Video interview: Star Wars: in Concert conductor Mark Watters

"The right hand is the beat, the left hand is the poetry."

Interview with composer/conductor Mark Watters

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Star Wars: In Concert

Fri
Oct
23^rd
7:30^PM

Cowboys Stadium
1 Legend Way
Arlington, TX
$35 - $450

Here's an up-close-and-personal with the gent who'll be waving the baton at tonight's Star Wars: in Concert event at Cowboys Stadium.

His name's Mark Watters, and he's a home-grown North Texan, having spent his childhood years in Irving before heeding the siren song of SO CAL and heading west to pursue a composing career. At which he's prospered.

Watters has also established himself as a go-to guy for musical direction and conducting, in which regard he's done high-profile duty at the podium of two recent Olympics opening ceremonies (1996 and 2002).

It's in this capacity that he will appear before a crowd of Star Wars fanciers (and spectacle lovers in general) in Jerry's House, where the dramatic music of John Williams will be performed in counterpoint to a multi-media presentation involving clips from all six Star Wars films.

Lurking in the wings will be original production props -- including costumes, blasters, light sabers (non-functioning, we trust), and original sheet music from composer Williams' archives.

Emceeing the proceedings will be Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) -- sans golden togs, mind you -- who will introduce each themed segment of the entertainment.

Watters proclaims he made a smart decision by marrying a Texan (his wife hails from Arlington), and that he's been keeping up with the progress of the stadium construction on his periodic trips to town to visit family. (He might have saved himself the trouble.)

In our interview, Watters explains how the program was put together. (HINT: It involved a coordinated effort by both Lucasfilm folks and composer Williams.) Here are highlights of our conversation:

* He originally aspired to be a school band director.

* In a reverse of the way scoring is normally done, for this presentation the Lucasfilm people matched film clips to musical selections.

* While he's watched Cowboys Stadium being built, he hasn't actually been inside it yet.

* The person in charge of sound for the event is the same guy who does it for the Boston Pops.

* "Frankly, my dog could conduct" (using clicktrack -- which he will NOT be using for this event, instead employing a technique known as "streamers and punches").

* "All the tempi have to be exactly right."

* Find out which Star Wars character Mark Watters most identifies with. (Good answer!)

Star Wars: In Concert (courtesy Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Jesus Valadez, verified:

If anybody wants to go for free(unless tickets are all gone) enter YODA next to Cowboy's Special. There is a catch. You have to pay Ticketmaster for fees(I dunno for what but they are like under a $1) and the seats are basically to the side of the stage. But hey! Free is free, right?

2 years, 7 months ago
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