The music of Trekkies

On June 2, over 100 anxious Star Trek fans piled into Kitchener’s Centre in the Square for an exciting musical performance, as the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony wooed the crowed with the familiar tunes of Star Trek from “Star Trek: The Music”.

The show was hosted by veteran Star Trek actors John de Lancie and Robert Picardo. Picardo began the performance by delivering the famous introductory monologue from the Star Trek TV program. De Lancie and Picardo’s witty commentary delivered historical Star Trek tidbits and detailed some of the franchise’s successes and shortcomings. Making jokes about each other’s action figures, the two lightened the mood and were successful in their role as hosts.

The symphony captivated the audience with a variety of soft melodies and violently-charged tunes, pulled from the first television series right up to the 2009 feature film. The repertoire included songs like the theme from Star Trek (1966), “Klingon Battle” from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), and the end credits music from Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (1991). At times during the performance, sound effects were played from the various episodes and movies, transporting Trekkies into the centre of the story.

The stage was colourfully decorated for the performance, alternating between fiery red or deep yellow lighting and icy blue and green tones. Several performers dressed for the occasion in Star Trek uniforms. The stage was completed with a cardboard cutout of Captain Kirk.

Many audience members also traded in their everyday attire for Star Trek-inspired outfits. While some costumes were extravagant, others opted for a subtle red shirt and black pants ensemble. Spock’s character was expertly mimiced by an audience member; even from a distance his pointed ears were noticeable.

Although “Star Trek: The Music” attracted primarily Trekkies, the music itself could have easily been enjoyed by any audience member.