores from both classic and contemporary cinema, and we hope spectators come away with a newfound appreciation for some of their best-loved favourites.”
A resident orchestra at the University of Hertfordshire, dHPO has enjoyed over 50 years of success and brings together over 80 classical musicians who perform under the leadership of their dynamic conductor, Robin Browning.
Excitingly, the May concert includes the premiere performance of a new work by University of Hertfordshire music student William Donaldson.
William is completing his studies towards a BSc (Hons) degree in 'Music Composition and Technology for Film & Games’. This filmic work, titled Oceanic Voyage, was selected from a number of new compositions written for the dHPO by music students from the university’s School of Creative Arts this year.
The orchestra then gives their rendition of the 60-year-old classic score from Elmer Bernstein for The Great Escape, followed by the quintessential suite of tunes from the James Bond films.
Moving to the current golden era of film, the orchestra visits scores from the contemporary giants John Williams and Hans Zimmer, both of whom are still writing music for films.
Audiences can also expect to enjoy landmark works from smash hit films such as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, E.T., and Gladiator.
The concert will take place on Sunday, May 12, at 4pm in the 450-seater Weston Auditorium on the de Havilland campus at the University of Hertfordshire.
Tickets are available between £15–£6 (free for carers and UH students) – from the website www.uharts.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01707 281 127 (open Monday-Friday 10am-noon). Parking is free on Sundays.
de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra Programme
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... The University of Hertfordshire's resident de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra will play music from film favourites.
Music from Stage and Screen (as part of the Sonic Herts Festival)
• Elmer Bernstein – The Great Escape (Main Theme and highlights)
• Various composers – James Bond Suite
• John Williams – Harry Potter Suite
• John Williams – Riding the Hippogriff (Harry Potter)
• John Williams – Adventures on Earth (E.T.)
• Howard Shore – Lord of the Rings Suite
• Michael Giacchino – Star Trek into Darkness
• Hans Zimmer – Themes from Gladiator
• John Willliams – Jurassic Park
• Klaus Badelt – Pirates of the Caribbean
• John Williams – Star Wars Suite
About Sonic Herts Festival
Sonic Herts is the University of Hertfordshire’s annual music festival run by students and staff and open to all.
Established by the university’s School of Creative Arts, it is a celebratory end-of-year event featuring an exhilarating mix of music performances, ranging from classical to experimental, from acoustic to electronic, as well as industry talks and masterclasses.
Sonic Herts runs from April 29 to May 2, 2024, and takes place across the University of Hertfordshire’s College Lane Campus in Hatfield.
For information on the festival events and how to book, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/sonic-herts-festival-2024-3185439
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