The Villains are Alive with the Georgia Philharmonic

Photo by Dave Nelson
Photo by Dave Nelson

This is the fourth year the Georgia Philharmonic, conducted by John Morrison, 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.

The Hyatt Centennial 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. In his rich, deep voice, he thanked everyone for coming and welcomed the orchestra.

Morrison came out on stage dressed as The Joker. Morrison couldn’t help but smile that devilish Joker 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 included “Also Sprach Zara,” the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey; themes from The Simpsons, How to Train Your Dragon, The X-Files, Willow, and Stranger Things; a collection of cartoon tunes; “Suite from Jaws”; and highlights from Jurassic Park. The encore piece? Star Wars.

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 meantime, 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)