Heroes

Say goodbye to what you think you know about orchestral music. Darwin Symphony Orchestra’s (DSO) homage to cinematic heroes – whether big or small – flips the idea of orchestral music on its head.

^{By Jenna Kirkham}

WHEN YOU THINK of orchestras, composers like Beethoven and Brahms might spring to mind. In Heroes, DSO plays classic, hero-inspired tunes that can be enjoyed by everyone.

Inspired by popular films, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Jon Tooby says this performance is more than a tribute to the muscly good guy.

“The thing that’s exciting about this show is that it really is very diverse, it’s about heroes, but they’re unsung heroes too, you know?”

With the familiar tunes of Star Wars, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, more than enough to get music and movie lovers through the door, DSO has curated a list of film titles familiar to both young and old.

“There are unsung heroes like Forrest Gump, and animal heroes like Babe the pig … There’s lots of animated ones, we’re doing Incredibles, Frozen, and Kung Fu Panda,” says Tooby.

“Kids can come, it’s a show for everyone! It’s not your highbrow classical experience where you sit silently, there will be a lot of noise.”

With the help of ABC Radio Darwin’s Liz Trevaskis to navigate you through each work, families can take advantage of this unique opportunity as favourite cinematic soundtracks come to life. Ditching traditional stereotypes, Heroes welcomes all who are curious to take the leap and dip your toe into this orchestral experience.

“People take it for granted when they see Star Wars, or the Incredibles, or Forrest Gump, that the music is made in a studio. There’s a hundred people being recorded, a symphony orchestra actually doing the music. I think it’s an opportunity for people to see behind the scenes,” says Tooby.

Composed of mostly volunteers, the Territory’s only symphony orchestra has around 70 members heading to the stage this month to deliver this impressive musical odyssey.

Heroes 
WHEN SAT 26 OCT | 6.30PM 
AT DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE 
COST $22-$65 | $152 FAM 
INFO dso.org.au

^{Header, thumbnail & inset: Tim Nicol}