John Williams News

Music Director Thierry Fischer and President & CEO Paul Meecham today announced the Utah Symphony's 2019-20 season, with highlights including multimedia concert experiences featuring the twelve movements of Messiaen's Des canyons aux toiles (From the canyons to the stars), the release of Berlioz and Prokofiev recordings on the Hyperion Records and Reference Recordings respectively, and a celebration of Beethoven's 250th birthday in 2020. Additional highlights include the return of American composer Andrew Norman to present three of his orchestral works and work with young Utah musicians in his second year as Composer-in-Association; a gala concert with violinist Joshua Bell celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Utah Symphony's first-ever performance, which took place on May 8, 1940; and a tribute to Hispanic Heritage that includes music by Latin-American composers conducted by guest artist Carlos Miguel Prieto. For a complete schedule of performances, click here.

The Memphis Symphony Orchestra (MSO) proudly announces a world-class musical tribute to Stax legend and Hall of Fame Songwriter, David Porter, at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 at 7:30pm. The tribute is set to be conducted by Music Director, Robert Moody.

The Los Angeles Master Chorale - the country's preeminent professional choir and choir-in-residence at Walt Disney Concert Hall - will reveal a new collaboration with acclaimed artist and filmmaker Doug Aitken at GALA 2019 on Saturday, March 23. The Gala will be held at the Marciano Art Foundation at 4357 Wilshire Boulevard from 5:30PM - 10PM, providing guests with a rare opportunity to enjoy exclusive evening access to the contemporary art gallery's collection and exhibitions in addition to a special preview performance of the commission from Doug Aitken performed by the Master Chorale conducted by Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic announces its 98th summer season at the Hollywood Bowl. The Hollywood Bowl summer season features world-class artists ranging from classical and pops to jazz, rock, and world music including the world premiere of two new LA Phil-commissioned works plus a fully-staged Broadway musical.

'We are proud to announce that Arturo Sandoval has been added to the 19th annual Newport Beach Jazz Party lineup in 2019,' begins the event co-producer Paul Lowden.

Grammy-nominated electronic music artist THE CRYSTAL METHOD--who is now Scott Kirkland (founding member Ken Jordan went into retirement)-is heading back out on the road in 2019 to support his latest studio album THE TRIP HOME.   Starting mid-February through June, Kirkland will embark on a major DJ tour hitting over 30 tertiary markets in North America.  TCM has also been confirmed to appear at BottleRock Festivalthis spring. The full range of dates follow below. 

The New York Pops today announces its 2019-2020 season of performances in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall.

The Houston Symphony and Music Director Andrés Orozco-Estrada announced today details of the 2019−2020 season, which marks Orozco-Estrada's sixth year as music director. This season is characterized by in-depth explorations of the works of some of the greatest composers with the superb musicians of the Houston Symphony, crowned by a two-week-long Schumann Festival, the likes of which is seldom seen in the United States. This is a unique opportunity to experience the scope of Robert Schumann's music, and to get a glimpse inside the mind of a creative genius.

The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) and Maestro Delta David Gier announced its 2019-20 season at this Saturday's performance of All Mozart: The Final Symphonies. Highlights include Beethoven's extraordinary Ninth Symphony, a screening of the exquisitely restored film The Wizard of Oz with the orchestra performing the score live to picture, and a brass blast of the best of Chicago.

After the powerful sincerity of his sold-out Ella, Louis & All That Jazz show in 2017, world-renowned trumpeter Byron Stripling returns to the The Philly POPS in Uptown Nights, March 1-3 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

On behalf of The Las Vegas Philharmonic Guild, Shirley Kramer, Guild president, presented a check for $20,000 to the Las Vegas Philharmonic before its sold-out performance of The Music of John Williams on Saturday, January 12, 2019. Lacey Huszcza, Las Vegas Philharmonic's recently appointed executive director accepted the donation on behalf of the orchestra.

Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios, has acquired the domestic rights to THE MAESTRO, a dramatic biopic about famed composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, directed by Adam Cushman, written by C.V. Herst and produced by David J.Phillips.  It stars Xander Berkeley (The Walking Dead), Leo Marks (The Last Tycoon), Sarah Clarke (Twilight, 24), Jon Polito (The Big Lebowski), Mackenzie Astin (The Magicians), Joelle Sechaud (Milky Way), William Russ (American History X), Jonathan Cherry (Final Destination 2), Michael Johnston (Teen Wolf), David J. Phillips (Amateur Night), Christopher Redman (God Friended Me), Raul S. Julia (The Hoax), Kim Bubbs (The Thing), Lucas Elliot Eberl (Letters from Iwo Jima), Bobby Campo (The Final Destination), Kristin Gutoskie (The Vampire Diaries) and Alex Essoe (Starry Eyes).

Stanislav Ioudenitch, Artistic Director at Park International Center for Music, announced Friday that Park ICM is offering not one, but two Valentines concerts. “If you are a classical music lover, we have a veritable buffet to choose from during Valentine's week. You can snuggle up with your loved one in the intimate 1900 Building on Saturday with Ben and Lolita and then enjoy all that downtown Kansas City has to offer at The Folly Theater on Wednesday with our magnificent soloists and the Chamber Orchestra,” exclaimed Ioudenitch. “What more could you wish for to celebrate Valentine's Day?”

The American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra today announced that Maestro Zubin Mehta has been forced to bow out of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's upcoming 2019 U.S. Tour (Feb. 2-9) due to health reasons. Filling in for Mehta on the six-city tour is Yoel Levi, one of the world's leading conductors, known for his vast repertoire, masterly interpretations and electrifying performances.

The Boston Pops and conductor Keith Lockhart will showcase the extraordinary range of “America's Orchestra” on tours to Florida (February 9-14) and Texas (March 20-24) this winter with “Lights, Camera…Music! Six Decades of John Williams.” Based on the Pops' 2017 recording of the same name, the program focuses on music from the beloved film scores of composer and Boston Pops Conductor Laureate John Williams. Audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy excerpts from such classic films scores as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harry Potter, and the Star Wars series, as well as less familiar music by Mr. Williams, including themes from such classic scores as The Witches of Eastwick, The Towering Inferno,andHeidi.

Parisian electro-pop duo SACRE will be sharing their brand new single '7:00PM VAHINE', set for release on 11th January via their very own imprint, Palmtree Hotel. The single is the first of many to be shared from their forthcoming album, 'LOVE REVOLUTION,' which will be part of SACRE's exciting project that harnesses music, photography and storytelling; the new album will be released track by track every first Friday of the month, for every month in 2019. This new release follows on from the pair's highly successful two EPs, as well as a remix album, that were released over 2017 and 2018. Last year's EP, 'The Call' was met with great international acclaim, achieving more than 2 million streams across online streaming platforms and becoming a Number 1 on Hype Machine Popular Charts. On top of this, SACRE have already gained extensive support for their music from a host of tastemaker TV channels including Canal+ France, YouTube channel La Belle Musique, as well as radio stations such as Beats 1 with household name Pharrell Williams and popular French station Radio FG and have collaborated and worked with top musicians such as Gigamesh, ELEPHANZ, CHOPSTICK & JOHNJON, Uppermost and Kraak & Smaak to name a few. SACRE have also garnered support from acclaimed publications such as Billboard, HuffPost, COMPLEX, CLASH Mag, Earmilk, Impose, Acid Stag, BlackBook Media and many more.

On January 18, 19, and 20 Conductor John Morris Russell will lead the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra (CSO) in Pops in Space, a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing and humanity's love and fascination with all things celestial.

John Carey, who helped score the film Escape Room (in theaters now) along side Brian Tyler, spoke with us about the machine-like aesthetic they chose for the score and the unconventional instruments they used to capture the mood of the film.

The California Symphony kicks off 2019 with two performances of A TANGO WITH MOZART at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 8pm and Sunday, Jan. 20 at 4pm. Music Director Donato Cabrera leads a free, 30-minute pre-concert talk for ticketholders, starting an hour before each show.

The Coachella Valley Symphony will continue it's 26th Annual Season by performing 'The Best of Stage and Screen' with guest artists from The McCallum Theatre's Open Call including: Javier Traviso, Cecelia Stewart and Sarah Hagar-Cox. This engaging and spectacular concert will feature favorites from the stage and screen and will be held at the Palm Springs Art Museum Annenberg Theater.