Robert W. Boardman led the South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra in a thrilling and imaginative program titled “May the Fourth Be With You”—a celebration of classical music and cinematic wonder. Performed at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at the University of Notre Dame, the concert featured a blend of traditional concerto repertoire and iconic selections from John Williams’ Star Wars scores. Rising young soloists performed works by Vivaldi, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Grieg, while the orchestra brought the galaxy to life with heroic themes and sweeping soundscapes from the legendary sci-fi saga. The Star Wars portion of the program included the following selections:

• Main Title from Star Wars: A New Hope

• The Imperial March

• Duel of the Fates

• The Throne Room and End Title

• Princess Leia’s Theme

• Yoda’s Theme

• Across the Stars

• Battle of the Heroes

• The Force Theme

The concert exemplified Boardman’s signature approach to programming—fusing educational rigor with pop culture relevance to engage student musicians and captivate audiences. It was an unforgettable evening that honored both musical excellence and the timeless power of storytelling through sound.