Tickets were completely sold out a few days prior to the concert, and considering that the proceeds are going to support the cause of furthering the interest in and promotion of cultural events in the City of Malibu, it was good news for all involved.
Of course my readers all know why I was attending...and it was a family affair: Trevor, his sister Amanda, and his niece Indiana were all participants in the event, and the Rabin extended family was in attendance. But the participation of all the performers and organizers was certain to ensure it would be a unique and entertaining afternoon of music and dance. I was primarily excited for the opportunity to hear Trevor's music performed live in an orchestral setting, as well seeing Indiana dance to her mother's choreography.
The guest musicians/composers on hand besides Trevor were Maria Newman and Marco Beltrami, also both involved with film/television scoring as well as orchestral composition and performance. And as an article in the Malibu Surfside News noted prior to the event, Newman (who was also the concertmaster) was able to enlist the assistance of her cousin Randy to expand the orchestra to a size suitable for the performance of the programming.
Trevor's entry in the concert programme.
Inspired by the wind in the trees and forests. This piece just came to me in the middle of the night and I went into the studio to write it down. So happy it is being played outdoors!I had a chance to speak with Trevor and in response to my query he noted the piece has been previously recorded, but this may have been its' first public performance. "Duet" definitely has a gentle pastoral meditative air to it, with a sense of light and shadow, capturing a perfectly peaceful moment in time.
After Newman's "Fanfare ad Omnes" and introductory remarks from Mayor Laura Rosenthal - who called for a moment of silence for the victims of the Orlando nightclub attack - Indiana claimed the first spotlight of the show with a solo performance set to an orchestral arrangement of Sting's "Shape of My Heart" (originally from his album Ten Summoner's Tales) and the combined talents of mother and daughter provided a beautifully lyrical and expressive interpretation of the mood of the song.
You can watch her performance here:
https://www.facebook.com/mbellomcdaniels/videos/10209809600147244/
Indiana's assurance and grace in performance belies her years and I remarked to her Aunt Shelley that I fully expect Indiana to be advanced to a soloist spot within the next year.
Indiana Woodward performing.
(Trevor is seated on the far left in black t-shirt and blue hat.)
As you can see in this video posted on the City of Malibu's Facebook page -
https://www.facebook.com/CityofMalibu/videos/1306255729404099/
- the next dance sequence, set to excerpts from Aaron Copeland's suite Appalachian Spring (Ballet for Martha), showcased the talents of Indiana along with her fellow NYCB corps member Emilie Gerrity and principal dancer Amar Ramasar. This pas de trois was choreographed by principal dancer Joaquin De Luz and framed these three as a graceful trio, making good use of their entire space.
The dancing was bookended by De Luz towards the end of the program, with his signature solo piece (created by New York City-based choreographer David Fernandez) Five Variations on a Theme, which was set to the third movement of Bach's Violin Concerto in G Minor and simply astounded the audience, which broke into spontaneous applause throughout to witness De Luz' mastery of the form.
On the musical front, the contributions from Newman and Beltrami were stylistically different but equally compelling. Newman's Lux Aerterna was a tour-de-force of emotional evocation and her performance on violin was incredibly moving. Beltrami's suite from his Oscar-nominated score for 3:10 to Yuma contained - as he noted in his introduction to the piece - unusual sounds and instruments and had never been publicly performed as close to the way it was created and recorded until this concert. He stated in the programme notes "the music is an homage to the great spaghetti westerns of the past." The performance featured Beltrami on piano, his son Tristan on guitar, and violinist/vocalist Lili Haydn (who some might remember as Trevor's fictional bandmate in Jack Frost).
Following the 3:10 to Yuma suite was a rendition of Tchaikovsky's concerto Variations on a Rococo Theme with 17-year-old cellist Hua Huang as the featured soloist, and his virtuosity on his chosen instrument illuminated his status as a rising star of classical music.
The concert concluded with the familiar strains of the 20th Century Fox Fanfare, which was composed by Maria Newman's father Alfred, followed by John Williams' iconic "Main Theme/Overture" from Star Wars, originally composed for Episode IV: A New Hope. Williams composed the Main Theme as an extension of Newman's Fanfare, thus they are a natural pairing in live performance.
As all the composers and performers took a final bow, the audience rising to its' feet in recognition of their efforts, it was obvious that this event was wholly a success - with thanks to all involved - and hopefully that success will extend into future years to provide enjoyment and cultural enhancement to the City of Malibu and all who enjoy their classical entertainments al fresco.
As the tall guy Trevor always ends up in the middle of the pack.
