Now That’s What I Call Symphonic Music! kicks off the weekend

Symphonic Smash Hits – the 9Os! features the decade’s top songs

 

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is all set for another super summer of stunning open-air concerts featuring brilliant music, picnics and spectacular fireworks.

Featuring some of the world’s best musicians, the ever-popular BSO Pops will be back in Meyrick Park, Bournemouth on Friday 7 August and Saturday 8 August for two al fresco concert occasions – perfect for a sumptuous picnic and a glass of bubbly.

 

The BSO’s annual outdoor weekend, sponsored by Lester Aldridge Solicitors and supported by BCP Council, features two distinctly different themes – symphonic and movie classics and smash hits of the 1990s – with plenty for all tastes to enjoy and is a firm seasonal favourites for all the family.

 

Friday August 7’s Now That’s What I Call Symphonic Music! is a celebration of big-name composers and beloved symphonic classics from the bombastic to the sublime, as well as an aural feast from the world of cinema with big blockbuster soundtracks ranging from galaxies far away to Middle Earth.

 

Expect John Williams’ Oscar-winning Star Wars and ET themes alongside Howard Shore’s Lord Of The Rings score and Hans Zimmer’s emotional music for the sci-fi epic Interstellar. Also featuring will be music from Stravinsky’s The Firebird, Mussorgsky’s A Night on the Bare Mountain, Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, Rachmaninov’s Symphony No.2 and Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus Overture.

 

The following night, Saturday August 8, it’s time to dust off your bucket hats, chokers and butterfly clips and get ready to ready to party like it’s 1999 as Symphonic Smash Hits – the 9Os! hits the Meyrick Park stage ready to entertain you.

 

Featuring the biggest tracks of the decade from the likes of superstars Robbie Williams, Cher, The Spice Girls and many more 1990s’ hitmakers, this unmissable celebration the decade’s music will see the BSO in full flow and plenty of dancing in the park.

 

Dougie Scarfe OBE, CEO of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Meyrick Park this summer for these two fabulous concerts which not only demonstrate the superb versatility of our musicians but also gives them a chance to let their hair down for the best party of the summer season.

“I absolutely love it when the park is packed with picnickers as far as the eye can see and always marvel at some of the extraordinary items our audience members bring along to enhance their culinary experience.”

Kurt Lee, Partner and Head of Private Client at Lester Aldridge: “We are delighted to continue our support for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and its wonderful summer programme. These concerts bring such joy to our community, offering families and friends the chance to come together and enjoy music in a relaxed and memorable setting. It is a real pleasure to help make events like this possible and to celebrate the creativity that enriches our region.”

 

The BSO is also returning to Portsmouth’s iconic Guildhall Square landmark in July – in partnership with The Guildhall Trust – following two successful events last year, featuring music from Abba and blockbuster films, which were attended by more than 2,500 people.

On Friday 17 July, The Best of Williams & Zimmer is a symphonic spectacular concert of award-winning soundtracks from some of the most iconic films of all time. And on Saturday 18 July, it’s party time with Symphonic Smash Hits – The 80s! featuring top tracks from the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, A-Ha, George Michael, Elton John and more. Supported by Portsmouth City Council, the events are part of a special Centenary Concert Series in celebration of Portsmouth’s 100 years of city status.

The BSO is also performing Symphonic Smash Hits – The 80s! at Corfe Castle on Saturday, 25 July as part of Love It Local Events’ Summer Nights at the Castle season. Conductor Pete Harrison will lead the orchestra and guest singers through a programme of classic hits from the era of new romantics, big hair and even bigger shoulder pads, with a backdrop of an amazing light show on the castle walls.

Two other events at Corfe that weekend feature BSO musicians. On Friday, 24 July, a 14-piece ensemble will perform West End to Hollywood, a concert of film and stage music from the West End to Hollywood, including James Bond, Moulin Rouge, Toy Story and Harry Potter.

On Sunday, 26 July it’s the turn of Curious Creatures & Adventurous Animals, a symphonic adventure through verdant forests and across the open ocean featuring music by Mancini, Elgar, Williams, de Falla, Bjork and Vaughan Williams, as well as music from the blockbuster Moana.

See https://bsolive.com/whats-on/bso-pops/ for full details.

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