The Conroe Symphony Orchestra will kick off its 2024-25 season in October with a nostalgic trip down memory lane featuring iconic scores from classic cartoons and modern animated films.
The group will perform “Tunes from the Toons” at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the First Methodist Church Conroe located at 4308 W. Davis Street.
Here’s what to know about the upcoming concert and the 2024-25 symphony season:
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About the symphony
The Conroe Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1997. The group was created to contribute to the cultural enrichment of the community, assuring a better quality of life for the Conroe area. As a nonprofit community orchestra, it is supported through individual and corporate donations, grants and ticket sales and all the musicians are volunteers.
Gary Liebst has been the conductor since 2022. Liebst has directed community bands, community jazz bands, community pit orchestras and previously led the Kingwood Pops Orchestra.
Tunes from the toons
The concert will offer something for the whole family.
There will be kids’ crafts, music education and entertainment. One highlight will be the trip down memory lane for those raised on Saturday morning
cartoons.
“Who remembers watching Saturday morning cartoons from the 1960s to the early 2000s,” Liebst asked. “This was the golden era of weekend animation and the cartoons were filled with adventures and colorful characters that hold a special place in the hearts of many. Who can forget the Flintstones or the Huckleberry Hound Show? Or maybe you liked Scooby Doo or the Jetsons? The music I have chosen for this concert takes the audience on a musical journey from the early days of animation when much of the music used was taken from classical masterpieces to music that is used today for animated movies.”
One of the highlights from the performance is the well-known, recognizable works of German Composer Richard Wagner. From cartoons to movies, his work will be recognized by all ages.
“One of the masterpieces of this era was the Warner Brothers ‘What’s Opera Doc?’ with Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd,” Liebst said. “I have created an ‘Opera Mashup’ similar to the excerpts in the original cartoon that will give our audience the flavor of the music used. The Wagner opera music is pretty challenging for the orchestra,” he said.
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Guest musician
Ukrainian native Olena Blauliac will be performing one of the most-used classical pieces in all of cartoon history, Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2” in C sharp minor.
She serves as an adjunct piano faculty member at Lone Star College in Kingwood and is an artist-in-residence at Kingwood Methodist Church.
Blauliac has showcased her versatility and distinctive musical voice in concerts at the Hobby Center, the Candlelight Concert Series, Kawai Piano Gallery, the Moores Opera House, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and many other concert venues.
How to go and what’s next
Other concerts in the season will be Dec. 14 “Christmas Around the World,” “Great Expectations” Feb. 8 and “The Best of Broadway” featuring Broadway star Sal Viviano April 26..
Tickets are on sale now at the Conroe Symphony Orchestra website or by calling the box office at 936-760-2144.
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