Review: Candlelight Concert with Hans Zimmer movie scores ‘Pirates of the Caribbean,’ ‘Lion King’
A recent Los Angeles Candlelight Concert featured the movie scores of film composer Hans Zimmer. The four-string quartet delighted the audience with recognizable melodies from “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “The Lion King,” “The Dark Knight,” “Kung Fu Panda,” and more.
Candlelight Concert series can be found in over 100 cities around the world. Chances are you’ve seen advertisements online where a group of musicians are surrounded by candles, creating a soothing atmosphere for a night of live music.
This particular concert took place at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, Calif. and featured a performance by Orchid Quartet. This four-string musician group consists of two violinists, a cellist, and a viola player. Among the four women, they have performed with an impressive roster of artists including Adele, Shawn Mendes, Miley Cyrus, Smokey Robinson, Justin Bieber, Panic! At the Disco, and many more.
The concert offered a mix of moods. Upon first arriving, the ushers greeting and seating guests were extremely friendly and energetic. As we entered the performance venue, the sight of hundreds of flickering candles (battery-operated for safety reasons) brought a calming feeling. Throughout the concert, the musicians spoke to the audience, sharing insight into the music and adding comedic commentary. What I expected to be a night of simply calm, peaceful music ended up offering more variety.
Orchid Quartet has been playing together for over a decade, and it shows. They are clearly extremely talented, and their individual instruments never combat each other unless it’s purposefully written in the music compositions. They work together like a well-oiled machine.
I grew up listening to movie scores and have an appreciation for classical music, so this is right in my wheelhouse. But one of the things I love about the Candlelight Concerts is how the popular music selected for the shows is presented in a way that most people wouldn’t necessarily listen.
I would bet that for a lot of audience members, this was the first time they ever attended a four-string quartet concert. The recognizable tunes of Hans Zimmer, whether it was music from “Wonder Woman,” “Man of Steel,” “Sherlock Holmes,” etc., allows the audience to appreciate the musicianship in a way they might not in most circumstances.
Candlelight Concerts are about taking well-known music, presenting it in arrangements often featuring classical instruments, and putting it in a unique location that brings a sense of calm when lit by candlelight.
Beyond “The Best of Hans Zimmer,” Candlelight Concerts also has shows featuring the music of ABBA, Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Queen, Whitney Houston, and many more. This unique concert series can be found all over the world. Learn more at CandlelightExperience.com.
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