Classical music is everywhere – in movies, commercials, even playing on speakers at the grocery store. It is so infused into popular culture that many people don’t even realize these familiar tunes were written by the likes of Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Mozart and more.  

The Flint Symphony Orchestra’s Icons & Anthems concert on Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m. showcases a common thread woven throughout the season: the familiarity of classical music in daily life. The program includes Johann Strauss Jr.’s The Blue Danube Waltz and Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra – both featured in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey – as well as Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, a popular piece in the cello repertoire and used in the film Hilary and Jackie.  

Michelle Tschirhart, the FSO’s new orchestra manager, explained that part of why classical music can feel daunting is because we are not exposed to it day-in and day-out on the airwaves and social media like we are to pop music. And unlike a two- or three-minute pop song, a piece of classical music is often quite long and takes more time to become familiar with.  

“Just going to a movie and hearing some beautiful themes and melodies that stick with you can really enhance that experience,” Tschirhart said. “So much of this music has been around for centuries, and a movie might be someone’s first exposure to classical music.”  

Exposure to a piece (through popular media or otherwise) prior to hearing it played in an orchestral setting can also help augment the concert-going experience.  

“Especially with more complex pieces like Mahler symphonies and Strauss tone poems, there is so much going on, so many layers to the music. You can’t hear it all on the first listen, and you almost always can hear something new if you’re paying attention,” explained Mark Flegg, principal trumpet in the FSO. 

Even musicians have “a-ha!” moments when it comes to classical music in popular culture. Flegg recalled a time when he was working the solo part to Napoli for cornet and band during his undergraduate studies.  

“At the time I’d heard the tune in one, and only one, place before. And I’d heard it a lot. Every time I got to the melody all I could hear in my head was ‘Stanley! Stanley! The thermos made of steel!’ over and over again,” he said.  

While the two different Strauss pieces were used prominently in 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Elgar Cello Concerto may not be quite as recognizable from its starring role in the film Hilary and Jackie. The piece, however, is a standout in the cello repertoire and its history is tied to the biographical film.  

British cellist Jacqueline du Pré (“Jackie”) will forever be associated with the concerto – she was married to renowned conductor Daniel Barenboim and her burgeoning career was cut short by a tragic multiple sclerosis diagnosis.  

“Her extraordinary recording, made in the 60s, remains the definitive performance… The piece can be deep and brooding, reflecting the post-WWI mood of England, but in the hands of Jacqueline du Pré there is an intensity and passion fueled by her own life experiences,” said Judith Vander Weg, principal cellist for the FSO.  

Folks likely know a lot more classical music than they realize, and the Icons & Anthems concert – as well as the entire FSO season’s movie-music thread – may provide the opportunity for some audience members to connect those dots. The program promises compelling music that moves the soul, regardless of one’s pop culture prowess.