MCCO’s fall concert, ‘In the Deep,’ explores water theme

MADISON – Madison City Community Orchestra or MCCO is pursuing an active schedule with demonstrations at Madison Street Festival and a unique fall concert.

At Madison Street Festival on Oct. 7, MCCO will set up at Madison Gazebo with their new “Rising Stars” promotional program.

“We’ll have many different instruments out for people to try,” MCCO Director Sandy Weisner said. “When they do, they’ll get a star put on our ‘Rising Stars’ board, which will entitle them to a free water bottle at our fall concert.”

“We’ll also have an info table with all our advertising materials, along with a wheel for the kids to spin to win a treat,” Weisner said.

For its fall concert, MCCO will present “In the Deep,” a tribute to water with classical, television and film music. The free concert on Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. will be performed in James Clemens High School Auditorium.

“This concert is sponsored by Madison Visionary Partners. It is because of their most generous grant that we are able to share such beautiful music,” Weisner said.

“We begin our 2023-2024 season with a concert all about water. Many composers have written compositions throughout the centuries that depict the power of water. We’ll share some of those wonderful pieces of music,” Weisner said.

The first selection, incredible music of Alan Menken, comes from a well-known Disney movie favorite, “The Little Mermaid.”

Next, Handel’s “Water Music Suite” was written for performance on the River Thames for King George I, Weisner said. ‘Water Music’ includes three orchestral suites. MCCO will perform the first movement, “Allegro,” and the 2nd “Hornpipe.”

“La Mer: Beyond the Sea” is English version of the French song, “La Mer” by Charles Trenet. Bobby Darin popularized the tune in 1959.

MCCO’s next chart will be Felix Mendelssohn’s “The Hebrides,” which mimics waves crashing on rocks and lapping together. “Victory at Sea,” NBC-TV’s 1953 World War II documentary, highlights the U.S. Navy’s contributions; Richard Rodgers composed ‘Victory’; Robert Russell Bennett was arranger and conductor.

The concert will shift to cinematic classics with the 1952 romantic comedy, “Singin’ in the Rain,” as directed/choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen.

“Finally, how can we have a concert about water and not include the most famous water-based music suite of all time? That piece is ‘The Jaws Suite,’” Weisner said. “Just two notes to encapsulate a film’s title character . . . with John Williams’ famous ‘da, dum.’”

MCCO will supply water-themed coloring books for the children. The public can buy $1 raffle tickets for fun water toys. Concert guests will receive a free water bottle. “We’ll also have a coloring session for the kids for new ornaments that will go on our Christmas tree this year,” Weisner said.

For more information, email director@mccorchestra.org or visit mccorchestra.org.