A Conduit For Nostalgia: The Utah Symphony
“So much of what we do is ephemeral and quickly forgotten—even by ourselves, so it’s gratifying to have something you have done linger in people’s memories.” - John Williams
It’s really saying something when a 22-year-old college student feels surges of pure nostalgia over a movie/soundtrack that came out 35 years before he was even born.
As a kid, my brother and I would stay up late most nights and watch (and rewatch) our VHS copies of Star Wars (the originals), imagining that we were Jedi that wielding the force. Little did I know then—like I do now—that the music scores woven into the films were why I got so emotionally attached.
Flash forward to our young adult years, and our love for the franchise only grew as we planned Halloween costumes, absorbed brotherly principles from the story, and studied our schoolwork to the award winning soundtracks. Though it wasn’t my decade, this collection of incredible features had a great effect on my childhood. And so it has for numerous people since.
This is why, when I was blessed with the opportunity to watch Star Wars: A New Hope in concert by the Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall, I was inevitably taken back to some of the best memories of my life. With each measure (linked with the motion picture), I was swept further and further into a nostalgic trance. I can only imagine what the older people around me were feeling.
As I sat in that incredible hall, built specifically for its outstanding acoustics, I could feel the music flow in and out of me as if I was a part of the movie. This is when I started to draw the conclusion that watching a theatrical production is a great way to feel immersed and present in an emotional drama, but hearing an orchestral arrangement of a classic production is a way to play a role in it.
Here’s what I mean by that: Music is written to be experienced. Without an audience, there is nothing to be heard and thus nothing to perform. But as my wife and I, and 3,000 other fans sat in the Abravanel Hall last week experiencing the music, I felt like I was a part of the movement and that it was meant specifically for me.
The Utah Symphony, specifically, was a joy to watch. Their conductor, as he followed the carefully programmed measures displayed on his modified screen, coupled with the orchestra’s energy with each note, made the experience unforgettable. I was tremendously impressed with the cohesion of the orchestra and the excitement of the musicians. With their devotion to the score, I felt like I was actively involved in hearing/watching something that was intended to open my mind.
When an orchestra can do that—open the mind to better times—they’ve fulfilled their purpose. Each instrument had a way of unlocking a memory. When the percussion played, I remembered banging Nerf swords together with my brother, trying to mirror a Jedi-vs-Sith battle. When the strings swelled, I remembered nights spent cruising through English homework with my earbuds in. When the woodwinds and brass thundered, I remembered buying lightsabers at Disneyland and watching them light up for the first time. And when the harp sang out, I remembered falling asleep to playlists that included “Princess Leia’s Theme.” It is an incredible feat to take a soul back in time, and The Utah Symphony did it effortlessly.
As a personal aside: I took my wife to this performance three weeks after we had our newborn son—figuring we could use a date night after going from a family of two to a family of three. Knowing she loves the Utah Symphony, and also that she had never seen Star Wars (much to my chagrin), I arranged for us to go. As we walked away—her curiosity about the franchise now piqued, and my mind blown by the orchestra’s skill—this perfect little date night became another memory we’ll look back on with nothing less than nostalgia.
John Williams says that “so much of what we do is ephemeral and quickly forgotten—even by ourselves,” and this is why I think music is so beautiful; it does not only have attractive qualities, but memory-unlocking powers. For this reason, after listening to The Utah Symphony accompany Star Wars, I imagine that each and every one of those musicians could confidently say, like John Williams: “it’s gratifying to have something you have done linger in people’s memories.” For this reason, I would classify The Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall, in every sense of the word: A Conduit For Nostalgia.
As a lover of prime entertainment, I highly recommend The Utah Symphony (especially the “Film-in-Concert” events). The pure talent and beautiful music of this impressive orchestra has the ability to soothe struggles and remind of good times ahead, and behind us.
- Cale K. Montoya
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