Southwest Florida Symphony's rocking new season: R.E.M.'s Mike Mills and more
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This one goes out to the ones who love R.E.M.: A concert with Southwest Florida Symphony and the beloved rock band’s bassist.
The Oct. 21 show “R.E.M. Explored” opens the professional orchestra’s just-announced 2023-24 season at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.
R.E.M. founding member Mike Mills will join the symphony on reimagined versions of some of his band's best-known songs, according to a news release unveiling the season. The singer and multi-instrumentalist will also perform his own “Concerto for Violin, Rock Band and Orchestra” with Grammy-nominated violinist Robert McDuffie.
Concert features 10 R.E.M. songs
The touring show ― part of the orchestra’s Brave New Pops series ― features 10 R.E.M. songs rearranged by composer David Mallamud and orchestral arranger Carl March (best known for his work with influential ‘70s rock band Big Star).
“I told them I don’t want pure symphonic regurgitations of R.E.M.’s music,” Mills told Creative Loafing in 2022. “Instead, use your creativity and imagination to interpret the songs as you hear them. Leave enough melody so the audience will know what song they're hearing, but don't simply rehash the existing song.”
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R.E.M.’s many ‘80s and ‘90s rock hits include “Losing My Religion,” “Shiny Happy People,” “The One I Love,” “Man on the Moon,” “Everybody Hurts” and “Radio Free Europe.”
Mills co-wrote “Concerto for Violin, Rock Band and Orchestra” with childhood friend McDuffie, an internationally renowned concert violinist. It features six movements ― five original compositions and one based on the R.E.M. song “Night Swimming."
Single tickets on sale June 1
Subscriptions for Southwest Florida Symphony’s 63rd-annual season are on sale now. Single tickets are available June 1, although you can already get tickets for “R.E.M. Explored.”
More highlights from the upcoming season include:
Masterworks 1/Brave New Pops 2: American Classical (Nov. 4 at Mann Hall): Florida’s Marcus Roberts Jazz Trio and the symphony perform a jazz arrangement of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” in honor of the piece’s 100th anniversary. Plus Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances for West Side Story,” Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and more.
Masterworks 2: Beethoven 5 and the British Invasion (Jan. 6, 2024 at Mann Hall): Violinist Charles Yang of classical crossover trio Time For Three joins the orchestra on Ravel’s “Tzigane,” The Beatles’ “Blackbird” and The Animals’ version of the standard “House of the Rising Sun.” The symphony also performs Beethoven’s famous “Symphony No. 5” and Caroline Shaw’s “Entr’acte.”
Masterworks 3: From Darkness to Light (Feb. 3, 2024 at Mann Hall): The symphony takes the audience on a journey from the heart-wrenching “Partita for Strings” by composer Gideon Klein, who died during the Holocaust; to Prokofiev’s “Piano Concerto No. 3”; and finally to Dvorak’s sunny, optimistic “Symphony No. 8.”
Masterworks 4: The Concertmaster Concerto (March 16, 2024 at Mann Hall): Southwest Florida Symphony concertmaster Orin Laursen performs Beethoven’s “Violin Concerto.” The program also features Anna Clyne’s “Restless Ocean” and Brahms’ “Symphony No. 2.”
A Date with the Symphony (April 4, 2024 at Tribby Arts Center): For the first time since the pandemic started, the symphony features a recent winner of its Jillian Prescott Scholarship Competition at one of its concerts. Pianist Arturo Fernandez will perform Bach’s “Harpsichord Concerto No. 1.” The show also features Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings” and more.
Masterworks 5 (Title to be announced, April 13, 2024 at Mann Hall): Sphinx Competition-winning cellist Sterling Elliott performs Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme.” The night includes another Russian composer, as well: Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 5.”
Brave New Pops 3: The ‘80s and ‘90s Go Acoustic (May 18, 2024 at Mann Hall): Inspired by the classic MTV Unplugged concert series on TV, the always-unplugged symphony will perform pop and rock songs from the heyday of music television in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Ticket prices vary for Southwest Florida Symphony's new season. For tickets and more information, visit swflso.org.
— Connect with this reporter: Charles Runnells is an arts and entertainment reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. For news tips or other entertainment-related matters, call him at 239-335-0368 (for tickets to shows, call the venue) or email him at crunnells@gannett.com. You can also connect with him on Facebook (facebook.com/charles.runnells.7), Twitter (@charlesrunnells) and Instagram (@crunnells1).
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: R.E.M.'s Mike Mills to rock Fort Myers with Southwest Florida Symphony
