John Williams’ message to USC Thornton Graduates

[Alex 2,979]

 

I think it’s time for him to start his own vlog.

[karelm 3,236]

Very awesome!  Thanks for posting!  Glad to see he's doing well.  So this is Tanglewood or his home study?

[Marian Schedenig 10,832]

We need a separate John Williams COVID-19 Home Videos thread.

[MikeH 801]

1 hour ago, karelm said:

Very awesome!  Thanks for posting!  Glad to see he's doing well.  So this is Tanglewood or his home study?

Home!

 

https://blogs.chapman.edu/copa/2014/03/25/were-off-to-see-the-wizard-a-meeting-with-composer-john-williams/

 

Also is that his stopwatch next to his glasses on the desk? 

[mahler3 520]

If you look closely, on the bookshelf behind him there are miniature Cantina Band figures. Doug Adams pointed this out after the Summon the Heroes video was posted online.

 

It’s a lovely video message, thanks for the heads up.

[Disco Stu 15,514]

Mazel tov!

[King Mark 3,862]

all that's left to do for him is start posting at JWfan

[Alex 2,979]

As long as his username is “This is- I’m John Williams”

[Sunshine Reger 3,697]

.

[JohnnyD 1,651]

That was a really nice message from the Maestro. God bless him.

[Jay 43,886]

These videos are fantastic!!!!

[MikeH 801]

It’s his routine that every evening after dinner, JW practices piano for several hours and enjoys a vodka tonic. Could you imagine sitting and listening to him play through some classical pieces along with occasional comments and insights from him? I’d be in heaven. 

[Will 2,380]

This is awesome!! I'm graduating high school this year and it's been quite a disappointing spring, to say the least, as all of our senior events have been canceled. Obviously this message is intended specifically for the Thornton school graduates, but I feel that it speaks to all of us graduates, wherever we may be. The little piano excerpt of Pomp & Circumstance is lovely. 

 

P.S. anyone have any idea what this thing (presumably a stuffed animal of some sort) is? 

 

 

Monkey stuffed animal? 

 

 

[Alex 2,979]

It would be cool if he started posting videos of himself playing his music on the piano.

[crumbs 15,763]

Loving that John has embraced social media while in lockdown, bringing awareness to his passions. At least something positive out of this bad situation.

[Xander Harris 8,472]

Someone should tweet his son to have JW record us a message.

[MikeH 801]

32 minutes ago, Gruesome Son of a Bitch said:

Someone should tweet his son to have JW record us a message.

“Hello JAWSFANS.COM. I’m John Williams...”

[Holko 11,671]

5 hours ago, mahler3 said:

If you look closely, on the bookshelf behind him there are miniature Cantina Band figures. Doug Adams pointed this out after the Summon the Heroes video was posted online

 

 

ahem

 

Spoiler

On 5/5/2020 at 5:35 PM, Holko said:

Awesome!

 

Awww, Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes right on his shelf, what a nerd!

 

[Cerebral Cortex 3,363]

In fact, if you look really closely, you can make out 52 different objects all around the room representative of each of the films he has received Academy Award nominations for. 

[BuzzLightyear 143]

So cool to see his home working corner! 

Did someone figured out some of his books in the background?  

[Ricard 2,416]

The 16:9 Facebook video provides a wider view of Williams' working space:

 

 

[Ricardo Mortimer 43]

9 hours ago, Alex said:

As long as his username is “This is- I’m John Williams”

 

I hope this is not the beginning of his dementia. Remember Ronald Reagan's speeches. 

[Arpy 4,218]

Assistant: John, end the message with that Star Wars line, you know 'May the Force be with you'.

JW: What? I'm not ending it with that cheesy-

Assistant: Also, don't forget to remind them who you are.

JW: -_-  WTF, they know who I-

Assistant: 3, 2, I...

JW: Hello, this is... I'm John Williams...

*internal agony*

[Ricardo Mortimer 43]

It was really weird mistake...REALLY...btw who is camera operator or assistant for all this? 

[Sunshine Reger 3,697]

.

[Disco Stu 15,514]

Congratulations @Will!

[Martinland 393]

10 hours ago, MikeH said:

[...] practices piano for several hours and enjoys a vodka tonic.

Oh, the latter gives me a fabulous idea: I love Vodka, but my

significant other is more into Tonic. So instead of mixing

myself another White Russian we could share

the same (summer) drink - and I could

think of the Maestro as well; and

we would toast to each

other's health, in-

cluding him.

 

 

[Sunshine Reger 3,697]

.

 

[The Score Cleaner 8,438]

heeee-heaaaaah-whaaaaaa- It's blank!

[igger6 1,024]

100% confirmed.  John Williams leaves his Christmas decorations up all year.

 

Also, congrats, @Will!  I remember when you were just a youngling around here, back in the TFA days.  Sorry your senior year had to end on Zoom, but at least you now have the choice of "The Rise of Skywalker" and "Reunion" to go along with "The Throne Room" and "Augie's Great Municipal Band" on your virtual graduation playlist!

[Xander Harris 8,472]

9 hours ago, Ricardo Mortimer said:

It was really weird mistake...REALLY...btw who is camera operator or assistant for all this? 

 

I'm assuming his wife.

[Marian Schedenig 10,832]

I get the feeling that somebody bought Williams a webcam or smartphone so he could communicate with the outside world during the COVID lockdown, and he loves his new toy so much that he can't stop making these little videos. Which is fine by me.

[lairdo 932]

I would love him to record 60 minutes of his favorite piano pieces. I really think that there would be a market for it. I love some of the old videos of him playing with the Boston Pops.

 

And I am so happy he is doing well and sending his warmth into the world.

 

We had our graduation for the Cinema School on Friday too, and we got Ron Howard to drop in plus a number of other celebs, so it's great for the kids to have some sort of surprises like this. At least there is some extra bits for them. 

[Steve 676]

4 minutes ago, lairdo said:

I would love him to record 60 minutes of his favorite piano pieces. I really think that there would be a market for it. I love some of the old videos of him playing with the Boston Pops.

 

 

That would be something amazing! Johnny playing his own music on the piano. One can dream

 

There are too few videos of him playing the piano!

I'm still searching for this full performance video of John playing the harpsichord with the Pops:
 

 

[BLUMENKOHL 1,087]

Very disappointed that he didn’t keep the last notes sustained. Very jarring. 7/10 performance.