The Magical Music of the Georgia Philharmonic

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Photo by Curtis Barton

This is the third year the Georgia Philharmonic, conducted by John Morrison, has performed at Dragon Con. Each year, there has always been a level of barely contained excitement to the anticipation of the arrangement that will be performed. Each year, we think that it can’t get any better. Each year, we are wrong. It’s always better.

This year was no exception.

Centennial II–II in the Hyatt was filled to capacity of over 3,000 people Saturday night as people waited for the lights to dim and the music to begin. After the orchestra was seated, Desmon, the narrator, came out on stage. His rich, deep voice thanked everyone for coming. He welcomed the orchestra. He then welcomed the conductor.

John Morrison came out on stage dressed as Darth Mal. The audience went nuts and gave him a standing ovation. Morrison couldn’t help but smile. He was flattered at the enthusiastic response he received.

The music began. The list of music was magically coordinated to make for an incredible evening. The pieces performed were:

  • A compilation from Beauty and the Beast
  • The Spy Who Shagged Me
  • Leia’s Song from Star Wars IV: A New Hope
  • A compilation from Doctor Who
  • A compilation from Star Trek
  • A compilation from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (with a brief violin solo from the concertmaster)
  • Game of Thrones
  • Westworld
  • Outlander (with a vocal solo and bagpipes)
  • A compilation from Star Wars: Return of the Empire
  • A compilation from Lord of the Rings
  • “Heigh Ho” from Disney’s Snow White (with the Seven Dwarves singing)
  • A compilation from Star Wars: The Awakening
  • A compilation from Harry Potter: Goblet of Fire

The encore piece? The Avengers!

Georgia Philharmonic is a philharmonic in the truest sense of the word: local musicians unite and perform out of their love of music. In doing so, the artists create classical music experiences that not only rival those of professional orchestras, but also delight and inspire audience members. Enthusiasts become repeat patrons, volunteers, and donors. Serving the communities of northern metropolitan Atlanta with cultural enhancement and education is our goal. Sharing their love and appreciation of fine music is their passion.

Fans of Dragon Con and of this talented Philharmonic Orchestra look forward to a stellar performance again next year.

In the mean time, if you live in the area or come to Atlanta during the year, you should check out their other performances. Their web site is https://www.georgiaphilharmonic.org, which will have all of their upcoming dates.

Author of the article

Award-winning author Amanda Faith may have been raised in Dayton, but her heart and home is in the South. With a lifelong love of teaching and writing, she had plenty of encouragement from teachers and friends along the way. Loving a good puzzle has always been a fascination, and writing gives her the outlet to put all the pieces together. Being adventurous and loving to try new things, it wasn’t long before her characters found themselves in unusual situations. She loves to put people from two different worlds into new situations and to see how they interact, taking them on journeys they would never have normally experienced. Her current adventure working as a high school English professor turned Media Specialist, writing, and doing paranormal investigations doesn’t slow her down from having a great time with a plethora of hobbies. Her published credits include several short stories, poetry, several journal articles, her doctoral dissertation, and her award-winning book Strength of Spirit. With multiple degrees, she has a passion for learning and exploring new venues. She is a staff writer for The Daily Dragon at Dragon Con. Check out her new website (www.amandafaith.net) or on Instagram (@dramandafaith)