The Boston Pops Orchestra, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, performs a musical video tribute, Summon the Heroes—featuring the work originally composed by John Williams for the 1996 Olympic Games—as a tribute to today’s first responders who are providing critical and needed services during the Covid-19 epidemic. John Williams joins the virtual tribute with a musical and spoken introduction taped from his home studio in Los Angeles.
The Boston Pops musicians themselves conceived of the idea of a “virtual orchestra” rendition of Summon the Heroes as the perfect piece of music to honor Covid-19 front line and essential workers. Nearly 80 musicians recorded their individual parts in their basement, kitchen, living room, or bedroom!
John Williams wrote Summon the Heroes for the 1996 Olympic Games, marking the 100th anniversary of the modern Olympic Games. Dedicated to the Boston Pops principal trumpet at the time, Tim Morrison, the work was also recorded by the Boston Pops as part of a CD of the same name.
BSO Recording Engineer Nick Squire and Video Engineer Brandon Cardley, working from their homes, edited the audio and video from 86 individually submitted video files to create the musicians’ gift to all who are giving so much of themselves during this time.
This performance is sponsored by the New Balance Foundation.
Participating musicians of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Pops Orchestra
–First Violins–
Alexander Velinzon – Associate Concertmaster – BSO & BPO
Elita Kang – Assistant Concertmaster – BSO & BPO
Yuncong Zhang
Lucia Lin
Bo Youp Hwang
Jennie Shames
Tatiana Dimitriades
Wendy Putnam
Glen Cherry
Lisa Ji Eun Kim
–Second Violins–
Julianne Lee – Assistant Principal – BSO/Principal – BPO
Sheila Fiekowsky
Nicole Monahan
Bonnie Bewick
James Cooke
Victor Romanul
Catherine French
Jason Horowitz
Ala Jojatu
Bracha Malkin
–Violas–
Steven Ansell – Principal – BSO
Cathy Basrak – Assistant Principal – BSO/ Principal – BPO
Danny Kim
Rebecca Gitter
Rachel Fagerburg
Daniel Getz
Rebekah Edewards
Kathryn Sievers
Mary Ferrillo
Steven O. Laraia
–Cellos–
Blaise Déjardin – Principal – BSO
Oliver Aldort – Assistant Principal – BSO/ Principal – BPO
Mihail Jojatu
Martha Babcock
Owen Young
Mickey Katz
Alexandre Lecarme
Adam Esbensen
–Basses–
Edwin Barker – Principal – BSO
Lawrence Wolfe – Assistant Principal – BSO/ Principal – BPO
Dennis Roy
Joseph Hearne
Todd Seeber
John Stovall
Thomas Van Dyck
Carl Anderson
–Flutes–
Elizabeth Ostling – Associate Principal – BSO/ Principal – BPO
Clint Foreman
–Piccolo–
Cynthia Meyers
–Oboes–
John Ferrillo – Principal – BSO
Mark McEwen
–English Horn–
Robert Sheena
–Clarinets–
William R. Hudgins – Principal – BSO
Michael Wayne
Thomas Martin – Associate Principal & E-flat clarinet – BSO/Principal – BPO
–Bassoons–
Richard Ranti – Associate Principal – BSO/Principal – BPO
Suzanne Nelsen
–Contrabassoon–
Gregg Henegar
–Horns–
James Sommerville – Principal – BSO
Richard Sebring – Associate Principal – BSO/Principal – BPO
Rachel Childers
Michael Winter
Jason Snider
–Trumpets–
Thomas Rolfs – Soloist and Principal – BSO & BPO
Benjamin Wright
Thomas Siders – Associate Principal – BSO & BPO
Michael Martin
–Trombones–
Toby Oft – Principal – BSO & BPO
Stephen Lange
–Bass Trombone–
James Markey
–Tuba–
Mike Roylance – Principal – BSO & BPO
–Timpani–
Timothy Genis
–Percussion–
J. William Hudgins
Daniel Bauch – Assistant Timpanist
Kyle Brightwell
Matthew McKay
–Harp–
Jessica Zhou – Principal – BSO & BPO
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Find many more online musical resources like this one at bso.org/athome and https://www.bso.org/brands/bso/at-home/bso-homeschool.aspx.