This preview has been provided by the North Carolina Symphony.

As part of its 2012/13 Pops Series, the North Carolina Symphony, led by Music Director Grant Llewellyn, will perform “The Music of John Williams,” Friday and Saturday, April 19-20, at 8 p.m. in Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh. 

John Williams has received nearly 50 Academy Award nominations and is the creative force behind some of cinema’s most mesmerizing musical themes. Experience Williams’ music live, in a concert salute to his most electrifying scores including Schindler’s List, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars. Soloists for the program will be Ann Hobson Pilot, harp, and Brian Reagin, violin.

After 40 years with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, legendary principal harpist, Ann Hobson Pilot retired at the end of the Tanglewood 2009 season. Pilot is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music under Alice Chalifoux. She became principal harp of the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1980, having joined the BSO in 1969 as assistant principal harp and principal with the Boston Pops. Before that she was substitute second harp with the Pittsburgh Symphony and principal harp of the Washington National Symphony. She will perform On Willows and Birches, Concerto for Harp, which Williams composed for her. 

A Chicago native, Brian Reagin is in his 24th season as Concertmaster of the North Carolina Symphony, and returns this summer to the Chautauqua Symphony for his 17th season as Concertmaster of that prestigious summer festival orchestra.  Before joining the North Carolina Symphony, he was Assistant Concertmaster with the Pittsburgh Symphony under Music Directors Andre Previn and Lorin Maazel. Since 1990 Reagin has appeared as soloist with the North Carolina Symphony more than 100 times, making him the most frequent soloist in the history of the orchestra.  Highlights of his extensive performing career include a televised performance of the Brahms B Major trio with Andre Previn and Yo Yo Ma, the world premiere recording of the George Frederick McKay Violin Concerto, and stepping in for the stranded Itzhak Perlman two days after the 9/11 attacks to perform the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the North Carolina Symphony.  Reagin performs on a Lorenzo and Tomasso Carcassi violin made in Florence, Italy in 1763.

In addition to enjoying the amazing music of John Williams, audience members can come to the concerts dressed as their favorite Star Wars character for a chance to win a prize package that includes:

  • Two premium tickets to Sci-Fi Spectacular with George Takei on June 27
  • A $25 gift card to an Eschelon Hospitality restaurant
  • A John Williams CD from Quail Ridge Books and Music

Also on hand will be the North Carolina/South Carolina chapter of the 501st Legion, an all-volunteer international Star Wars costuming organization, who will be available for photos.

Tickets to “The Music of John Williams” start at $45.  Student tickets are $15.

For more information, go to the North Carolina Symphony’s website at www.ncsymphony.org, or call 919.733.2750 or toll free 877.627.6724. Meymandi Concert Hall is located in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., in Raleigh.

North Carolina Symphony Pops Series partners are CEI: The Digital Office, Highwoods Properties, Triangle Business Journal, and North State Strategies.

Statewide partnership and support is provided by Progress Energy.

About the North Carolina Symphony

Founded in 1932, the North Carolina Symphony performs over 175 concerts annually to adults and school children in more than 50 North Carolina counties. An entity of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, the orchestra employs 65 professional musicians, under the artistic leadership of Music Director and Conductor Grant Llewellyn, and Resident Conductor William Henry Curry.

Headquartered in downtown Raleigh’s spectacular Meymandi Concert Hall at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts and an outdoor summer venue at Booth Amphitheatre in Cary, N.C., the Symphony performs about 60 concerts annually in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary metropolitan area. It holds regular concert series in Fayetteville, New Bern, Southern Pines and Wilmington—as well as individual concerts in many other North Carolina communities throughout the year—and conducts one of the most extensive education programs of any U.S. orchestra.

Program Listing:
North Carolina Symphony
Grant Llewellyn conducting
Ann Hobson Pilot, harp
Brian Reagin, violin

The Music of John Williams
John Williams (b. 1932)
   
Olympic Fanfare and Theme

Theme From Schindler’s List
    Brian Reagin, violin

On Willows and Birches, Concerto for Harp
    Ann Hobson Pilot, harp
       I.    On Willows
      II.    On Birches

Theme from JFK

Raiders’ March from Raiders of the Lost Ark

Star Wars Symphonic Suite
      Main Title
      The Little People
      Here They Come
      Princess Leia’s Theme
      The Battle
      The Throne Room and End Title