Concert Reviews

Williams Conducts Houston Symphony: Listen to the Full Show

UPDATE: Listen to the Full Show at PublicRadio.org

“JOHN WILLIAMS JOINS YO-YO MA”
December 5, 2013, Houston, TX
The Houston Symphony Orchestra conducted by JOHN WILLIAMS
Yo-Yo Ma, cello
622x350

Composer John Williams and cellist Yo-Yo Ma brought a yin-and-yang chemistry to the Houston Symphony concert devoted to Williams’ movie and concert music.

Williams, who conducted Thursday, was genial but self-effacing, Ma the ebullient one – waving to the audience with his first step onstage, smiling broadly, quickly giving a thumbs-up to audience members seated behind the orchestra. When they got down to work, Ma cut a more animated figure sitting behind his cello than Williams did standing at the podium. – Full review at the Houston Chronicle (includes pictures)

Concert Works

Gloria Cheng Starts Project to Fund the Release of Williams’ “Conversations”

Pianist Gloria Cheng has started a Kickstarter project to fund the making of a CD and a short documentary film featuring John Williams’ concert work “Conversations”, along with solo piano works by Bruce Broughton, Don Davis, Michael Giacchino, Randy Newman and Alexandre Desplat. The CD will be released next year on the Harmonia Mundi label. – Great Film Composers & The Piano: CD + Video by Gloria Cheng — Learn more about John Williams’ “Conversations”.

Upcoming Performances

Hollywood Bowl Concert Dates Announced

John Williams will conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in his annual visit to the Hollywood Bowl on Friday, August 29 and Saturday, August 30. This year, the Maestro welcomes special guest Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, Ted), pays tribute to some of the classic stars of Warner Bros. Pictures, and conducts selections from some of his beloved movie hits, including Jurassic Park and Star Wars. Tickets go on sale May 4, 2014.

Miscellaneous

Williams to Attend Screening of ‘Fiddler On The Roof’ in April for TCM Anniversary

With less than a month to go before the launch of the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) continues to expand the roster of special guests for the four-day event, which will take place April 10-13, 2014 in Hollywood. Academy Award®-nominated director Norman Jewison will join Oscar®-winning John Williams and casting director Lynn Stalmaster for a screening of the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1971), starring Topol. – Full article at Turner.com

Interviews

Williams to Write Piece for Tanglewood Music Center 75th Anniversary

During a recent interview at KUSC Classical on his oscar nomination for The Book Thief (discussed here), Williams mentioned that he has been asked to write a piece for next year’s 75th Anniversary of the Tanglewood Music Center, which “he hopes to be able to do” with Seiji Ozawa as conductor. Williams also discussed his relationship with the Star Wars saga, including next year’s Episode VII. – Listen to the 30-minute interview at KUSC.org

Star Wars: Episode VII

Star Wars: Episode VII Set to Roll Cameras May 2014

From StarWars.com:

Disney and Lucasfilm are excited to announce that principal photography on Star Wars: Episode VII, directed by J.J. Abrams, will commence May 2014, and will be based at London’s historic Pinewood Studios.

This will be the first Star Wars film to start shooting in the month of May. Lucasfilm has documented the first day of principal photography for every installment of the Star Wars saga:

Read more →

Upcoming Performances

Williams to Conduct Oregon Symphony Next Month

On April 28, John Williams will make a special appearance to lead the Oregon Symphony in a benefit concert at Portland’s Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. The program will feature selections from Star Wars, Harry Potter, E.T., and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as well as Williams’ own arrangements of music from Scent of a Woman and from Fiddler on the Roof. Tickets go on sale to the general public on March 14. - More details at OrSymphony.org