‘Spider-Man’ symphonic concert swings into Schuster Center soon

“This show is such a wonderful opened door into the world of live music in a very accessible way,” said conductor Shelbie Rassler. “So many people are familiar with ‘Spider-Man’ and know so much about the history of the Marvel universe — it’s a really big thing in American culture. So, to have an opportunity for families with young children to enter the concert hall for the first time and hear live musicians who have worked their entire lives to master their instruments and their crafts is a very special experience.”

Growing up in the suburbs of Fort Lauderdale, Fl., Rassler, 26, loved film scoring. Some of her favorites stemmed from the blockbuster films of Steven Spielberg scored by the legendary John Williams.

“It was the first time I really understood what film scoring was and had a chance to really see the connection between film and music, how the emotions are enhanced and brings a new sort of life to a story,” Rassler said. “I remember very clearly watching ‘E.T.’ for the first time and having it completely blow my mind. It was so beautiful. ‘E.T.’ was quite formative as was ‘Jurassic Park.’’

The Julliard School and Berklee College of Music graduate also recalled the moment she embraced her future calling as a conductor.

“I was the sixth-grade conductor in my middle school band,” she said. “Honestly, from that time when I was 11 or 12 years old, I really loved being the person who took care of everyone in the ensemble, not only in the music but in the rehearsal.”

For the “Spider-Man” concert, Rassler regards her task as “an awesome opportunity and unique challenge.” Synchronicity is paramount in order to achieve a smooth program.

“In conducting you have to synthesize a ton of information in an instant in order to keep track of all the instruments that are playing,” she said. “And further, in this film scoring setting in which we’re playing to a live movie, it’s about keeping track of the musicians as well as the timing and synchronization with the film. It’s making sure everything is aligned and synced to the millisecond. We also have a live scratch DJ which is a whole other element. There are so many moving parts to keep track of but my brain loves that.”

Named one of the top 10 films of 2023 by the American Film Institute, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider Verse” tells the story of Miles Morales, who reunites with Gwen Stacy on an interdimensional journey across the Multiverse. Along the way he meets the Spider Society and ultimately pursues a heroic path of his own.

“There are a lot of different styles and genres of music that are happening throughout this movie,” Rassler said. “It’s also a reflection of the animation style of the film, which has different styles that are molded together to create the Multiverse. Different characters are also represented by different kinds of music and there are central themes that come back every so often to further the story as well. It’s a really thoughtful, exciting score with a lot of adventure but also tender, emotional moments with beautiful string writing. Everything is well constructed and intentional. It keeps the audience engaged from the very first moment.”

Notably mentored at Julliard by Pulitzer Prize and Academy Award-winning composer John Corigliano (“The Red Violin”), Rassler is confident the concert will help inspire the next generation of concertgoers.

“Coming into this tour, I was most excited for the opportunity to hopefully spark a passion in the next generation and usher in a new generation of concertgoers that are engaging with live music and keeping the arts alive and well,” she said. “This is my mission as an artist right now in today’s world where we’re facing lots of different challenges. We just want to play our music and make people happy.”

How to go

What: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse In Concert”

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27

Where: Schuster Center, 1 W. Second St., Dayton

Cost: $28.50-$88.50

More info: 937-228-3630 or daytonlive.org