MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Marquette Symphony Orchestra is playing a sold out show on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. in Kaufman Auditorium, featuring all things John Williams. Attendees will hear a selection of iconic blockbuster themes from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, and more.
What might be unseen from the MSO is the amount of time that goes into preparing for each performance, with players telling WZMQ 19 that they receive their music to practice only about a month in advance, before having less than a week of rehearsals.
“The strings start rehearsals the Sunday before a weekend show, and the brass starts that Thursday, so it’s pretty quick,” said Bass Trombonist, David Allen.
At the center of it all is Conductor Octavio Más-Arocas, the Director of Orchestras at the Michigan State University College of Music, who makes the drive to Marquette from Lansing for each performance. After roughly seven years at the MSO podium, members say his knowledge and ambition are what draws everyone together.
“He’s amazing, a real master and expert, he knows how far he can push us and can get us to a higher level than we normally play,” said Allen.
The orchestra regularly welcomes contributions from around the area, including donations and sponsorships, while offering early opportunities for tickets which can be found at NMU’s ticket office. Más-Arocas says all of the continued support never goes unnoticed.
“We’ve recently had back-to-back concerts sell out, which speaks tons,” he said. “Having an orchestra of this size adds a lot of sophistication to the community.”
Members agree that a major impact from being a part of the orchestra is how it’s able to keep this passion involved in their lives.
“Music is for everybody, no matter what age you are,” said trumpet, Mads Gabka.
“If you’ve given up on music and haven’t done it for a while, don’t give up on it forever,” said Allen. “It’s really rewarding to come back, and you can learn to play again.”
For more information about the Marquette Symphony Orchestra, visit their website.
