OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Pops Orchestra with Maestro Vince Lee gave July 4 a proper celebration with four concerts in five days — three of them outdoors!
Wednesday night the orchestra traveled a retrospect in all of the 12 “Star Wars” film soundtracks. The John Williams scores have a certain similarity while closely identifying with the varied action scenes. Each section brings to mind the screen views of that music, whether the craggy Yoda wise man or the baby version, a battle scene, the imperial march, or the unmistakable rich opening chord and theme that underpin the scrolling crawl “in a galaxy far away.”
Outdoors, the brass are the most prominent, making use of Williams’ love of trumpet calls and low brass punctuation. The stage crew did well on amplifying the strings and woodwinds, but that challenge was greater. Even the seagulls were animated by the brass — swooping over stage and audience in the fortissimo sections. As always, the musicians played with control and expression.
Wednesday’s crowd was modest. It had rained much of the morning and even the reduced price couldn’t quite compete with “free” for the other two evenings.
Thursday and Friday nights the theme was patriotic and the crowds were large and enthusiastic. Lee was bedecked in red, white and blue, and the selections included youngsters from the week-long music school sponsored by the Pops.
Again, Lee began with a stunning trumpet call for another Williams selection, “Liberty Fanfare.” Ocean City rose to its feet and faced the flag for the “Star-Spangled Banner,” singing it remarkably well. The audience also joined in “America the Beautiful.” Evidently the folks who come to Pops concerts are also excellent singers.
A five-tune medley of George M. Cohan included a marching “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and gave the Pops Orchestra opportunity to swing to “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy.”
Guest artist was Brandon Tomasello, known for his rediscovery of Sinatra songs and arrangements. There is always a danger in singing something completely associated with one performer — “My Way” — but Tomasello handled it well. His “The House I Live In” was appropriately sentimental and fit the powerful patriotic celebration.
The encore, “Stars and Stripes Forever,” had everyone clapping along. The final refrain just finished the last piccolo solo in time for the lights to go out and fireworks over the ocean to begin. Between the ideal weather, the class-A musicians, and the wonderful location, the country’s birthday was celebrated properly in Ocean City.
By Sunday night, the orchestra was ready to move indoors to the Music Pier. Two Broadway soloists, Alyssa Fox and Alli Mauzey, known for their witch roles in “Wicked,” selected over a dozen familiar songs to showcase their talents.
The Pops Orchestra was heard on its own with a spectacular medley from “Wicked,” a clever arrangement of Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” and a shining “Over the Rainbow” that made use of the violas and low brasses. The Tornado Scene from “The Wiz” featured electric bass, Maestro Lee at the electric keyboard and a rollicking repeated pattern. Besides those choices, the Pops acted as a pit orchestra for the soloists.
Mauzey’s “I Could Have Danced All Night” was nearly operatic and she drew the audience into singing with her in a unique back-and-forth format. Fox was completely free on “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and together they soared through “All That Jazz.”
Mauzey switched to a legitimate ballad sound for “Think of Me” with tasteful piano accompaniment before the full orchestra entered. She had a totally different sound for “I Want to be a Rockette.”
Fox, who was the featured Elphaba character in the 20th anniversary “Wicked” used her amazing wide range on “Defying Gravity.”
The evening ended with the same ending as “Wicked,” a duet between the two witches, “(I Have Been Changed) For Good.” A well-deserved standing ovation brought back the duet for an encore, “I Will Never Leave You.”
Tonight (Wednesday, July 9) the O.C. Pops play the “Great American Hit Parade,” songs by Geroge Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Jerome Kern. Sunday, it’s the music of Paul McCartney. Tickets are available.
– By RICHARD STANISLAW/For the Sentinel
