KCMETROPOLIS.org
Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

There are many ways to celebrate a long holiday weekend, but enjoying live music outdoors may be one of the best. The Kansas City Symphony bade farewell to summer this past Saturday night, entertaining a full crowd of all ages at the Theatre in the Park in Shawnee Mission with favorites from the concert hall, theatre stage, and Hollywood.

The classical portion of the program was wisely chosen, featuring short, lively works likely familiar to the audience. After beginning with The Star-Spangled Banner, conductor Steven Jarvi immediately continued the music with Glinka’s Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila. The Overture to Light Calvary by Suppé, Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances Nos. 1 and 8, and three movements from La boutique fantasque, Respighi’s reimagining of Rossini themes, were also performed.

The orchestra was very at ease with these works, all of which feature sprightly rhythms, active melodies, and full, lush harmonies. They played with energy and commitment on all the works on this program. The amplification however revealed flaws in the group and in the mixing throughout the concert. While there was almost no delay in the sound, the unbalanced blend, non-matching vibrato, and uneven cut-offs were more noticeable with amplification than in a regular concert hall.

Jarvi was affable and personable when he addressed the audience, explaining the “musical vacation” we were taking in the first half of the program. His conducting was slightly stiff but very precise, almost perfectly opposite Michael Stern’s style. Jarvi loosened up considerably during the second half, appropriately grooving around on the podium to the more familiar pop arrangements. He was fun and engaging in this casual atmosphere.

Unsurprisingly, the second half captured the audience’s attention more than the first with selections from well known musicals and movies. The crowd sang along with the medley from The Sound of Music, especially the film’s eponymous theme song and “Do-Re-Mi”, and clapped along with “Seventy-Six Trombones” from The Music Man, during which the trombones delightfully flaunted their grand glissando lines.

The evening ended with music from the silver screen: Danny Elfman’s Spider-man theme and sections of John Williams’ all-time classic Star Wars. While Elfman’s Spider-man arrangement was a bit dull, Star Wars was pleasant, nostalgic, and had the audience on their feet by the closing bars. An encore of Stars and Stripes Forever was a strong and fitting bookend to the national anthem at the beginning. 

REVIEW:
Kansas City Symphony
Pops in the Park
with Steven Jarvi, associate conductor
Saturday, September 4 at 7 p.m.
Theatre in the Park, Shawnee Mission Park
7710 Renner Road, Shawnee Mission, KS
www.kcsymphony.org

By Kristin Shafel Omiccioli

Editorial Assignments Executive Editor; Traditional and New Classical Contributor

Kristin Shafel Omiccioli, a native of Madison, WI, holds composition degrees (M.M., B.M.) from the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. Kristin's compositions have been performed at national and regional new music festivals and conferences throughout the United States. During her time at UMKC, Kristin also focused on double bass performance and arts administration. She was a student leader and performer in many of the Conservatory's student organizations and ensembles, including Musica Nova, Composers' Guild, the Conservatory Student Association, the orchestras, and Wind Symphony. Her composition instructors were James Mobberley, Paul Rudy, Zhou Long, and Chen Yi, and her bass instructor was Sue Stubbs. Formerly a guitarist, Kristin performed with big bands and her own jazz combo in Madison, WI, having studied jazz guitar and theory with Roger Brotherhood in Madison and jazz voice and theory with Hal Melia in Kansas City at UMKC.

Kristin enjoys being active in the performing arts community. She has volunteered with the Chamber Music Society of Kansas City and Charlotte Street Foundation, and has played in the bass section of the Northland Symphony Orchestra, among other bass gigs around the metro. Kristin currently serves as principal bass for the Kansas City Civic Orchestra and Heritage Philharmonic, and is a section bassist for Kinnor Philharmonic. She joined the writing staff of KCMetropolis.org in February 2010 and has been KCM’s executive editor since July 2011. Read her blog at mylittleheartmelodies.com.