Classical music meets classic musicals for an evening of free entertainment on July 13 from the Gateway Festival Orchestra of أغر؟´«أ½.
The program “Stage and Screen†celebrates the connection between musical theater, movies and orchestral music. Led by Associate Conductor Leon Burke III, the event also features violinist and singer Nikki Glenn along with Emmy Award–winning vocalist, percussionist and gospel singer Charles Glenn.
Burke talks about how he got the married couple to guest star at the concert.
“I was sitting with Nikki and Charles Glenn,†Burke says. “They are well known in the أغر؟´«أ½ area, and everyone knows Charles from his decades of singing the National Anthem for the Blues games.
“Nikki said she had some arrangements for Charles with a full orchestra. I immediately asked them what they were doing this summer. For me, it was a no-brainer to get these performers for our stage with orchestrations that would be a knockout. I could not pass it up,†Burke says.
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The two will perform together and the program includes tunes like “All I Ask of You†from “Phantom of the Opera†and “Defying Gravity†from “Wicked.â€
“When you find fantastic people to work with, things just happen. One of the things people don’t realize is that picking the soloist is first because you mold the rest of the program around them and support what they are going to be doing.
Leon Burke
“For example, if I were to do a big march and then come down for music for the stage and screen, it would be unbalanced. So, I like my programs to hang together. Also, with every concert, I try to give a couple of pieces where the orchestra gets to flex its muscles and show off.â€
The idea for the show, which will feature songs from musical stage shows and films, was suggested to Burke.
“I knew I had a lot of stuff and began to put a program together.â€
The program is different from more traditional classical concerts.
“We are doing a lot of songs that are in the public consciousness. The orchestra portion is going to be largely older things from people like Lerner and Lowe, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Basically, you’re going to hear things that you know and things that you didn’t, and many that you’re going to like.â€
Designed for audiences young and old, the program features hits from many of Broadway’s most popular musicals that were also made into films, including “Carousel,†“South Pacific,†“Camelot,†and others.
Before the show, attendees are invited to “Notes to Munch On,†an informal talk that gives the audience a sneak peek about the musical selections being performed.
The orchestra has long had education as part of its mission.
Established in 1964 by William Schatzkamer, then a professor of music at Washington University, the organization offers summer concerts by professional musicians, who play a wide range of orchestral music from across the symphonic repertoire.
Dedicated to presenting concerts to everyone in the region, especially children, youth, seniors and the disadvantaged, Gateway Festival’s offerings include educational and outreach programming and performances at camps, schools and assisted-living facilities.
Director of Development Nina Schatzkamer is enthusiastic for the “Stage and Screen†concert.
“The Stage and Screen concert is special because it’s devoted entirely to those familiar favorites. I hope our audience feels uplifted by this music and comes away with a greater appreciation for the variety we bring to our community.â€
As the conductor and programmer, Burke hopes audiences will come away from the concert with a renewed passion for the selections being played.
“They have likely heard these tunes before but might not realize that they have. Everyone will be leaving the concert humming their favorite tune. That’s what classical music used to be in the beginning, when there was no radio, television, or anything like that.
“It was their evening’s entertainment. Let’s say they heard an opera by Verdi; by the next day, after the premiere, people were singing it on the street. It was the pop music of its day.â€
Despite a very busy schedule as a performer and professor, Burke finds nothing more exciting than connecting with his audience.
“When I’m conducting, I’m not making the music. The music passes through me. The conductor, the musicians in the orchestra, and the audience are all part of the same thing. It’s a shared experience. That shared experience of music is one of the most powerful things that there is in the world. It transcends cultures.â€
Post-Dispatch photographers capture hundreds of images each week; here's a glimpse at the week of June 8, 2025. Video edited by Jenna Jones.
