Associate conductor Kelly Corcoran at the symphony's 2009 concert.

Brentwood 'a great audience' for Nashville Symphony
By AMY STUMPFL
For Brentwood Home Page
The temperatures may be scorching, but the music scene will be cool this weekend as Brentwood’s Summer Concert Series continues. The Nashville Symphony will perform at 7 p.m., Sunday. The free concert takes place at the beautiful Eddy Arnold Amphitheater in Crockett Park.

“Brentwood is always such a great audience, and the venue is wonderful. Just stepping out onto that stage automatically generates a lot of excitement.” Kelly Corcoran Associate conductor Nashville Symphony

“We’re happy to be returning to Crockett Park,” says associate conductor Kelly Corcoran, now in her fourth season with the symphony. “Brentwood is always such a great audience, and the venue is wonderful. Just stepping out onto that stage automatically generates a lot of excitement.”

Of course, the musical program – which includes everything from orchestral favorites to popular movie music – is sure to lift the audience’s spirits as well.

“One of the things I love about our Community Concert Series is that it provides a unique opportunity to program a greater variety of music – from the classical repertoire to jazz and film music.”

Corcoran calls this particular program – which features works by George Gershwin, Leroy Anderson and John Williams – a “tip of the hat” to the famed Boston Pops, which pioneered the idea of the outdoor summer concert series. 

“It’s a great combination of light classical and popular movie music,” she says. “We’ll have selections from Oklahoma, plus the theme from Jaws and Star Wars. There’s a little something for everyone.” 

In fact, the Symphony is offering a number of free concerts this summer, including “Hoe-Down,” a musical celebration of the American West, and “Russian Fireworks,” featuring Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

“I encourage people to come out and see us more than once,” Corcoran says. “It’s a different experience each time.”

But for now, she is focused on Sunday’s performance.

“The Schermerhorn Symphony Center is absolutely beautiful, but we enjoy getting out of the concert hall and visiting different parts of the community,” she says. “Being outdoors and in a more casual setting, we can connect to the audience in a totally different way. Looking out over the lawn at Crockett Park, it’s great to see so many people celebrating summer and enjoying good music together.”