Final concert is today

• By ROBIN MILLER
• Arts writer
• Published: May 4, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05am

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The Phantom of the Magnolia Arts Pavilion seems like such a long title. Better shorten it to The Phantom of the Pavilion, at least for this afternoon.

For today, May 4, is when the Louisiana Youth Orchestra will perform a medley of songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. The concert begins at 3 p.m. and is free.

“They’re pretty excited about The Phantom,” David Torns said.

Torns heads the Louisiana Youth Orchestra program and is director of the Louisiana Senior Youth Orchestra. This orchestra will be joined by program’s other three ensembles, the Louisiana Junior Youth Orchestra, the Louisiana Junior String Ensemble and the Louisiana Youth Percussion Ensemble.

Combined, the groups total some 150 young musicians.  

And the Phantom will make his appearance in the senior orchestra’s finale. That is, musically speaking.

Because it’s all about the music, isn’t it? And that’s how the Phantom will make his presence known, through an arrangements of Webber’s music, Selections from Phantom of Opera.

“And they’ve thoroughly enjoyed working on this piece,” Torns said.

The orchestra has been working nine weeks on this piece, as well as compositions by Aaron Copland, Benedetto Marcello and Dmitri Kabalevsky. And for some members, these will be the last pieces they perform with the orchestra.

The cut-off age for senior orchestra membership is 21. Some members return after high-school graduation because they enjoy playing music.

“They may not be majoring in music in college, but this gives the an opportunity to play,” Torns said.

Others finish out their youth orchestra careers upon graduation.

“We’ll recognize all of our high-school seniors at the concert,” Torns said. “Of course, I’ll also honor them in a private gathering. We have approximately 10 graduating seniors.”