SUU symphony orchestra plays with Marie Osmond in holiday season tour

Southern Utah University students had the exclusive opportunity of playing for Marie Osmond with David Osmond and Daniel Emmet this month at the opening performance of the group's holiday season tour.

The SUU Symphony Orchestra received their music approximately two weeks prior to the concert. Students trained and practiced with Thanksgiving break in the middle of it all, and instructors said it took determination to prepare for a concert of this caliber. The experience gave students a glimpse into what it entails to be a professional musician.

“The Marie Osmond Holiday Concert was a perfect example of SUU's mission to provide experiential learning for our students," said Dr. Lawrence Johnson, chair of the Department of Music at SUU. "To be part of a professional event involving an international star such as Marie Osmond informed our students of the short rehearsal time that is often the case with professional gigs, as well as the caliber of performance, skill, and concentration needed to play under the direction of a conductor/arranger after only one rehearsal with him.”

Zane Lowry, a student and SUU Symphony Orchestra member, said it was an exciting experience.

"The process was definitely a lot faster than usual. When we got the music, we had a meeting as a whole orchestra to make sure everyone had the parts they needed and that our music was in the right order," Lowry said. "Because there was just so much music, it was extremely important that we all were on the same page. Then, rehearsals started! Because of Thanksgiving break, we only could fit in 3 rehearsals and a dress rehearsal before the concert!”

Lowry went on to say that performing with a different conductor was also a positive experience.

"He knew the music very well and the musical cues Marie Osmond and the other singers would give," Lowry said. "We only had one rehearsal with him and then a dress rehearsal with the singers the day of the concert.”

The hope was that memories of this experience would withstand the test of time as these students graduate and move on to professional careers.

Osmond, Osmond and Emmett scheduled more than a dozen shows for their holiday season tour, which launched at SUU on Dec. 1 and was scheduled to continue through Dec. 20.

Marie Osmond, a multiple gold and platinum-selling artist and CMA winner is a frequent visitor to southern Utah and has had homes in the area.

The holiday tour included festive holiday favorites along with Osmond's own songs from her five-decade career, including songs off her latest "Unexpected" album, which covers a multitude of styles from opera to Broadway.

For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.

This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: SUU symphony orchestra plays with Marie Osmond in holiday season tour