by PegNews wire

Among the film composers taking part in the series are James Newton Howard, George Fenton, Theodore Shapiro, Michael Giacchino, and Harry Gregson-Williams.

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra today announces a new multi-year programming initiative: the Masters of Film Music. This ground-breaking new series brings the music of some of today’s top film composers to Dallas as part of the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 Dallas Symphony Pops Series. The Masters of Film Music will feature a Dallas Symphony Orchestra-commissioned world premiere work written by each composer, combined with a multi-media career retrospective with images on a larger-than-life screen.

The top composers whose world premiere commissions and career retrospectives will be featured in the Masters of Film Music are James Newton Howard, George Fenton, Theodore Shapiro, Michael Giacchino, Harry Gregson-Williams, and an evening of the “All Time Great Music of Film” which will also feature a new work by Sir Anthony Hopkins, conducted by DSO Music Director Jaap van Zweden.

“This project is revolutionary in the sense that we are combining the works of the top living film composers, whose music is heard by millions of people around the world, with the artistic power of the Dallas Symphony,” said Dallas Symphony Orchestra Chief Marketing and Entertainment Officer Stephen Cook. “The DSO is taking the lead in innovative programming, combining the great music of the movies with the powerful sound of the orchestra. I know our patrons will be thrilled with the result.”

“This new aspect of our Pops Series pairs some of the most recognizable film scores ever written with the incredible talent of our orchestra,” Dallas Symphony Orchestra President Douglas Adams stated. “To hear this music performed in the acoustical perfection of the Meyerson Symphony Center will be a treat for any music lover.”

About the composers

James Newton Howard is one of the most versatile and in-demand composers currently working in film. A look back on Howard’s impressive film career will include music from movies such as Pretty Woman, The Sixth Sense, King Kong, I Am Legend, The Village, Michael Clayton, The Fugitive, The Dark Knight (with Hans Zimmer), My Best Friend’s Wedding, and many more. To date, Howard has received eight Oscar nominations, including six for Best Original Score, one Grammy Award, one Emmy Award and four Golden Globe nominations. In addition, he was honored with ASCAP’s prestigious Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement. James Newton Howard will conduct the Dallas Symphony Orchestra during his world premiere work and career retrospective.

British composer George Fenton is best known for his musical work for film, television and theatre. He has written music for and collaborated with some of the most influential filmmakers of the late 20th century. Among his many film credits are Gandhi (with Ravi Shankar), The Fisher King, Dangerous Liaisons, Hitch, The Madness of King George, Memphis Belle, and many more. Fenton also composed the score to the hit television series Planet Earth and Blue Planet. George Fenton will conduct the Dallas Symphony Orchestra during his world premiere work and career retrospective.

Theodore Shapiro has composed music for film, television, and the concert stage. His ability to turn humor into music has lent itself to such blockbuster films as Marley and Me, The Devil Wears Prada, Old School, You, Me & Dupree, and countless others. Shapiro has composed the score for several Ben Stiller-produced comedies including Tropic Thunder, Blades of Glory, Dodgeball, and Starsky & Hutch, and other notable films like 13 Going on 30 and Year One.

Michael Giacchino has not only scored several well-known feature films, he has also composed music for television shows, animated shorts, and video games. Giacchino has penned the music for such films as Up, Mission Impossible III, Star Trek, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille, for which he received an Oscar nomination. His compositions have brought joy and laughter to the entertainment world and have earned him immense respect over the years. In 2005, Giacchino garnered an Emmy for his work on the ABC hit show Lost. Michael Giacchino will conduct the Dallas Symphony Orchestra during his world premiere work and career retrospective.

Award-winning British film composer Harry Gregson-Williams got his big break while working under Oscar-winning film composer, Hans Zimmer, in the mid-‘90s and since then has become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after composers. With BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy nominations under his belt, including movies such as Shrek 1, 2 and 3, The Chronicles of Narnia series, X Men Origins: Wolverine, and the upcoming film, The Prince of Persia. Williams has also composed for television shows, commercials, and video games.

In addition to his award-winning film career, Sir Anthony Hopkins is also establishing himself as a composer. His numerous compositions include music from the films Slipstream and August, Stella Aria, The Mask of Time, and Fanfare, among others. Considered to be one of film’s greatest actors, Hopkins is perhaps best known for his Oscar-winning turn as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. Hopkins will join Music Director Jaap van Zweden and the DSO in a performance of “The All Time Great Music of Film” during the 2011-2012 Dallas Symphony Pops Series.

Source: Dallas Symphony Orchestra

What do you think?