John Williams Music: In Concert

John Williams Movie Music Spectacular

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
John Williams, conductor
Michael York, narrator

A TRIBUTE TO DAVID LEAN
Featuring music from Blithe Spirit, The Bridge on the River Kwai, A Passage to India, Oliver Twist, Dr. Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia

THE MAGIC OF HARRY POTTER
Williams A Grand Suite from Harry Potter

John Williams returns to Symphony Center after his sold-out performances in 2008 to conduct a tribute to the legendary movie director David Lean hosted by eminent British actor Michael York, and selections from his magical Harry Potter scores. With a career that spans six decades, Williams has composed many of the most famous film scores in history. These spectacular concerts will feature specially selected film clips on the big screen with performances of familiar and notable scores performed by the CSO.
 
?A Night At the Movies,? 8 p.m. Saturday, UNLV?s Artemus Ham Hall

Audience members at last month?s Las Vegas Philharmonic concert were almost hurling themselves at the stage after Giora Schmidt?s performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto.

Expect a different kind of unbridled excitement Saturday, when the Philharmonic will invite the audience to ?come on down? to the stage for a trivia contest and prizes during its second pops season opener.

The family-friendly evening will celebrate the place where contemporary composers linger and thrive ? movie music. Music director David Itkin will conduct a program dominated by works by John Williams ? ?Raiders of the Lost Ark,? ?Schindler?s List,? ?E.T.,? ?Pirates of the Caribbean? and ?Harry Potter? ? and including James Bond music.

The trivia portion will be volunteer-only. Audience members can sign up to play when they enter the concert hall. No need to worry about stage fright. ?Nobody is forced to play against their will,? Itkin says.

Details: ?A Night At the Movies,? 8 p.m. Saturday, UNLV?s Artemus Ham Hall, $35-$75, 895-2787.
 
Philharmonic to Perform Music From the Big Screen

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic is paying homage to the man responsible for some of the movies' most beloved soundtracks.

This weekend, the Philharmonic will present "John Williams: At The Movies," an evening of music devoted to the popular film composer. Performances are scheduled for Friday at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre and Saturday at Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple. Both shows begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $18 to $55 ($10 for students) and available by phone at 341-1568 and online at www.nepaphil.org.

The first pops concert of the 2009-10 season, "John Williams: At The Movies" will include a number of Mr. Williams' most popular compositions, among them the themes to "Superman," "Jaws," "E.T.," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Jurassic Park" and "Harry Potter."

The concert will also feature longtime NEPA Philharmonic concertmaster Erica Kiesewetter performing solo selections from "Schindler's List," while the entire second half of the show will be devoted to the six "Star Wars" films.

Director fan of composer

Philharmonic music director Lawrence Loh has long been a fan of Mr. Williams' work. However, when the orchestra performed a Williams salute during his first season at the helm, Mr. Loh was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.

"It was really sad because I really love John Williams' music," said Mr. Loh, noting the Philharmonic has spent the past few years steadily building its Williams library.

A big part of the appeal of a Williams composition, Mr. Loh said, is that when you hear it, you instantly associate it with the movie character it was written for, be it Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Superman or Indiana Jones.

Music works on its own

That said, the music stands perfectly well by itself, added Mr. Loh, noting his 6-year-old son has little knowledge of Williams-scored films, yet knows and loves the music all the same.

"He knows the music for itself," Mr. Loh said. "So that means the music is inherently appealing without the film."

A "Star Wars" fanatic since childhood, Mr. Loh plans to wield a light saber along with his baton at the concert, where at some point he'll be joined on stage by several "Star Wars" characters.

And, given Halloween is just around the corner, the Philharmonic is encouraging audience members to come dressed in "Star Wars" costumes. Prizes will be given to the best ones, according to Stephen Parulski, Philharmonic director of marketing and public relations.

In addition, the show will include a number of film-like sound effects, from screams complementing the "Jaws" theme to a dinosaur's foot stomping down during the "Jurassic Park" portion, Mr. Parulski said.

"It'll be a little bit more of a production," he said.

Family concert returns

In other Philharmonic news, the orchestra will perform its fourth annual Crescendo Family Concert, "From PA to the Pacific," on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple. Tickets for the show, which will include a pre-concert cultural activity at 1 p.m,, are $7.

The concert will mark the start of the Philharmonic's Jr. Music Critic Club, which will allow children audience members to do a review of the show. Participants must register at www.nepaphil.org, where they'll receive a press pass and press kit.

Contact the writer: jmcauliffe@timesshamrock.com If you go

What: "John Williams: At The Movies," presented by Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic

When and Where: Friday at the F.M. Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre, and Saturday at Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple, with both shows beginning at 8 p.m.

Details: Tickets are $18 to $55 ($10 for students) and available by phone at 341-1568 and online at www.nepaphil.org.
 
Mississippi Symphony Orchestra

The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra moves into the Jackson Convention Complex's Trustmark Ballroom for a new twist on the opening concert of its Pops series.


Taking its cue from the famous Boston Pops, the MSO is offering this concert of composer John Williams' movie themes with table seating and food and beverage service options.
"When we were invited to play for the opening of the convention center, we realized how well the orchestra would work in there and we'd been looking for a way to do this kind of concert," said Michael Beattie, MSO president and executive director.
Movie magic: "It's perfect for this kind of pops concert ... all the music of John Williams. People don't realize how extensive his movie credits are. The list just goes on forever."
Selections include Jaws, Jurassic Park, E.T., Schindler's List, Catch Me If You Can, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harry Potter, Far and Away and more.
"What's wonderful about it is that it's first-rate orchestral music ... very challenging for the orchestra and rewarding to play as well as to listen to."
Concessions, such as wine, beer, coffee and soft drinks, snacks, Venetian desserts, fruit and cheese and pita points with hummus, will be available for purchase in the lobby. Patrons may want to arrive early for sufficient time to purchase concessions and find seating within their section (sections divided by tickets prices of $40, $30, $25, $20 and $15). Seating is at tables of 10. Two intermissions also provide time for concessions and to visit with tablemates, both old friends and new.
It'll have a relaxed, almost picnic-type air, indoors.
"Imagine going to a concert and rather than sitting in a conventional auditorium seat, you're sitting in a chair with a round table having refreshments while you enjoy the concert - it's that kind of feel," said Dr. Quinton Dickerson, MSO board member who's been to the Boston Pops before.
 
Traverse City, MI

TSO brings movie music to Corson

TRAVERSE CITY Even if you've never seen the "Star Wars" trilogy -- or "Jaws" or "Jurassic Park" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark-- " you've probably heard their soundtracks.

Composer John Williams' film scores have not only won him multiple awards but have produced bestselling records -- and won him legions of fans from both the pop and classical camps.

"If film music is well done, it combines the best elements of classical music with the drive and energy that can only be achieved by 'moving pictures,'" said Dirk Meyer, assistant conductor of the Sarasota (Fla.) Orchestra and guest conductor for the Traverse Symphony Orchestra's upcoming pops concert, "John Williams: Scores from the Silver Screen."

"John Williams' music does this every time," he said.

Performances take place Oct. 24 and 25 at Interlochen's Corson Auditorium and feature some of Williams' best-known film scores, including "Superman," "Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "ET: The Extra-Terrestrial," "Schindler's List" and "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

The music for "Schindler's List" earned the one-time Boston Pops conductor both a Grammy and an Academy Award -- one of five Oscars and 45 Oscar nominations the composer has won for his nearly 80 film scores. He has also racked up a whopping 21 Grammys.

Meyer, who has a special interest in contemporary music, isn't surprised.

"I have always been a fan of well-orchestrated music and John Williams' orchestrations are so rich and elegantly done that they sound absolutely great from the first rehearsal on," he said.

The TSO concert will be a homecoming of sorts for the orchestra leader, who studied conducting with TSO Music Director Kevin Rhodes and served as assistant conductor of the orchestra from 2004 to 2006.

"I was dubious about teaching, as I had a very busy schedule in those days, but I felt he had the perfect combination of artistic qualities and that indefinable personality it takes to be a conductor so I decided to work with him," Rhodes said. "That was a correct move."

Tickets for the pops concert are $20 to $45 but are 50 percent off if purchased through today.
 
A Salute to John Williams in Cleveland

Richard Kaufman's "A Salute to John Williams" opens the new Celebrity Series this week with an 8 p.m. Saturday concert of film score hits by Williams, played, of course, by the Cleveland Orchestra. Last spring Hollywood conductor Kaufman's "Music from the Movies" sold out Severance Hall.

Kaufman, a member of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer music department, has programmed music from "Superman," "Star Wars," "Jaws," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and more. While there won't be screened projections from the films, Kaufman will comment on the music.

The Grammy-winning Kaufman, who conducts pops concerts throughout the country, said by phone from Los Angeles that last spring's Severance Hall concert was one of the highlights of his life as a conductor.

"I really felt that I was hearing what the audience was hearing," he said.

He explained the acoustics of the hall bring out the colors from every single instrument in the orchestra that makes film music work,

Kaufman has also played the violin in studio orchestras for films such as "Jaws," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Animal House." Music from the first two will be heard in the upcoming Severance Hall program.

Kaufman also noted his small claim to fame as an "actor." He was Jack Nicholson's hands during a piano-playing scene in the Williams-scored "The Witches of Eastwick."

Williams wonderment

Kaufman, who supervised music for MGM film and television projects for 18 years, attested to the fact that the Cleveland Orchestra program will use the scores from the actual films exactly as created by Williams.

The Williams scores are "great music," Kaufman said.

Kaufman remembers the first time he heard "Star Wars" when the first film made for the series came out. "The music made the film for me."

The technical requirements for film music are different from those of concert music, he said. "Elmer Bernstein said something like to the effect that 'a film composer must be a great dramatist. You need to know where you don't put music. The loudest sound in a film can be silence.'"

Calling the Cleveland Orchestra "extraordinary," Kaufman said that he hopes that people who never usually go to a symphony concert, but like films, will come back once they come to Severance Hall for the first time.

"What people return for is not the piece of music so much as it is to have the experience of hearing a great symphony orchestra," Kaufman said. "Once they come, it will inspire them to spend another evening there."

More celebrities

The second concert in the "Celebrity Series" will be at 8 p.m. March 30 with Pink Martini.

The 12-piece ensemble will join The Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by assistant conductor James Feddeck.

The program will present an eclectic mix of world music showing influences from Cuban jazz, Japanese pop, Italian film scores and French cabaret.

Pink Martini includes vocalists and musicians for a piano, horns, percussion, cello, guitar, harp and bass. The ensemble has appeared with the Boston Pops and at the Hollywood Bowl.

The last "Celebrity" concert will feature jazz trumpeter Chris Botti with the Orchestra at 8 p.m. April 24.

They will play selections of Botti's award-winning and best-selling popular recordings of "When I Fall in Love" and "To Love Again" and more. Feddeck will conduct the program.

As incentive, subscription packages for the series ($42 to $172) offer all three concerts for the price of two.

'Musically Speaking'

The new season's "Musically Speaking" series, which features talks about Cleveland Orchestra programs, has been re-imagined.

The host will use videos, photos and musical examples to explore the featured work the context of the composer's life and in the world at large.

Following an intermission, the Cleveland Orchestra will perform the work.

A question-and-answer session with guest artists and musicians will follow after the concert.

This type of program has been successfully used by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and others, said Schlosser.

The series starts with a 3 p.m. Nov. 29 "Beyond the Score" event. It will feature a combination lecture-concert about Dvorak's Symphony No. 9, to be conducted by Bertrand de Billy.

Other programs include one on Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony on Jan. 10 conducted by Jaap van Zweden (another "Beyond the Score" event); and Mozart's Serenade No. 7 ("Haffner") on March 7, led by Music Director Franz Welser-Most.

The Mozart program, which completes the new "Musically Speaking" series for the season, will be hosted by actor John de Lancie, known for his character "Q" in "Star Trek."

Single tickets for this series is $31 to $82, and series tickets are $90 to $210.

If you go

Tickets for all series or individual performances may be ordered by calling the Orchestra at (800) 686-1141. All programs are at Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave., in Cleveland's University Circle.
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Between this and the Cleveland screening of the Raiders: The Adaptation, I'm just missing everything fun back home.
 
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Toledo Ohio

On April 30, the Toledo Symphony will play "The Music of John Williams." The show will include movie hits, such as the themes from "Star Wars," "Jurassic Park," "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and more.


Tickets cost $20. They go on sale April 3.
 
San Antonio Symphony Pops

The San Antonio Symphony Pops will also play music from the Indiana Jones and Harry Potter movies, as well as the ?Star Wars? flicks and ?E.T.?

It's an entire program of composer John Williams' movie music, conducted by the personable Michael Krajewski.

8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Municipal Auditorium, 100 Auditorium Circle. $8-$60, symphony box office, Ticketmaster outlets. (210) 554-1010, sasymphony.org.
 
National Orchestra of Wales

Journeys and Adventures, BBC NOW, various venues

TWO swashbuckling family concerts are being staged by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales next month.

Journeys and Adventures will be performed at Cardiff?s St David?s Hall on February 5 and at Sir Thomas Picton School Hall in Haverfordwest on February 6.

The themes from Mission Impossible, 633 Squadron, The Lord Of The Rings, Lawrence of Arabia, Superman, Indiana Jones, Thunderbirds, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Doctor Who, ET will be among those designed to introduce all members of the family to the power and amazing experience of a live orchestral concert.

BBC National Orchestra of Wales will be joined by world famous Welsh conductor Grant Llewellyn, who will conduct and also talk about the adventurers and the music.

The concerts begin at 7pm, but there will be pre-concert fun and activities from 6.15pm and during the intervals.

Concert-goers are being urged to join in the fun by donning fancy dress as an adventurer or superhero.

Journeys and Adventures is the latest concert aimed at family audiences, and is part of the orchestra?s remit to make classical music more accessible to the younger generation.

Based at BBC Hoddinott Hall at the Wales Millennium Centre, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales is orchestra-in-residence at St David?s Hall, Cardiff, presents a concert series at Swansea?s Brangwyn Hall and tours throughout Wales and internationally.

The orchestra?s concerts are broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Four.

The musicians enjoy close working relationships with programme makers, including recording the soundtrack to the award-winning BBC Wales? Doctor Who and Torchwood series.

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales will be performing Journeys and Adventures at St David?s Hall in Cardiff on February 5 and at Sir Thomas Picton School Hall in Haverfordwest on February 6. Tickets are available from the ticket line on 0800 052 1812.
 
John Williams conducts Fort Worth Symphony

Williams has touched the lives and hearts of millions, and now hundreds will have the rare opportunity to see him in person April 20, directing the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.
The orchestra's annual gala concert will include music from Williams' most memorable movie scores while film footage is projected above the orchestra.

"A Celestial Evening with John Williams" will also include stellar live auction items, which will have you taking to the skies for New York, London and South Africa.

Flying bicycles aren't included, but tickets to operas, symphonies, baseball and football games, a safari and some fine feasting are.

As you can imagine, general admission tickets to this amazing concert sold out months ago.

But gala concert and dinner tickets are still available, which include the 7 p.m. concert, followed by dinner at the Renaissance Worthington Hotel, where you will be joined by Williams and event chairwoman Mercedes Bass and her co-chairs, Priscilla Martin and Adele Hart.
If you hurry, you may still be able to attend by calling 817-665-6500, ext. 118.

Concert tickets are $110; dinner tickets, $250.



Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/0...p-down-movie-lane-with.html#tvg#ixzz0kdBVLYxJ
 
Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra Winter Park FL

The Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra bring film scores to life in this program featuring great moments from movie soundtracks, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Saving Private Ryan, and much more.

When/Where:
Saturday, April 24 at 7:30pm
Sunday, April 25 at 3:00pm
Knowles Memorial Chapel
1000 Holt Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789

This program is presented in partnership with the Orange County Regional History Center's "Out of this World: Extraordinary Costumes from Film and Television" exhibit.

Tickets:
Tickets range from $20 to $50, depending on seat location.
Call the Box Office at 407.646.2182 or visit www.bachfestivalflorida.org.

Performances are held in the intimate settings of Tiedtke Concert Hall and Knowles Memorial Chapel on the beautiful campus of Rollins College.

For more information regarding the season or to order tickets, please call the Bach Festival Society at 407.646.2182 or visit us online at www.bachfestivalflorida.org.
 
Boston Pops

May 11, 2010 8:00 PM
Symphony Hall
Boston, Massachusetts

The Boston Pops salutes Conductor Laureate John Williams, the orchestra?s conductor from 1980-1993 and one of America?s most accomplished and successful composers for film, with a special program called ?Hooray for Hollywood.? Celebrating his 30th Anniversary with the Boston Pops, Mr. Williams returns to the podium showcasing some of his most memorable movie music, including excerpts with film clips from beloved blockbusters Superman, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and the Harry Potter series.
 
Queensland Australia

When:
16 May 2010
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Where:
Newstead House, Newstead Park
Cnr Breakfast Creek Rd & Newstead Tce , Newstead, QLD
Contact: Pamela
Org: Friends of Newstead Inc
Tel: 07 3369 2507
Email: pamelar22@optusnet.com.au
Web: www.newsteadhouse.com.au


Cost:
FREE ENTRY for concert. GOLD COIN entry to view the rooms of Historic Newstead House.

In celebration of International Museum Day, Historic Newstead House, Brisbane's oldest domestic residence, will be open on Sunday 16 May from 10am to 5pm with Devonshire Teas available from 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 4pm.

A free concert will be held at 2.30pm featuring Brisbane Symphonic Band conducted by Stefanie Smith. This concert at historic Newstead House celebrates the 18th May International Museums Day and is themed to celebrate all that is exciting about the search for the past. This concert includes music from Indiana Jones and the theme from Raiders of the Lost Ark as well as Fanfare for the Common Man so join Brisbane Symphonic Band on a musical adventure. Remember to bring a chair or a picnic rug and enjoy the beautiful gardens of Newstead Park.
 
Friday's concert May 14, 2010

Sound The Bells!
March from 1941
Excerpts from Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry's Wondrous World from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Adventures On Earth from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

INTERMISSION

Liberty Fanfare
Love Theme from Superman
March from Superman
Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso (Ennio Moricone)
The Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back
Princess Leia's Theme from Star Wars
Throne Room and Finale from Star Wars

Encore 1
Hymm To New England
Encore 2
The Raiders March from Raiders of the Lost Ark
 
Music from movie-score master John Williams and classic composers Bizet, Mozart and Stravinsky will highlight the 2010-11 Tulare County Symphony concert season.

Zumwalt Park, Tulare, California 93274

?Nov. 20 ? "Movies & Magic," the orchestra will perform the music of John Williams, an Oscar-winning film composer. Music will be featured from "Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "E.T." and "Hook."
 
John Williams And The Music Of The Movies

Friday, Aug 27 8:30p
at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, CA
Featured Artists: Los Angeles Philharmonic John Williams, conductor
In the world of film music, there is no voice greater than the incomparable John Williams, whose celebrated scores make moviegoers cheer, bring them to tears and keep them on the edge of their seats. Join us this year as Williams leads the Philharmonic in highlights from the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as some of his own biggest and most beloved hits.

Phone: (323) 850-2000

Featured Artists: Los Angeles Philharmonic John Williams, conductor
In the world of film music, there is no voice greater than the incomparable John Williams, whose celebrated scores make moviegoers cheer, bring them to tears and keep them on the edge of their seats. Join us this year as Williams leads the Philharmonic in highlights from the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as some of his own biggest and most beloved hits.
 
Mercedes Benz World Reveal Details Of Summer Concerts

The Mercedes Benz-branded conference centre in Surrey, will this summer play host to a series of ?party in the park? style concerts by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra as conducted by Pete Harrison.

August 1st promises to be an emotional one ? ?The Last Night of The Brooklands Proms?. The BSO will be joined by popular opera stars Rutter and Gadd for such rousing anthems of national pride as ?Rule Britannia? and ?Jerusalem?, as well as several selections from the shows and the movies. ?The Phantom of the Opera? and ?Raiders of the Lost Ark? have been mentioned. Flags are welcome.

Both evenings promise a dazzling light show, a spectacular firework finale and ?specially choreographed fire fountains? which have, apparently, never before been witnessed in the UK. Worth the price of tickets alone, surely?

Andrew Mallery, Commercial Operations Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: ?We are really excited to be welcoming back the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra to Mercedes-Benz World? and promises an ?amazing atmosphere?.
 
Star Wars," "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," "Jaws," "Munich," "Superman," "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List," and "Indiana Jones," are all blockbuster films with music by John Williams. Though his music molds perfectly to each film, not surprisingly, it's also thrilling on its own. And on Saturday, April 17 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 18 at 3 p.m., conductor Eckart Preu proves this when he leads the Stamford Symphony in "Themes, Screams and John Williams' celluloid dreams," a concert tribute to John Williams' movie music. Preu is a great admirer of Williams' movie magic. "In Jaws he turned the shark into a menacing villain with just two low notes: BAAAH dum.\," he said. "In the Star Wars epic, Williams works on a grander, almost Wagnerian scale, creating 'leitmotifs' to introduce the central characters in the saga."
Unlike many big name composers, Williams is known for his modesty. When invited by Stephen Spielberg to create a score for "Schindler's List," his film on the Holocaust, Williams responded, "You need a better composer than I am." Won over, Williams created memorable and heartbreaking violin solos for the film. In Preu's concert with the Stamford Symphony, violinist Cenovia Cummins acts as concertmaster and peforms this stirring music. Ms. Cummins also performed violin solos for the film "Julie & Julia" with Meryl Streep.
Come early to the Palace Theater for free guided, pre-concert listening experiences. For adults, "Behind the Baton" features Maestro Preu sharing the music's history and structure an hour before the concert. On Sunday at 1:45 p.m. children 6-12 can join a free MusiKids program led by a Symphony musician. At 2:30 a costume contest for both children and adults offers fun and prizes for the audience. Concert tickets are $22 - $65, young adults (to age 35) are only $19 and on Sunday, Kids Come Free! Purchase tickets at Stamford Symphony's website or call (203) 325-4466.
 
Free Concert: Colorado Symphony Plays Red Rocks, 7/5
The Colorado Symphony brings all-time favorite classics to Red Rocks Amphitheatre for a FREE concert, Monday, July 5 at 7:30 p.m. The symphony will play pieces including John Williams? Adventures on Earth from ET, Berlioz? Roman Carnival Overture, Copland?s Fanfare for the Common Man, selections from Beethoven?s Fifth Symphony, Sousa?s Stars and Stripes and much more. Note that while the event is FREE, Red Rocks charges a $10 parking fee.
 
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