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General Tickets – $35-50 call Cerritos Center Box Office at (800) 300-4345
Dr. Arthur C. Bartner and the Spirit of Troy present CONQUEST! A Salute to Alfred Newman and his Film Music Legacy
APRIL 16, 2000 – 7:00 PM
CERRITOS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
12700 Center Court Drive
Cerritos, California
On Sunday evening, April 16, 2000, at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, the SPIRIT OF TROY will present a program of film music honoring film scoring legend ALFRED NEWMAN. The evening will celebrate and rededicate "Collegiate Football's Greatest Battle Cry: CONQUEST!" on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its bequest to the University of Southern California.
Expected to participate in the celebration are two of Alfred's children, accomplished composers THOMAS NEWMAN and MARIA NEWMAN, as well as noted film composers BUDDY BAKER, ELMER BERNSTEIN, BRUCE BROUGHTON, BASIL POLEDOURIS, DAVID RAKSIN, and JOHN WILLIAMS (via video). The concert will feature music from Captain from Castile, The Robe, Hurricane, How the West Was Won, Laura, The Ten Commandments, Winnie the Pooh, Silverado, The Hunt for Red October, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and more.
Additionally, the Spirit of Troy welcomes noted vocalist MARILYN McCOO to perform classic songs from Casablanca, Pinocchio, Meet Me in St. Louis, West Side Story, The Days of Wine and Roses, The Way We Were, and more.
CONQUEST! AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Introduced as the battle march in the final reel of 20th Century Fox's swashbuckling epic CAPTAIN FROM CASTILE, "Conquest!" was presented in 1950 by composer Alfred Newman as a gift in perpetuity to the University of Southern California. Over the ensuing 50 years, it has endured as an integral part of USC's spirit songs, second in sustained longevity only to the "official" school fight song, "Fight On!"
USC fans around the world instantly recognize "Conquest!" and join in singing its signature horn calls as the Trojans' own battle cry and victory march. Also known as the theme that accompanies the appearance of Traveler, USC's great white stallion, "Conquest" is performed by the Trojan Marching Band before every football game and after every USC victory, regardless of sport.
For 50 years, "Conquest" has been a source of pride and joy for Trojans - for graduates, it is the coronation march performed at the conclusion of Commencement ceremonies; for the Trojan Marching Band, it is the proud rallying cry that ends every single rehearsal. Indeed, very few days pass without its opening horn calls resonating throughout campus.
The Trojan Marching Band alone performs "Conquest!" upwards of 300 times per year, likely making it the most performed film score theme of all time. Additionally, "Conquest!" is also the only film score regularly performed before an audience of more than 90,000 people (at the USC-UCLA and USC-Notre Dame football games).
In deep appreciation of this invaluable gift to USC and its Trojan Family, the Spirit of Troy thanks Alfred Newman and presents this concert in his honor. Not only will the evening celebrate and rededicate "Conquest!" in a rousing grand finale, but it will recall and honor the life, work and legacy of Alfred Newman.
PAST SPIRIT OF TROY CONCERTS AT THE CERRITOS CENTER
Since 1997, the Spirit of Troy has presented an annual spring benefit concert at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Provided through the generosity of Mr. & Mrs. Douglas and Anita Padelford, the Cerritos Center is the most state-of-the-art concert facility in Southern California.
The repertoire of these "Pops at Cerritos" concerts have ranged from classical trumpet concerti to Olympic fanfares and New Orleans funk. Guest artists have included Trojan Marching Band alumni Mark Watters, Richard Todd, David Washburn, Terry Cravens, Tommy Johnson, Harvey Pittel, the Vince Womack Band, and Chuy Martinez and the Bayou Brass. Other featured artists have included Louie Bellson, Steve Houghton and Rick Baptist.
The highlight of each concert has been the "Honorary Trojan Marching Band Member" presentation. This has been presented to David Foster (1997), Michael Kamen (1998) and Elmer Bernstein (1999) after each conducted the concert band in one of their compositions.
Proceeds from each concert have benefitted scholarships for Trojan Marching Band members. Each member of the Spirit of Troy devotes upwards of fifteen hours per week to train and serve as ambassadors of the University of Southern California not only at football games and other sporting events, but at innumerable special events in the Los Angeles area and beyond. A sample of recent special events range from international economic summits between the United States and the People's Republic of China (twice) to the NAMM convention to the ribbon cutting for the 105 freeway and the Metro Blue Line to charitable benefits to private parties and beyond.