The Sensational...Symphoria!

Last night was an evening of FIRSTS!
So, let's play a game.

Was it...

* The first time sis {SheShe} and I ever attended a symphony?
* The opening night of Symphoria?
* The new maestro's inaugural introduction?
* The only time we've ever seen TWIN SISTER pianists?

If you said, Yes! Si! Or, Oui Oui!
You are 100% pitch perfect, my darlings.

Sis and I had the honor of being Symphoria's guests at their presentation of Symphonie Fantastique...which just so happened to include the Dazzling Doubletake of Christina and Michelle Naughton {twin sisters who completely ROCKED the stage and the audience's hearts - leaving us all wondering..."Did that just happen?!!"}.

Let's dial it back a bit so you can learn a bit more about Symphoria. I took this directly from their website because I don't want to leave out one nifty note of greatness in describing this powerful pack. I'll let them do the talking!...

When I was first presented with the opportunity to spread the good word about this organization, I JUMPED at the chance. I've always longed to have some sort of musical gene...even just a teensy weensy spec!...but alas, playing the recorder for 1 lone year in 3rd grade, rapping for 3 wonderful years at Greek Week in college, meeting Miss Reba and happily attending summer concerts at the Great New York State Fair Grandstand was as close as this vivacious vocalist ever got.

Lord, I miss my Zetas.

Growing up, my {Uncle Dave} was the road manager for some pretty neat bands. When he'd roll in to town with his crew, our entire family would flock to see him and his cooler-than-cool friends. He lived in Cali {and now in Vegas --- the life!}, so when we had a chance to see him, it was special. I remember sharing my Great Grandma's macaroni and meatballs with "Uncle" Otis Day...going to a concert at The Roxy in 4th grade...and learning that Monkees don't always live in a zoo!

My family's respect for music runs deep.

I'd be remiss if I didn't give a proper shout out to Big M. and CoCo for smartly raising us in an MTV/BET/VH-1 household. We grew up in a time of VIDEOS and had our favorite VJs. In no particular order...

Martha Quinn
Bill Bellamy
Downtown Julie Brown
Ed Lover

They took us to more concerts than I can count {yeah, New Kids!} and turned up the radio every time we got into the car. We'd sing along to Sinatra, move with MJ, crank it up for Cash, learn from Lionel, hear lullabyes from Lauper, and have many A-Ha moments on the tellie. They filled our youth with terrific tunes.

As fate would have it, out of all these outstanding offerings, Sheesh and I were always drawn to the "R" side of things: R&B and Rap. Ask any of our friends and they'll tell you who our faves are. {Because we're broken records about it!} The rhymes! The rhythms! The really rockin' outfits! Ohhhh, how I could go on. Anyhoo, although Sheesh and I shout our love of these particular genres from the highest musical mountaintops, I just wanted you to know that surprisingly, our roots are rather eclectic.

See? Look at this classic jewel we listened to on the ride to the theater.
#Jodeci

And, we always had an appreciation for those who knew how to play an instrument. For whatever reason, we had never had the chance to attend a LIVE performance by a symphony. We had this on our bucket list and what better place to take it all in...than at the place our elementary school used to take us to on field trips! What a welcomed walk down memory lane!

We didn't know what to expect. Should we get there early? Where do we park? What should we wear? Can you take photos? ... We winged it! We dusted off some autumn dresses, broke out our umbrellas and set sail for an awesome adventure. {#SisterStyle}

Here's what happened!

Sheesh and I are people watchers, so we quickly arrived at our seats early to survey the scene. Happy folks - from school age to golden - donned their best, and it felt like the room was filled with zest. In a word, everyone looked...thrilled. They were excited. Cheerful! Delighted. There was a unique pleasantry swirling in the air - almost like a joyful storm was brewing. {Seems like a rather interesting way to describe a storm, right?}

We had a great chuckle as we scrolled through musician biographies and discovered many names we had heard on the Little Einsteins episodes we used to watch with the Twinados. {Rachmaninoff! Dvorak! Mendelssohn!} They were all tucked neatly inside a gorgeous 60-page program booklet.

Grainy pic. But, hey CoCo-Nuts!

We glanced ahead to future performances {the Disney and Halloween events look GREAT for you know who!}, saw that it's FREE to attend for kids 18 younger {call ahead to reserve tix}, discovered that there's a FREE shuttle service for Masterworks and Pops concerts {Shoppingtown Mall}, read about support opportunities {invest in the best!}, and learned that the Symphoria brings their gifts to other venues such as Welch Allyn Lodge, SU Warehouse...and my favorite: The MOST!

Just a click of the pic counts as a vote!

When the lights dimmed, the house grew quiet and we battened down the hatches and prepped for the unexpected. After a kind introduction by the managing director, we were ready to roll. Sheesh and I had finally entered the eye of the squall.

It was a rainy Saturday in Syracuse, but it paired well with the electric performances that took the Symphoria stage by storm. Each direction of Maestro Loh's baton produced a flash of lighting that carefully captivated the lively audience. The troop opened with a mysterious "Bacchanale" from Samson and Delilah that left us in complete awe. Just when we thought the atmosphere couldn't get any more breathtaking, a Dynamic Duo rolled in.

The forecast called for real live....Twinados! Since day one of the blog, you've heard me affectionately call my darlings by this title. But today, I was given a whole new meaning to this endearing phrase. Two sisters - TWINS! - gracefully glided onto the scene like gorgeous gazelles - smoothly taking their positions - piano to piano. Each polished pianist took a side of Symphoria's stage. The sister on stage right would make her case on the keys, while the other would swiftly answer alongside the teamwork of stage left. These Steinway Artists rocked their riffs and pounced the pedals using their facial expressions to give us sneak peeks into their souls. The energy in the room was magnetic. They "felt" the music and showed us their paralleled passion for the craft.

If I can be lighthearted for a moment...in the words of American Idol judges..."I believed them."

I'm rarely speechless - full of one-liners! alliteration for days!- but it's extremely hard to describe the magnitude of twin talent I saw on each side of the grands. So, in summary, their performance can only be described as...phenomenal.

I don't take that word lightly. I only use it in extreme cases - and this time? It was a perfect fit for a perfect pair. For a twin mom - of twin GIRLS! - this was surreal and almost like a glimpse into the future. Every day, I wonder what paths my twin daughters will take in life, so it was quite a gift to see two other twins live out their destiny just a few rows in front of me.

During intermission, I had a few minutes to chat with them, and they are as lovely as you'd think. Be sure to keep an eye on the Naughtons by visiting their website, Twitter and Facebook pages to see if this Sister Act will perform in your town soon!

The rest of the evening was such a treat. To be in the company of such professional musicians displaying their expertise was quite a blessing. The colorful cellists! The fascinating flutists! The vibrant violinists! We left with a whirlwind of emotions, but the 2015-16 schedule is certainly our rainbow.

If you're from the 315, or you're just in town to visit, make plans to experience Symphoria. Your ears...and heart...will thank you.

p.s. Here's a pic of the After Party! {hehe} Sheesh and I spent some extra quality time over some late night subs. BBQ chips, double bacon and a conversation with your sis sure do make for an enchanting evening.