When the Kansas City Symphony and tribute singer Jim Curry perform an April 17 concert of John Denver songs at the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, it will be the first in many years using the complete, original orchestration parts. Following Denver’s death, in 1997, the parts have been recreated by composer and arranger Lee Holdridge, who had kept the penciled originals in a vault; Holdridge will guest conduct the orchestra in songs like “Annie’s Song,” “Eagle and the Hawk,” and “Yellowstone: Coming Home.” The performance, part of the orchestra’s pops series, will include large-screen projected photos of Denver’s life, as well as nature scenes. Other orchestras scheduled to perform the tribute concert in 2010 include the Santa Rosa Symphony in California, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Toledo Symphony in Ohio.
Posted April 7, 2009
