Melbourne Symphony Orchestra upbeat across American Panorama Entertainment National November 2, 2014 - 1:51PM MUSIC Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - three and a half stars Hamer Hall November 1 & 2 For the final of its 2014 Pops Concerts, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was joined by conductor Keith Lockhart for American Panorama. Celebrating music considered "popular," these works are by no means without substance. Composers such as Gershwin and Copland developed a distinct and vibrant language that encapsulated the rapid trajectory and influences of an emerging nation. Bernstein's perennially popular Overture to his musical Candide was a spritely concert opener. In their original piano version, Gershwin's Three Preludes are typical of his signature syncopation and harmonic language. With this new orchestral arrangement by Don Sebesky, they retain much of their essential charm, best in the languid orchestration of the middle Prelude. Copland's terrific Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo and its melancholy Corral Nocturne were juxtaposed against the Far and Away: Suite from John Williams - the master of the emotionally manipulative key change. The essential cool of the Dave Brubeck Quartet's seminal Blue Rondo a la Turk was somewhat lost in overblown orchestration from his son, Chris Brubeck. Nick Kendall and Zach De Pue (violins) and Ranaan Meyer (double bass) are Time for Three, an unusually instrumented string trio that describes itself as "the first classically trained garage band." Travels in Time for Three is a four-movement concerto for the trio written by Chris Brubeck that, as its name suggests, explores a wide variety of musical genres across the centuries. The trio were perhaps best appreciated in their encores: Mumford & Sons' Little Lion Man and a terrific take on the Beatles classic Norwegian Wood.