Lumedia Musicworks debuts ‘Welcome to the West’ online Nov. 20 - Dec. 14
Photo: Julianna Emanski
Multimedia concert film “Welcome to the West” premieres online at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20. Music includes sonatas, concertos, traditional fiddling, folk tunes and 1940s western swing, and the performance features contemporary and historic film footage and photographs from the Library of Congress.
Lumedia Musicworks partnered with videographers and cowboy poets and narrators for the third production in Lumedia’s 2020-21 season. This multimedia concert film about ranching life in the American West includes subtitles and a digital program.
The 50-minute, family-friendly “Welcome to the West” was filmed in Celina and includes an ensemble of 10 instrumentalists; three vocalists, and four videographers all from Texas. Late poets Harry Jackson (1923-1973) of Cody, Wyo., and Elizabeth Ebert (1925-2018) of Lemmon, S.D., are featured.
In the film, Jackson, Waddie Mitchell of Elko, Nev., and Joel Nelson of Midland narrate their own poems and are joined by narrators from Texas: Martha Weatherl of the Turtle Creek area of Dallas, who will read a poem by Ebert, and RJ Wall of Stephenville, who will read one by Paul Kern of Utah.
The film’s nine cast members, including horse 3 Bars Chiccado “Marvin” and dog Biscuit, all live in Texas. It was shot in Stephenville.
Some musical highlights include:
● Allegro from “Grosso Mogul” Concerto in D Major, RV 208 (ca. 1712/13) by Antonio Vivaldi
● Night Herding Song (ca. 1950) by Harry “Woo Woo” Stevens
● That’s What I Like about the West (1947) by Edith Bergdahl and Robert MacGimsey and arranged in 2020 by Gustavo Mazon Finessi of Sao Paulo, Brazil
● Whiskey Before Breakfast (1957) - Andre DeJarlis, arranged this year by Stephanie Noori of Fort Worth, who also is one of vocalists.
● Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (1887) - American Hymn
“Welcome to the West” tickets are $0-$20 at www.lumediamusicworks.com/west. Student tickets are no cost, other discounts available. The performances will be available on-demand at the site until 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14, Central.