Wheeling Symphony Orchestra to perform ‘Jurassic Park In Concert’

WHEELING -- The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra is getting ready to present a classic movie in a new way -- for both the Symphony and the audience.

The WSO will perform "Jurassic Park In Concert" at 7:30 p.m. April 28 at the Capitol Theatre. Sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank and The Glessner Group, the orchestra will perform the film's full score as the audience watches the movie on a large HD screen.

The orchestra has performed along with movie scenes and cartoons before, WSO Conductor and Music Director Maestro John Devlin said, but those have come in short clips. This will be the first time that Deviln and the orchestra will perform a film's score along with the film from start to finish.

It's a much different experience for the orchestra, Devlin said.

"We start at the same time as the movie starts and we kind of know the right tempo, but the alignment with a cartoon or something that's just like one clip from 'The Little Mermaid' doesn't matter as much," he said. "Whereas if we get off with Jurassic Park, and I'm a second or a beat or a couple of seconds off, the whole sequence of the film won't be aligned. Because when the raptor comes through the wall, there needs to be a big orchestral moment that lines right up with it. So it's a much more rigorous preparation."

The way it will work, Deviln said is that the movie will play without the recorded soundtrack but with the dialogue and sound effects still in. The orchestra will provide the soundtrack. Devlin will have an earpiece with a click track for the performance, as well as a special screen in front of him showing him every moment where the music needs to connect with the film.

He has been rehearsing his role extensively, and he said the orchestra has been hard at work at home learning their individual parts. They'll all come together for two rehearsals, one where they practice the pieces ordered in degree of difficulty and one where they run through the score from start to finish.

Devlin said the performance is an exciting opportunity for both him and the orchestra.

"I feel like I get to access different parts of my brain and skill set in a way that I've never had to do it," he said. "I remember seeing this movie in theaters as a little kid. The music of John Williams is some of my favorite music and we talk about famous living composers … so for me to live with this is really beautiful."

The performance's sponsors are just as excited to see the orchestra work in sync with the film. Missy Glessner of The Glessner Group said she can't wait to take in the finished product.

"I'm sure the whole audience will be blown away," she said. "I just can't wait to see it. The symphony is magic, so I can only imagine what it's going to be like set to a motion picture."

Todd Cover, president and CEO of Belmont Savings Bank said the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra is exactly the type of organization his bank wants to support in the Ohio Valley.

"The symphony is a great organization to have here locally," he said. "They're getting out and about within our community and that's one of the things we strive for at Belmont Savings, is to partner with community organizations to try to further our mission."

Tickets for the performance can be purchased online at wheelingsymphony.com, by phone at 304-232-6191, by email at boxoffice@wheelingsymphony.com or in person at the box office at 1025 Main St., Suite 811, Wheeling.