The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will bring Western and classical music to Hammond. File Photo/The Lion's Roar

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at The Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts with Guest Conductor Timothy Muffitt from the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra. 

The production is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 16, and it is set to last for two hours including a 20-minute intermission.

The Louisiana Philharmonic will perform Rossini’s “William Tell Overture,” Copland’s “Corral Nocturne" and "Hoe Down from Rodeo” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastoral’” for their theme of “Beethoven Meets the Wild West.”

“First of all, really high quality music, and these are always interesting pieces that they do,” said Executive Director of the Columbia Theatre Roy Blackwood. ”They usually play them in their entirety, which they will do this time. There are a lot of times when you hear excerpts or you’ll hear one or two movements, but frequently you don’t hear the whole piece. But, they will do the entire three pieces.”

The Louisiana Philharmonic and conductor will participate in audience interaction during the show, educating the audience and engaging them on a more personal level. 

“It’s not stuffy, and it’s really a lot of fun,” said Blackwood. “Plus, you get to hear really high-quality music, and these are great selections.”

The pieces besides Beethoven are American-styled pieces the LPO will perform. With the “William Tell Overture” being the theme song from “The Lone Ranger,” the hope is that it will help bring the audience into the Wild West theme of the night. 

“They do a great job, and they are very entertaining,” said Blackwood. “So, yeah it’s going to be a good show.”

Between the songs selected for the performance “Beethoven meets the Wild West,” the relation in the pieces may be heard throughout the passages that are performed in certain signature keys that are reminiscent of the other pieces conceptually to fit together according to Blackwood.