Space Shuttle Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will resonate with the sounds of “Symphonic Odyssey” performed by the Brevard Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. on March 22, 2014.
In a first-of-its-kind concert, the Brevard Symphony Orchestra will celebrate its 60th season with an evening of space-related and inspired music performed beneath the historic orbiter in the $100 million, 90,000-square-foot Space Shuttle Atlantis attraction, which opened last year.
“We are proud to welcome the Brevard Symphony Orchestra to Space Shuttle Atlantis for this truly unique concert experience,” said Therrin Protze, Visitor Complex chief operating officer. “This will be the first time that such iconic music will be heard in this setting. We expect that the sound of the orchestra will reflect off the large surface of Space Shuttle Atlantis, creating an added acoustical sensation.”
The concert will feature Christopher Confessore, BSO musical director and principal conductor, conducting 60 professional musicians performing such music as Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra” fanfare and Johann Strauss, Jr.’s “The Blue Danube Waltz,” both of which are familiar to fans of the film “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Other selections include “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” compositions by John Williams. A concert highlight will be a special performance of “The Last Starfighter Overture,” created recently by composer Craig Safan specifically for the “Symphonic Odyssey” concert.
Winston Scott, former astronaut and dean of the College of Aeronautics at Florida Institute of Technology, will make a special guest appearance during the concert to speak with the audience and share his experiences as a shuttle astronaut and his connections with music.
The concert is a fundraiser benefiting the BSO. General admission tickets are $150 per person and VIP admission is $250 per person. Those purchasing VIP admission tickets will receive dinner prior to the performance and reserved concert seating. VIP dinner seating begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Dr. Kurt H. Debus Conference Facility at the Visitor Complex. All guests at the concert will receive a commemorative gift package as well as admission into Space Shuttle Atlantis. To purchase tickets, visit BrevardSymphony.com or call the Brevard Symphony Orchestra office at 321-242-2024.