Arlington Advocate
'Fool' docks at Regent on Saturday
By Jennifer Mann/ Staff Writer
Thursday, October 20, 2005
"The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship" will again set sail in Arlington.
The musical rendition of an old Russian folktale was premiered by the Solar Winds Woodwind Quintet at The Regent Theatre in March 2004.
This Saturday, the group of area musicians will return to the stage with a repeat performance of the adventure story turned to music, in the method most famously used in the classic tale of "Peter and the Wolf," composed by Sergei Prokofiev.
"The idea was to come up with something that was similar in character to 'Peter and The Wolf' so that it would highlight the different instruments by giving each one of them a voice as a character," explained Arlington resident and composer for the piece John Kusiak.
Kusiak, who was enlisted by Solar Winds in 2003 to put the folktale to music, has composed songs for television and films, including for nationally-known productions like the documentary, "The Fog of War," and more locally, "Murder at Harvard."
"I had never written a piece for a Woodwind Quintet," the composer said, remarking on his interest in the project. "It is just a great opportunity for a composer to write a piece that has a narrator and an interesting collection of instruments like this for the kids."
Geared primarily toward children, but also containing musical and humor elements that adults would appreciate, "The Fool" utilizes all of the instruments in Solar Winds. Like the classic tale by Prokofiev, each character is distinguished by the music; in this case, various instruments play certain tunes as a character enters the scene.
The story, which follows a young lad named Ivan as he searches for a mysterious flying ship in hopes of winning the hand of a Czar's daughter, comes to life with the music underscoring the plot.
And members of Solar Winds - Charlyn Bethell of Watertown, on the oboe; Jill Dreeben of Arlington, on the flute; Neil Fairbairn of Belmont, on the bassoon; Mark Margolies of West Roxbury, on the clarinet; and Dan Shaud of Watertown, on the horn - add a spark to the production. "We have fun together on stage and I think every audience would say that," Bethell said.
The group, which formed more than 10 years ago but welcomed its newest members in the last five years, has performed "The Fool" across the state, including at the Brookline Music School and for the National Conference of Music Educators in Springfield.
They have been joined by narrator Victor Cockburn, who will also play the guitar and sing in other portions of the upcoming performance. Cockburn's gentle and engaging voice, changing with each character, provides as much fluctuation to the narration as the interchanging musical parts.
"I think having a narrator in the story helps kids have an entry point into the music," Shaud said. "It engages them."
Kusiak said he had Cockburn record the narration first, so he could then set the music to it. The story - which is a shortened version of the original folktale, arranged by Kusiak's wife, Laura Barrett - winds throughout the music.
"It has to be timed perfectly, which is a difficult part for all of the players and the narrator," Kusiak said. But after two years of perfecting the piece, the group seems to pull it off.
"And what (Solar Winds) does so well, is involve the kids and the audience in the music-making process," the composer added.
As a part of their production, the group begins with a piece that introduces each instrument one by one, layering their sounds together into song, so that audience members can become more familiar with each "voice." The show also includes a sing-along, and allows for audience participation in a segment that teaches how the music is composed and arranged.
While Solar Winds instrumentalists delighted in the tale of "The Fool," remarking on the themes of friendship and collaboration that run through the plot - "In the end, every one of (the characters) is magical in some way that helps solve the problem," Bethell said.
In a way, the same could be said about their own ensemble.
"The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship" will be performed by Solar Winds on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10:30 a.m., at The Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under and seniors. The performance is part of the theatre's Family Fun Saturdays Series.
A CD with the classic, "Peter and the Wolf," along with "The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship" can be ordered at 781-641-3671.