SJLinNYC

I was a John Williams fan before I knew I was a John Williams fan; I recorded the opening credits music of Lost in Space (Season 3) and listened to it until the cassette wore out. Though I was a bit young for them, my favorite movies in the pre-Star Wars 1970s were “Earthquake,” “The Poseidon Adventure,” and “Midway.” But my life changed (like so many pre-teens) in 1977 when I saw “Star Wars” for the first time, and the soundtrack was the first double LP I ever purchased (after having gotten the soundtrack on 8-track and losing it to a player that “ate” just as many tapes as it successfully played). “The Empire Strikes Back” was the first soundtrack I purchased without seeing the movie first, and I remember being upset after seeing the it that so many moments and motifs were missing in the out-of-order double LP presentation. I was even more upset when “Return of the Jedi” was released as a single LP. As an adult, I became an avid collector, first of Williams LPs, and then of compact discs. I believe I now have every Williams TV and film score available on CD, as well as the complete collection of his works with the Boston Pops. I’ve had the opportunity to see him conduct the Boston Pops, the New York Philharmonic, and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and I had the good fortune of meeting the maestro himself in 2007 after an open rehearsal of the NY Philharmonic. His works have been the soundtrack of my life, and I’m grateful to be a part of a community that celebrates his brilliance.