Broker Spotlight: Betsy Keesler- Music For All The Senses
Our Benefits Broker, Betsy Keesler
The Valencia Symphony Orchestra, Music For The Senses
I met Andre and Patty Assaiante at an SCV Chamber Mixer last September and was thoroughly charmed by both of them. I was handed a flyer for a new production coming to the SCV Performing Arts Center in October titled, Nosferatu, and was a little confused about what kind of performance this was. Andre explained that they would be showing the old silent film with new and original music and I thought, huh? The Assaiantes explained. They had purchased the rights to the silent film, Nosforatu, the first movie to star the infamous Count Dracula back in 19XX and they had removed the original score and composed a new piece for the film. I asked who would be conducting it and Andre stated, “Me”. The professional orchestra would be called the Valencia Symphony Orchestra.
I was not going to go at first, but when I brought the flyer home, my daughter said she wanted to go. Again I said, huh? She explained that she need to see a live orchestra plan as one of her assignments for her history of music, so being the great mother I am, I agreed and purchased the tickets. There were some orchestra seats available so I grabbed them and off we were to the symphony.
That evening changed everything I thought I knew about movie soundtracks and the power of the music to make a show spectacular. First, if you think a silent horror film from the 1900’s can’t scare you, then you, like me, would have been in for a BIG SURPRISE!
There, with a full symphony orchestra, my daughter and I sat there holding on to each other and at some points closing our eyes. Yes, I admit, I had the ‘you know what’ scared out of me. If that was not enough, when Andre announced the composers and brought them on stage, they looked like a group of 15-year-old’s. They were not, but they were young; all of them students of the Famed Berklee School of Music.
After the show, when I saw Andre and Patty, all I could say was Wow, just Wow! The Valencia Symphony Orchestra is a non-profit organization with Andre and Patty at the helm. Their goal is to bring music to the masses, especially people who do not ordinarily go the symphony unless they are dragged to it. Its message is simple. Music is the soundtrack of our lives. It is everywhere even if you do not notice it. Department stores, play music that makes you want to buy things; Elevators plan music to relax you. Pretty much everywhere you go, music is in the background defining the situation.
The (VSO) is a non-profit organization created to teach people to love music and recognize its power to create a moment by bringing in visual media and pairing it with amazing groups of musicians, unique instrumentals and young, creative composers.
In addition to the performances, the VSO is also partnering with schools and community programs to bring music and music education back to the schools, as funding for many of these unique programs is disappearing. As they say, “it takes a village,” and in this case that village is one of the most giving community of Santa Clarita Valley.
On August 26, 2017, at the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center, you will get the opportunity to see just how much power music has. Luckily, you won’t have to worry about running screaming from theater. Instead, you will see, silent film legends, Charlie Chaplin and Frank Lloyd come to life in a double feature of The Adventurer (Chaplin) and The Freshman (Lloyd).
To buy tickets to the upcoming performance, or to visit the Valencia Symphony Orchestra Website,
