Conductor Parnther leads Toledo Symphony in Harry Potter live event, Nov. 1-2
In many ways, it’s incredibly fitting that conductor Anthony Parnther will be holding his own special brand of magic wand— a baton— for the Toledo Symphony Orchestra’s live scoring of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on November 1 and 2, performing at the Stranahan Theater. For one thing, film scores are a big reason why he is the musician he is today.
“Honestly, I fell in love with music through movie soundtracks,” Parnther said. “As a little kid, some of my favorite scores were E.T., John Williams, Close Encounters, you know. A lot of John Williams scores were a lot of my formative memories growing up. And then when I realized that it was an orchestra performing these scores, that made it even more interesting for me.”
Currently working as the music director and conductor of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, Parnther is also in high demand as a conductor of scores for films, movies and video games. Parnther said that when recording a score, it’s crucial to run as efficient a session as possible.
“When we’re in the recording studio, time is really of the essence. We have to get in there and record up to seven or eight minutes of music an hour. And sometimes the music is quite difficult. We’re really lucky here in Los Angeles to have so many of the world’s top talents in the recording studio from week to week.”
Working with Williams
As Parnther has carved out his own niche as a conductor, he has had many chances to work with his early hero— multi-time Oscar-winner John Williams.
“Each year, at the Hollywood Bowl, there’s three days of concerts dedicated solely to the music of John Williams. And 50,000 people show up each year, and he has to do five or six curtain calls. His music is really a powerful legacy in the childhood of people for the last fifty years,” Parnther said.
For many younger audiences, Williams’ score for the Potter franchise is as instantly recognizable as Harry’s trademark scar. Parnther loves the music, too, having been a fan of Potter since first reading the books decades ago. Parnther first performed suites from Williams’ score with his own orchestras before taking the baton for this tour of live performances, where an onstage orchestra accompanies the movie.
“Some people would say that the Harry Potter scores are some John Williams’ most technically challenging, and among the top scores, of all the things that he’s written. I would definitely classify them as the most difficult to perform.”
Amazing professionals
That difficulty can certainly make the Potter concert performances a daunting task for even the most seasoned musicians. Parnther was quick to note, however, that the Toledo Symphony was more than up to the challenge.
“We don’t get a lot of time to rehearse the orchestra. But you know, the Toledo Symphony is an amazing professional organization. These are musicians who are playing the absolute best in classical music from week to week. So they are fully equipped to perform a John Williams score.”
Parnther said he hopes Toledo attendees garner an appreciation for another kind of magic during the November shows — the magic of live music.
“People who come in, and finally get to witness the power and beauty of a symphony orchestra, and realizing that it’s that sound contributing to many of their favorite cinematic moments throughout history, are often intrigued and roped in.
“I have seen a lot of crossover and audience growth from people who have attended live in concert, and are curious to hear more of that sound.”
8pm Friday, November 1 | 2pm Saturday, November 2
$56-76 | Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd.
419-381-8851 | stranahantheater.com
