HFC’s Anthony Lai premieres original music with Dearborn Symphony
HFC Director of Music Anthony Lai (pronounced “lie”) will premiere his original piece of orchestral music called “In Other News” as the Dearborn Symphony concludes its 63rd season on Friday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn.
While the Dearborn Symphony’s season finale is called “Fantasia Favorites” and will play music from Disney’s 1940 musical classic Fantasia, Lai’s “In Other News” was inspired by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“When the Dearborn Symphony commissioned me to write a piece for this concert, I didn’t initially set out to write music about the crisis in Gaza. I began writing a musical piece with no specific meaning,” explained Lai, an HFC alumnus who has taught at his alma mater since 2008.
“It’s such a Dearborn issue, and it needs to be addressed”
Lai has seen firsthand how this crisis has impacted his wife, HFC alumna Vanessa El-Zein, whose family is Lebanese. He has also seen how it has impacted his students, who have spoken about their own families, unsure of the fate of loved ones who are overseas.
“I’m a Dearborn composer, this is the Dearborn Symphony, and this is a Dearborn concert. It’s such a Dearborn issue, and it needs to be addressed,” he said.
At first, Lai was concerned that the Dearborn Symphony wouldn’t perform it because it wouldn't fit in with the theme of its season finale.
“I sent them the program notes, and they’re still going to perform it, despite the controversial topic,” he said. “The Symphony wanted to go out with a bang with their final concert of the season. They are combining music from Fantasia with a piece written by a local composer. There’s an interesting juxtaposition to that.”
"In Other News" presents reality
The title of “In Other News,” a five-minute musical number, comes from that idea that the crisis is not being fully reported by local media outlets. Much of the latest news about the crisis comes from media outlets in other parts of the world.
“ ‘In Other News’ is not meant to be polarizing or controversial. It presents reality, and the listener can choose to be uncomfortable and ignore it or listen and discuss it,” said Lai.
It took Lai about 5 months to write “In Other News.”
“The process of composition results in weeks of hating it until you mold it into something you’re proud of,” he said. “To get to that point is always the best.”
Lai is proud that the Dearborn Symphony will perform “In Other News.”
“The purpose of writing a classical piece of music today is a curious thing,” he said. “The trends of the 21st century are so eclectic that even knowing what to write about or where to begin is one of the hardest things.”
Ticket prices for “Fantasia Favorites” range between $14 to $42. To purchase tickets and for more information, call 313-565-2424 or visit www.dearbornsymphony.org.