‘Medieval Mayhem’ a Musical Whodunit by Melbourne Community Orchestra Begins April 30

Free performance by MCO is one part theater, two parts concert

A poisoned king, poorly timed love poems, and epic drum battles plague the imaginary kingdom of Symphonia in the latest May Mystery by the Melbourne Community Orchestra.  The audience will root for their favorite future king when classical music meets onstage antics in Medieval Mayhem. The all-original production will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, April 30 & May 1, at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 Hibiscus Boulevard.

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — A poisoned king, poorly timed love poems, and epic drum battles plague the imaginary kingdom of Symphonia in the latest May Mystery by the Melbourne Community Orchestra.

The audience will root for their favorite future king when classical music meets onstage antics in Medieval Mayhem. The all-original production will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, April 30 and May 1, at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 Hibiscus Boulevard.

Young standout performers Logan Soper and William Mustain will take the roles of Prince Forte and Prince Dolce, each eager to become the new King of Symphonia. Together with their squire, played by Paxton Barefield, they will solve the mystery of King Andante’s murder. The original script, written by flute player Noël Barefield, features an evening of orchestral music and zany action, with Maestro Mark Nelson in a key role.

The action is punctuated by tunes that bring to mind “days of old when knights were bold,” including Rimsky Korsakov “Procession of the Nobles,” Glinka’s “Ruslan and Ludmila Overture,” the “English Folk Song Suite” by Vaughn Williams as well as a medley of songs from the 1991 action film, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

A pre-show of onstage musical performers will entertain the gathering crowd, beginning at 6:15 p.m. Admission to Medieval Mayhem and all Melbourne Community Orchestra concerts is free. The audience is invited to dress in costume and participate when cued from the stage. The 70-member group conducted by Mark Nelson is the Orchestra in Residence for the City of Melbourne.

Call 321-285-6724 or visit MCOrchestra.org for more information or to sign up for concert alerts.

Medieval Mayhem author and published novelist Noël Barefield wears many hats, serving as General Manager of the Melbourne Community Orchestra and Principal Flute and Piccolo player. She hopes the audience will experience double the entertainment with her May Mystery orchestral event.

“Our May shows have become a Space Coast annual tradition,” said Ms. Barefield. “Everyone enjoys stories set in faraway kingdoms, with knights, lords and ladies –myself included. This show is a lot of fun and, once again, the audience will have a big role to play!”

The non-profit Melbourne Community Orchestra is an all-volunteer orchestra that performs seven sets of free concerts each Season. Call 321-285-6724 or visit MCOrchestra.org for more information or to sign up for concert alerts.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Noël Barefield is the current Principal Flute and Piccolo player for Melbourne Community Orchestra. Along with playing, she is also the orchestra’s General Manager, and in her spare time she works full-time as a Senior Training Manager for a military housing company. Noël began playing flute when she was ten years old, and it was love at first note! She has played with both professional and community groups throughout the years, and she was recently featured on MCO’s Conductor’s Choice concert series playing the Chaminade Flute Concerto. She joined MCO in 2018 after moving to Florida with her now 15-year-old son. When not playing, she enjoys spending time with her family, loving on her fur babies, exploring new places and writing her second novel.

Noël wanted to bring classical music to life in a way that has never been done by other symphonies, and she thought there was no better way to do this then to tell a story through music. The May Mysteries concert series was a crazy idea first pitched for MCO’s 2022-2023 season while she was working on her first novel. The first concert series was a huge hit with both audiences and orchestra members alike, leading to a permanent spot in the orchestra’s season programming. As with her novel, she hopes audiences will fall in love with pieces of the May Mysteries concert series which tell the stories that only classical music can. To learn more about Noël Barefield’s works visit www.RedNovaChronicles.com.

ABOUT THE MELBOURNE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA

The non-profit Melbourne Community Orchestra is an all-volunteer orchestra, performing seven sets of free concerts each Season. Conducted by Mark Nelson, the dynamic orchestra is comprised of 50+ musicians ranging from student players to adult hobbyists and full-time professionals. Clair Cristy is the orchestra’s beloved founder and holds the title of Conductor Emeritus. The orchestra’s repertoire includes music from symphonic to pop, including movie soundtracks and show tunes, opera, ballet and patriotic arrangements. The Melbourne Community Orchestra is dedicated to enhancing the appreciation and understanding of orchestral music in Brevard County and strives to provide an intimate audience experience. The group is at home in the Melbourne Civic Auditorium at 625 Hibiscus Boulevard in Melbourne. In 2008, the Melbourne Community Orchestra was named “Orchestra in Residence” for the city of Melbourne. For more information or to sign up for concert alerts, visit MCOrchestra.org or call 321-285-6724.

ABOUT CONDUCTOR MARK NELSON

Maestro Mark P. Nelson has been a conductor, clinician and educator for over 40 years, recognized for his conducting of orchestra ensembles across the United States. Mr. Nelson was a co-founder of the Community Band of Brevard, and also pioneered the American Musical Theatre Program for the Brevard County Public Schools. He is a two-time recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence. In 2013 he was named a Legion Laureate, one of only 100 nationally, by the John Phillip Sousa Society. Mark completed his Doctoral studies through Boston University and is a sought after guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States. Referring to Mark’s skill as a conductor and interpreter of music, Conductor Emeritus James Keene, University of Illinois remarked, “He is a master musician and teacher. He is dedicated and has courage of conviction with programming literature that is extremely sophisticated musically. He exhibits ‘wonderful interpretation!”

Similar Stories