“Lights, Camera…the Oscars!”

The Austin Symphony Orchestra (ASO) recently presented music from classic Oscar-winning films at their “Lights, Camera … Oscars!” event, just in time for the Oscar season.

The event took place on Feb. 20 and featured covers of classic films like “Gone with the Wind,” “Rocky” and “Titanic.” Hearing the familiar notes being played live brought the cinematic elements to life. There was a sense of familiarity because of the rich history the sound portrayed.

If fans didn’t appreciate or recognize the music for those films when they watched them, they still would’ve been captivated by the raw emotion displayed by the musicians.

There was a vocal duet alongside the symphony for globally known songs like “A Whole New World” from the movie “Aladdin” and “Swing Time’s” classic popular song “The Way You Look Tonight.” One of the guest vocalists, Sean MacLaughlin, has appeared on Broadway and in other critically acclaimed collaborations. The vocalists complimented the orchestra quite well.

In addition to the vocal duet and the orchestra, there was a movie screen behind the symphony displaying scenes from the films that the they were covering, making it entertaining for the audience. By combining all these elements with a beautiful sundry of classical symphonic sounds, the ASO had audience members feeling as though they were walking with their favorite characters in the scenes. For some it was even sentimental.

ASO did a great job in their execution, and it made the audience that much more eager for the Oscars. If you’re a movie buff, Oscar enthusiast or just a fan of classic Oscar films, this was the event for you.

Founded in 1911, the Austin Symphony Orchestra is Austin’s oldest performing arts group. Its mission, according to the website, is to “enhance the cultural quality of life for the adults and young people of Austin and Central Texas by providing excellence in music performance and educational programming.”

In regard to executing that mission, the Austin Symphony invites students to enjoy live music — pop and classical — through a new program called the Student Rush discount. Students with a valid student ID can purchase $5 concert tickets for best available seating of certain concerts at 7:40 p.m. (20 minutes before the concerts usually begin). Only cash is accepted and seating is selected by the Box Office. Students can buy two tickets per ID.

However, because tickets are so cheap, they run out fast. You have to arrive quite early to buy them before it’s too late.

The ASO frequently hosts unique events where the student discount can be applied. For example, last semester, it hosted “Fantasy Night” where people, dressed like their favorite characters, listened to popular songs from science fiction movies like “Harry Potter,” “Lord of the Rings” and “Game of Thrones.”