On April 18, The Lakeside Pride Music Ensemble presented "Mr. Holland's Opus: A 20th Anniversary Tribute" at Northside College Prep.
The concert, which featured The Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band, touched on the movie Mr. Holland's Opus ( which was a surprise hit when it was released at Christmas of 1995 and featured performances from Oscar winners Richard Dreyfuss and Olympia Dukakis ) while focusing on its message of educators positively influencing their students through music and the arts.
With departing Lakeside Pride board member James G. Stevens serving as emcee, the evening was packed with symphonic works by Johannes Brahms, George Gershwin, Ludwig von Beethoven and John Phillip Sousa, and featured the fictional Mr. Holland's "An American Symphony" that composer Michael Kamen wrote for the film.
Amidst the varied program were several anecdotes from board members and guest conductors on how their music teachers had inspired them in the past. Along with the concert, the evening included homemade refreshments, a silent auction and a raffle with the goal of raising funds to purchase uniforms for The Lakeside Pride Freedom Marching Band.
If the evening glanced at the past, the presentation also looked to the future, with a short interlude from The Lakeside Pride Brass Quintet and the announcement of incoming board members.
The concert came loaded with surprises, as Lakeside Pride conductors Kyle Rhoades and Jason Duran were joined by guest conductors Brayer Teague and Nick White. The biggest surprise of the night came from longtime donor and supporter Dick Uyvari, who donated the entire fundraising goal of $1,000 in the name of his partner, the late Joseph La Pat.