ORLANDO, Fla. \u2013 One of the longest-running anime\/manga series will be brought to life by Central Florida\u2019s own Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra this weekend at the Dr. Phillips Center.<\/p>\n
While ONE PIECE Music Symphony<\/a> is a national touring show, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra was selected to perform acclaimed composer Kohei Tanaka\u2019s score.<\/p>\n Saturday evening\u2019s event is part of the Dr. Phillips Center\u2019s \u201cFilms in Concert\u201d<\/a> series.<\/p>\n Joe Henderson, assistant principal violist with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, prepares for performances by listening to the pieces with and without a score. <\/p>\n Being part of the orchestra has been a dream for Henderson, who said performing at the Dr. Phillips Center \u201cfeels amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n Joe Henderson with Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra (RINAT_HALON_PHOTOGRAPHY_COMMUNICATION)<\/p>\n \u201cSince high school, I always wanted to be part of a professional orchestra, and now that I\u2019m here, the people have all been so kind and welcoming, and I\u2019m learning more repertoire than I even thought was possible,\u201d said Henderson, who is from Jacksonville.<\/p>\n \u201cONE PIECE\u201d is a Japanese manga series with 97 volumes and over 930 TV episodes, making it one of the most successful anime series ever. The series follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, who is searching for the legendary \u201cOne Piece\u201d to become the next King of Pirates.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope that people leave this \u2018ONE PIECE\u2019 show with a deeper appreciation for anime as an art form and a greater love for orchestral music and all of its capabilities,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n Julien Mombert, producer of the ONE PIECE Music Symphony show, has been producing the show since 2013. He specializes in official video game and Japanese anime symphonic concerts.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been amazing to see how much excitement and interest there\u2019s been recently here in the U.S. I actually happen to also be an amateur drummer, but I focus on producing and leave the performing to the incredible orchestras we work with,\u201d Mombert said.<\/p>\n Mombert said he has been a fan of the anime series long before the symphonic show, calling it a \u201creal dream come true\u201d to be able to produce it.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter so many long days of preparation and travel, the energy backstage can be a bit low before the doors open \u2014 but once we see fans smiling and so excited for the concert, it\u2019s the best energy boost you can imagine,” he said. \u201cWatching them react to the music and the moments we\u2019ve carefully built into the program is truly the highlight for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss ONE PIECE Music Symphony this Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Dr. Phillips Center. Click here<\/a> to purchase tickets.<\/p>\n \u201cONE PIECE is such an unforgettable story, and experiencing Luffy\u2019s and his crew\u2019s adventures live on screen \u2014 with a full professional orchestra performing the music \u2014 is something truly unique. I hope people walk away feeling inspired, nostalgic and connected to the world of ONE PIECE in a brand-new way,\u201d Mombert said.<\/p>\n