Monday (10/24) on South Florida Classical Review, Alan Becker writes, “The Miami Symphony Orchestra opened its season Sunday with the world premiere of Sam Hyken’s Beatles Guide to the Orchestra. Hyken, currently involved in the Miami Music Project Orchestral Academy, is the orchestra’s principal trumpet player and has a definite interest in the merging of disparate styles of music. The Arsht Center’s Knight Concert Hall provided the showcase for his skillful symphonic arrangement of several Beatles’ tunes into a narrated orchestral guide clearly modeled on that of Benjamin Britten. The Beatles Guide is an eclectic piece in popular style, with elements of jazz. Opening with what sounded like Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ, Superstar, it quickly segued into Octopus’s Garden and took off from there. … The audience gave a standing ovation to Hyken and embraced this entertaining music with great enthusiasm. It would be surprising if the music does not emerge as a pop concert favorite. The orchestra, under Eduardo Marturet played with style and spirit.” Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Steward Goodyear and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony rounded out the program.
Posted October 25, 2011
