John Jesensky '07 Conducts Hartford Symphony Orchestra's Tales of Halloween
Keep it creepy this Halloween season with Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s (HSO) Tales of Halloween, conducted by Hartt School alum John Jesensky, ’07.
In addition to guiding this musical tour of all things spooky, John will premiere his very own “Tales of Halloween.” The event includes live performances from everyone’s favorite Halloween classics and a complete transformation of the Bushnell into a haunting experience.
Saturday, Oct. 29, at 3 p.m., at The Bushnell
Purchase Tickets Here
Only $10 with a student ID
John exclusively shared some more information about this show, his passion for music, and his life-long love for all things Halloween:
"Tales of Halloween" is going to be a real treat for people of all ages who enjoy not only Halloween, but that spooky "fall magic" you only find in New England. We'll be transforming the entire Bushnell into a "Ghost-Theater" with interactive decorations, trick or treating, festive food and drinks, and activities – and that's before the concert even gets started! The HSO will perform famous movie themes as well as the premiere of my work, also titled "Tales of Halloween."
About Working with HSO
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra is, and always will be, my "home orchestra." My very first exposure to classical music was from hearing the HSO in concert. Since then, I've been fortunate enough to conduct the ensemble during performances of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series.
About his original composition
"Tales of Halloween" is my attempt to begin the exploration of spooky tales, for all ages, from all around the world. It’s a celebration of the ancient art of human storytelling. And in order to truly capture the magic of sitting down to read those classic stories from our youths, the piece will feature original illustrations, stories, and readings working in tandem with the music to create a "Symphonic Storybook." Each of these elements were created by local CT artists. In fact, our illustrator, Marissa Madonna, graduated from the Hartford Art School!
About Halloween
Halloween has always been my favorite holiday! Halloween not only represents fond memories of exploring the neighborhood with my parents and brothers, but also that thrill of stepping off into the unknown adventure of the night. As a kid, donning my outfit and setting out from my front porch was the beginning of an epic journey.
For me, greatest appeal of Halloween has always been the "spooky story." Naturally, best told around a roaring fire - though, certainly a concert hall will do just fine. Scary stories of ghosts, monsters, myths, and legends all take us on a journey through the cultural history of humankind. To hear a scary story is to know what made people in a certain time and place "tick." Even more surprising is to discover the links and similarities that bind us all together.
About UHart and his CT connections
While I'm incredibly fortunate to have careers in film scoring and conducting that have brought me to all corners of the globe, my heart still belongs to CT. It is always a joy to be able to come home to make music with fellow CT artists.
To say that my time at Hartt benefitted my career is a vast understatement. Hartt gave me the open mind, sturdy musical foundation, and channeling of my craft needed to do what I do today. It was through the brilliant mentorship of Professors Stephen Gryc, David Macbride, and Glen Adsit that my musicianship, patience, and work ethic flourished.
Once I arrived in Los Angeles, I quickly discovered that I was one of the few film composers who had comprehensive training in theory, orchestration, music history, and more. Because of that, I was able to quickly find a job in music publishing, and support myself as I worked my way up the composition and conducting ladder. To this day, while I am incredibly fortunate to have a busy performance/scoring schedule, I take great pride in the fact that production companies turn to me for work involving detailed music transcription, and orchestration all because of the tools that Hartt gave me nearly 15 years ago.
His Advice for Students:
Life for a composer is very self-motivated. I'm sure you've heard the old chestnut "If you can think of anything else to do, do it" a dozen or more times. I don't necessarily agree with that – I think you are a far better musician if you have interests and aspirations in life that have nothing to do with dots on a page. I think a better way to put it is: "A life in music will give back to you what you put into it." We composers have to constantly seek out work, and make our own opportunities happen for us. Your time at Hartt is one of those opportunities. Be weird; search for new ways of thinking. Most of all, endeavor to work for the never-ending well of enlightenment your professors and this institution are offering.