Film scores get symphonic treatment in Fort Smith
What do the movies “Back to the Future,” “Star Wars,” “The Da Vinci Code,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Avatar” all have in common?
They all have great film scores, says John Jeter, music director of the Fort Smith Symphony, good enough to make the cut for “The Sounds of Hollywood” concert Nov. 2.
“I’m probably the only person who is a little disappointed that the concert is coming up so soon,” Jeter says, “only because I know that after the concert is over, I won’t be able to continue working on this music. I am enjoying preparing it that much!”
It’s hard to choose a favorite among the selections, Jeter says — as he always does — but “the music we are doing by Hans Zimmer from ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ ‘Inception’ and ‘Interstellar’ are wonderful pieces. The musical language is unique.”
“We wanted to present a mix of popular and lesser-known film scores,” Jeter explains. “We also wanted to showcase film scores that utilize a very large orchestra but that are very different in style from one another. The concert has an incredible breadth of different styles of music.
“One of the great things about performing film music live is the audience typically hears the music as part of a soundtrack,” he goes on. “When the music is performed live, there is an incredibly visceral impact that just can’t be had through recordings. I think the audience is going to be surprised to see the orchestra in action and see some of the specific — I guess you could say ‘surprise’ — instruments that we will be including.”
Jeter wants audiences to know this is not the kind of concert where the films are screened during the performance.
“Composer and visual installation artist Amos Cochran is adding some subtle light and visual elements that suggest a change in mood for each piece,” he says. “But there are no actual film clips from any of the movies. This is more of a straight symphonic treatment of the music. We do our music with film concert later in the season, in April, with Hitchcock’s ‘North by Northwest.’”
Like everything the Fort Smith Symphony does, “The Sounds of Hollywood” concert is intended to grow its audience, both numerically and in their love for classical music.
“I think, generally speaking, any time superb music is performed, that can expand and grow an audience,” Jeter says. “What I love about this concert is not only is the music excellent and fun, but it’s all written in a familiar, contemporary language that anyone at the concert will relate to.
“I think this concert is going to be a huge favorite!”
Jeter also points out that about 2,500 sixth-graders from 55 schools will hear an abbreviated version, “The Sounds of Earquake,” on Nov. 4.
“It’s part of our Earquake school concert series, and students are bused in from around the region to hear us perform,” he says. “I think they are going to be particularly blown away this year!”
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FAQ
Fort Smith Symphony:
‘The Sounds of Hollywood’
WHEN — 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2
WHERE — ArcBest Performing Arts Center in Fort Smith
COST — $20-$50
INFO — fortsmithsymphony.org
