To Hamilton and Beyond with the Hamilton Phil

Here’s a glimpse into Symphony in Space: The Ultimate Sci-Fi Concert. The Oct. 24 show will feature music from Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, E.T., Alien, Interstellar, Tron, Dune, Back to the Future, and more.

In a galaxy not so far away, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra combines forces with Canadian conductor Evan Mitchell to present Symphony in Space: The Ultimate Sci-Fi Concert. 

If you're someone who loves orchestral music, sci-fi scores might not be the first thing you think of, but science fiction music has evolved dramatically since the 1950s and includes some of the most recognizable arrangements in the 21st century. 

"You're going to hear some epic, sweeping, and magical music from the orchestra during this concert," Mitchell says. "Nothing can replicate the live orchestra experience; you really have to be there to get it." 

Symphony in Space: The Ultimate Sci-Fi Concert takes place at FirstOntario Concert Hall on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and includes heart-pounding film scores from iconic movies including Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, E.T., Alien, Interstellar, Tron, Dune, Back to the Future, and more. 

According to Mitchell, it's "the perfect first-time experience" for anyone who's never been to an orchestra before. "You'll love the selections, but you'll love the live, dynamic performance of this magnificent orchestra even more," he says. 

I got to sit down with Mitchell and talk to him about the significance of orchestral sci-fi music and what audiences can expect to experience at Hamilton Phil's upcoming Mainstage Concert. To me, in a silent setting such as space, penetrating the quiet with booming soundscapes and marvelous scores evokes the enormous feelings of being untethered in a boundless universe. In a way, the similarities between a sci-fi film's landscape and soundscape are that they are typically both vast in scope. 

Megan Divecha (MD): From your perspective, how does orchestral music impact the viewers' experience of watching films and television? 

Evan Mitchell (EM): Sci-fi, at the heart of it, is about big ideas, the very biggest! And so, it's fitting that the orchestra has such a vast landscape of brilliant sci-fi music as the orchestral canvas is the largest of them all. After the golden age of cinema, film scores turned away from the symphonic sound for about 15 years or so and then came along Star Wars, which absolutely revolutionized the sound of science fiction. 

MD: Can you highlight a few pieces that stand out amongst the others? 

EM: Well, this is a concert lineup that was curated to give a broad cross section. We're playing 'the hits', but we're also representing some beloved franchises you don't normally hear music from. It's hard to pick and choose. I myself am a big Star Trek fan, and we have a variety of selections across the decades including some music that should be very meaningful for fans of Star Trek TNG and Patrick Stewart. 

MD: What can the audience expect to experience?  

EM: If you've never been to an orchestra concert before, this is the perfect 'first time' experience! You'll hear the music you love, brought to life right in front of you by dozens of spectacular artists all working in perfect sync, it's like magic. Nothing can replicate the live orchestra experience, you really have to be there to get it. 

MD: Can you tell us about how you approach conducting a pops concert (features popular music rather than traditional classical masterworks) and how it differs from approaching conducting a classical piece? 

EM: Good music is good music; in many aspects conducting a selection from E.T. or Interstellar is no different than conducting a Brahms symphony. All of the principles are the same, but I will say with certain music in the pops genre, you can relax a bit and just have fun from the drop. There's a lot of deep music at this concert, as well as a lot of fun music, and we're going to enjoy both.  

MD: What is your favourite piece and who's your favourite film and television composer? 

EM: I think the best piece on this program is perhaps the Suite from Aliens by James Horner. It's rich, deep, and a little frightening. As for my favourite film and TV composer, it's hard not to recognize John Williams as the best we have yet seen, but I do have a fondness for the legends who wrote such incredible scores in the mid 20th century: Max Steiner, Franz Waxman, Bernard Herrmann, and the true master Erich Korngold. 

Evan Mitchell himself is a lifelong fan of science fiction, and alongside the Hamilton Phil's artistic team, he's put together an incredible array of extraordinary music representing the best of sci-fi. It's a perfect concert experience for film fans, families, and anyone who loves epic orchestral soundtracks. 

So, we're calling all the Trekkies, believers of aliens, and diehards for space travel, to get your tickets for Symphony in Space: The Ultimate Sci-Fi Concert on Oct. 24. Whether this is your first or seventh time attending a Hamilton Phil performance, you'll leave with a new or deepened appreciation for film scores and ultimately, have an epically fun time. One might say, it'll be out-of-this-world. 

Megan Divecha is marketing & communications cfficer at Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.

NEED TO KNOW

Symphony in Space: The Ultimate Sci-Fi Concert
Conducted by Evan Mitchell
Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.
FirstOntario Concert Hall
1 Summers Lane, Hamilton
Tickets are here