On October 19th, our wonderful Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra performed the sweeping musical saga The Planets written by Gustav Holst. This alone was cause for excitement since The Planets are an incredible set of pieces but the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – the group I belong to – was invited to be a part of it too!
My part in the event started with the media. A lot of media! As nerve wracking as the thought of it all was, and once I finally loosened up a bit, I had a lot of fun talking to people about astronomy and music – two if my favorite things! People often think that science and the arts are very different but the reality is that they have a lot in common. Hard work, discipline, and an ability to process the abstract are essential to succeeding in these spheres. And curiosity and the seeking out of beauty are basic human needs that both the arts and sciences fill easily.
My first time on commercial radio! This was such a fun interview! https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-88-saskatoon-morning/clip/15741272-saskatoon-astronomer-reflects-on-gustav-holsts-musical-journey-into-outer-space
Here I am at CTV Morning Live the day before the concert. https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1807597&jwsource=cl
The day of the concert, we set up a table at TCU Place just outside the theater. We had photos and telescopes on display as well as loads of information on astronomy and observing. The reception from concert-goers was amazing! There’s something about the night sky that draws out people’s wonder and imagination and it was wonderful to talk to a very different crowd of people about astronomy.
And the concert itself? There are no words to describe it! It was so incredible! The orchestra was a bit nervous in the beginning but with every beat, they sounded better and better. And the images from NASA that played on a screen behind the musicians were paired perfectly with the music.
Speaking of images, in between each piece, the orchestra played a movement from Heather Schmidt’s Lunar Reflections. While I’m usually not a fan of more modern orchestral music, Lunar Reflections is a gorgeous masterpiece. I can’t believe that it hasn’t been recorded yet! The images chosen for these selections came from RASC’s own Tim Yarowski and were paired perfectly with each song.
It was truly a magical evening! I there will be more opportunity in the future to show to the city of Saskatoon just how arts and sciences can bring together something wonderful!