Erie Philharmonic returns to Diamond Park

Jul. 13—Orchestral performances have a certain reputation. Just hearing the term "orchestral," for instance, can evoke images of staid silk-stocking affairs that sometimes seem a bit snooty in nature, where tapping your toe to the beat or humming along is likely to draw dirty looks.

Music lovers who prefer not to resist the urge to dance in the aisles when they feel themselves moved by the rhythm are in luck: When the Erie Philharmonic comes to Diamond Park on Friday, sunglasses will be more in order than opera glasses, and dancing — whether in the aisles or elsewhere — is welcome.

"I can tell you, from participating a lot of times as an audience member in North East, it's really great to see senior citizens stream in with their chairs — families come and kids are able to bounce and dance around during the pieces," said Lisa Adams, the Erie News Now anchor who will narrate part of the performance. "It's just the right kind of an atmosphere to introduce symphonic music to people who sometimes might otherwise not have a chance to be exposed to it."

Adams, a board member with Erie Philharmonic for nearly a decade, will narrate "The Thrill of the Orchestra."

"It's a great way to introduce listeners to the different sections in the orchestra and the kinds of sounds they make and how they can not sound very nice," she said, laughing, "if they're not played appropriately by people who practice."

After visits to North East and Corry, the free performance will be the Philharmonic's third in three days scheduled for city parks around the region. It's also the third consecutive year the organization will visit Diamond Park with concert programs that highlight audience-friendly educational pieces. Previous concerts have included "Peter and the Wolf" in 2021 and "Tubby the Tuba" last year.

The outreach effort was in large part a response to the pandemic, giving the orchestra something to do at a time when concert attendance had been impacted at the same time it reminded residents that concert-going was still an option. But while the summertime "In Your Hometown" series may have grown in response to the pandemic, Adams expects to see it continue for some time.

"It's a great way to take the orchestra to different communities in our region and we certainly hope in turn that people are so excited by what they hear that they might want to buy a ticket or a subscription and come and join us for the season in the Warner," she said, referring to Erie's Warner Theatre, the recently refurbished home of the Philharmonic.

The performances have, in fact, succeeded in casting just such a spell, according to Steve Weiser, the orchestra's executive director.

"We have definitely seen more season pass holders and more single-ticket buyers come from the surrounding community," Weiser said. "It's important for us to lead by example: Before we ask you to come see us, I think we should be willing to come play for you."

As a result, he added, the Philharmonic is "bucking industry trends with how well our season passes and other things are selling."

"The Thrill of the Orchestra" will come near the end of a program lasting a little over an hour, according to Weiser. Also on the playlist are the overture to Luigi Cherubini's 1791 opera "Lodoïska," Robert Schumann's 1841 Overture, Scherzo and Finale in E major and the andante moderato from Florence Price's 1929 String Quartet No. 1. The concert will conclude with the overture from Gioachino Rossini's 1817 opera "Cinderella."

YOU CAN GO

The Erie Philharmonic will offer a free concert in Diamond Park on Friday at 7 p.m. Pre-concert activities, including an "instrument petting zoo" for those who would like to try their hands at a cello or other instrument, begin at 6. Listeners are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets to sit on. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will take place inside Stone United Methodist Church at 956 S. Main St.

Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.