The Hollywood Bowl has announced this summer’s season schedule, which includes a number of film music concerts. On September 4/5/6, 2015, the Bowl will host its premiere performance of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial in Concert. The Los Angeles Philharmonic will be performing the film’s entire Academy Award-winning score from Steven Spielberg’s classic film composed by John Williams (Star Wars, Jaws, Jurassic Park) live-to-picture while the movie is shown in HD on the Bowl’s big screen. The composer will be introducing the concert. Click here to learn more about the concert. On Tuesday, June 30, the Bowl will also host the U.S. premiere of Back to the Future in Concet to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original movie.
Tag: John Williams
‘Montage – Great Film Composers and the Piano’ Album Announced
Harmonia Mundi has announced the release of Montage – Great Film Composers and the Piano. The album features the piano works composed by six major film composers and performed by pianist Gloria Cheng. Among the pieces are original compositions by John Williams (Star Wars, E.T.), Michael Giacchino (Up, Lost) and Randy Newman (Toy Story, The Natural) who composed a piece in homage to Alfred, Emil and Lionel Newman, as well as Bruce Broughton (Silverado) and Don Davis (The Matrix). Also included is a piece from Alexandre Desplat‘s Trois Études (originally written for pianist Lang Lang). The album will be released on February 10, 2015 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Check out a teaser trailer for the release featuring interviews with all composers after the jump.
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Teaser Trailer Features Original Music by John Williams
The first teaser trailer for Episode VII in the Star Wars series, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, premiered in select theaters and online today. John Williams recorded original music for the trailer earlier this month at Sony Pictures’ scoring stage in Los Angeles. Check out the full teaser after the jump. Star Wars: The Force Awakens directed by J.J. Abrams stars John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker. J.J. Abrams has written the screenplay with Lawrence Kasdan (The Empire Strikes Back) and is also producing the Lucasfilm production with Bryan Burk and Kathleen Kennedy.
Academy to Present ‘Behind the Score: The Art of the Film Composer’
Composers Gustavo Dudamel, Gustavo Santaolalla and John Williams will gather at the Academy for Behind the Score: The Art of the Film Composer on Monday, July 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Bing Theater in Los Angeles. In a conversation hosted by Tavis Smiley, the trio will discuss significant musical moments in film that have inspired their work as they examine the art and process of creating a film score as well as the director-composer relationship. Dudamel who is the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic has just made his film scoring debut with The Liberator (Libertador), a biopic about Simón Bolívar. Santaolalla is a two-time Oscar winner for his scores for Brokeback Mountain and Babel.
Expanded ‘Empire of the Sun’ Soundtrack by John Williams Released
La-La Land Records has released a remastered and expanded soundtrack release for Steven Spielberg’s 1987 drama Empire of the Sun starring Christian Bale, John Malkovich and Miranda Richardson. The 2-CD set features the film’s original music composed and conducted by John Williams. The deluxe re-issue was produced, assembled and mastered by Mike Matessino in cooperation with John Williams, Steven Spielberg and producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall. The album features the complete film score, including previously unreleased music on one disc and a selection of alternate cues and other additional music on the second disc. To listen to audio clips and to check out the full album details, visit the label’s online store, where can also order the soundtrack, which is limited to 4000 copies.
SCL Hosts Reception for Oscar-Nominated Composers & Songwriters
Yesterday afternoon, the Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL) hosted its annual reception honoring the Academy Award-nominated composers and songwriters in the Best Original Score and Best Original Song category in Beverly Hills. SCL president Ashley Irwin introduced the nominees who briefly spoke to the audience. All six nominated composers in the score category were in attendance, including Alexandre Desplat, nominated for the sixth time for his score for Stephen Frears’ Philomena, who talked about the first Oscar concert this past week and thanked Academy governors Charles Fox and Arthur Hamilton for putting together the event. William Butler and Owen Pallett, nominated for the first time for their music from Her, were joined at the reception by Arcade Fire members Win Butler and Régine Chassagne and the film’s director Spike Jonze.
Weekly Film Music Roundup (November 8, 2013)
Only one new movie is opening in wide release this weekend:
Expected to top the weekend box office is the superhero sequel Thor: The Dark World directed by Alan Taylor and starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Kat Dennings, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Anthony Hopkins. Brian Tyler who previously scored Marvel’s Iron Man 3 earlier this year has composed the film’s music. Hollywood Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score digitally and Intrada Records will release a physical version. Check out our previous article for the full album details. Also visit Superhero Hype, Tracksounds, Soundtrax and Trailer Addict for recent interviews with Tyler about his work on the film.
Opening in limited release is the period drama The Book Thief directed by Brian Percival and starring Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nelisse. The film’s original music is composed and conducted by Academy Award winner John Williams. Sony Classical will release a soundtrack album featuring the composer’s score on November 8. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and audio clips. Also check out our previous article for a video interview with Williams about his first score for a film not directed by Steven Spielberg in eight years.
John Williams on ‘The Book Thief’
TrailerAddict has published a video interview with John Williams about his music for the film adaptation of Markus Zusack’s novel The Book Thief. During the conversation, the Academy Award-winning composer talks about why he wanted to be part of the project, the score’s relationship to the film, his collaboration with director Brian Percival and his process for creating the score. Check out the full video after the jump. Sony Classical will release Williams’ score for the film on November 19. Check out our previous article for the full album details and click here to listen to audio clips from the score. The Book Thief starring Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nelisse follows a young girl who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a new family in World War II Germany.
‘The Book Thief’ Soundtrack Details
Sony Classical will release a soundtrack album for the period drama The Book Thief. The album features the film’s original music composed by John Williams. The soundtrack will be released on November 19, 2013 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Audio clips are available after the jump. The Book Thief is directed by Brian Percival and stars Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nelisse. The movie is based on the selling-novel by Markus Zusack and tells the story of a spirited and courageous young girl who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a new family in World War II Germany. The drama will be released on November 15 by 20th Century Fox.
Original Piano Works by John Williams, Randy Newman and Michael Giacchino to Performed Live in Concert
Piano Spheres, the solo piano series whose mission is committed to introduce major new works for the piano, has announced this year’s opening concert. On November 12, Grammy-winning pianist Gloria Cheng will perform the world premieres of several original piano works by major film composers for the Opening Night program, entitled Montage. Academy Award-winning composers John Williams (Star Wars, Schindler’s List), Michael Giacchino (Up, Star Trek) and Randy Newman (Toy Story, Monsters, Inc.) who composed a piece in homage to Alfred, Emil and Lionel Newman, are featured on the program, as well as Bruce Broughton (Silverado) and Don Davis (The Matrix). The concert will also feature the U.S. premiere of Alexandre Desplat‘s Trois Études (originally written for pianist Lang Lang).