Symphony turns attention to light classical favorites

Published 5:24 pm Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Historic Everett Theatre will be popping tonight when Everett Symphony Orchestra performs its “Ala Boston Pops” concert.

“Ala Boston Pops” features some of the best light classical orchestral blockbusters that were hits in the 19th and 20th centuries but still bring in the crowds today.

Those hits include the “1812 Overture” by Peter Tchaikovsky, the “William Tell Overture” by Giacomo Rossini and “Romanian Rhapsody” by George Enesco.

As a way for people to both hear and feel the music, the audience will be invited to participate, with each person being asked to join in during the percussion section in the concert’s final work, Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.”

Further back: Two masters play the stringed instruments of 13th century medieval times – the lute and the ud — on Sunday with selections that range from the Renaissance dance movement to the Ottoman court to Elizabethan ballads, Arabic folk tunes, Italian Renaissance polyphony and contemporary compositions.

Münir Beken and August Denhard have created a duo performance that blends the traditions of nearly 600 years of Middle Eastern and European music. Their concert starts at 4:30 p.m. at the Music Center of the Northwest in Seattle.

The duo’s presentation creates a co-existence of styles that can both contrast and complement each other.

Beken is known as an ud virtuoso and composer who began his musical life at age 11 at the State Conservatory of Istanbul. He earned a doctorate in ethnomusicology from the University of Maryland in 1998 and is assistant professor of theory and composition in the ethnomusicology department at University of California Los Angeles, according to the Music Center Web site.

As a performer on lute, theorbo and Baroque guitar, Denhard has appeared in many ensembles, including Baroque Northwest, Seattle Baroque, the Concord Ensemble, Chicago Music of the Baroque, the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, Camarata Pacifica Baroque and others specializing in early music. He holds degrees from Peabody Conservatory and Northwestern University, and completed his doctor of music degree in May 2006, according to the Web site.