Pacific Symphony’s critically-acclaimed American Composers Festival (ACF)
continues for the 14th year with
“From Screen to Score: New Concert Music by Famous Film Composers”
—who happen to be four of today’s biggest Hollywood heavy-hitters: John Williams (“Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “E.T., the Extra Terrestrial”), Howard Shore (“Lord of the Rings,” “The Hobbit,” “Hugo”), James Horner (“Titanic,” “Star Trek,” “Apollo 13”) and Elliot Goldenthal (“Alien 3,” “Batman Forever” and “Batman and Robin”).
Together, these iconic composers boast 11 Oscars and countless billions of box office dollars. They also hold the ironic position of simultaneously being the most-heard orchestral composers ever (the soundtrack for “Titanic” sold 30 million copies), yet their music is the least performed.
Although once disregarded by the modernist school of composition, film music has without a doubt come into its own as a fully recognized art form. And, of course, this recognition is not just academic.
Millions of filmgoers have been exposed to and enriched by orchestral music through the movies. But debates over the value of film music versus concert music or what constitutes “commercial,” “serious” or “artistic” rage on.
It is this controversy that lies at the heart of this ACF, as these extraordinary, if not revolutionary, composers prove their mettle through not film music but symphonic concert works.
Led by Music Director Carl St.Clair and curated by Richard Guerin, “From Screen to Score” takes place Thursday-Saturday, May 8-10, in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, Calif.; a preview talk with Alan Chapman begins at 7 p.m.
Jayce Keane
Director of Public Relations
Pacific Symphony
3631 S. Harbor Blvd. Suite 100
Santa Ana, CA 92704
Direct: 714/ 876-2383 │Tickets: 714/ 755-5799
