'Star Wars' Composer John Williams to Conduct at the Santa Barbara Bowl June 23
For Immediate Release May 21, 2007
Contact:
Tim Dougherty
805.695.7908
Violinist Gil Shaham also to appear in special community concert marking
the Music Academy's 60th anniversary
Santa Barbara, CA-One is a true orchestral giant, a composer internationally revered for both his versatility and his gift for iconic melodies. The other is an acknowledged virtuoso, a violinist whose technical brilliance and unique finesse have spellbound audiences the world over. John Williams, whose compositions include the memorable scores for Jaws, E.T., Schindler's List, and the original Star Wars trilogy, among many others, will be joined by violinist Gil Shaham at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Saturday, June 23, for a special community concert celebrating the Music Academy of the West's 60th anniversary.
Mr. Williams will conduct Mr. Shaham and the Academy Festival Orchestra in a program that will include selections from Mr. Williams' film scores and his violin concerto, as well as Shostakovich's scintillating Festive Overture, op. 96. The concert will begin at 7 pm. Tickets cost $13.50 unless purchased through Ticketmaster. Tickets purchased in person at Ticketmaster outlets carry an additional charge of $4.25; those purchased online (www.ticketmaster.com) or via phone (583.8700) carry an additional charge of $4.75.
One of the most popular and successful composers of our time, Mr. Williams has been awarded five Oscars and multiple Grammys, Golden Globes, and Emmys as well as gold and platinum records for his numerous film scores. His work for the original Star Wars has been hailed as the single most influential composition in the history of film music, and he is universally credited with restoring and ultimately elevating the prominence and artistic respectability of the cinema score genre. In the words of celebrated violinist Itzhak Perlman: "He makes film music into an art." Also a noted composer of concert works, Mr. Williams was named conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1980. He currently holds the title of Artist-in-Residence at Tanglewood.
Mr. Shaham has been widely praised for his sure and engaging playing and is much sought after for concerto, recital, and ensemble performances. He has appeared with leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, New World Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and Saint Louis Symphony. He has also performed internationally with the orchestras of Rome, Florence, Birmingham, Prague, Paris, and London. Among his more than two dozen concerto and solo CDs are a number of bestsellers that have earned prestigious awards, including multiple Grammys. Mr. Shaham's most recent recordings - The Faure Album with Akira Eguchi and The Prokofiev Album with Orli Shaham - have been produced by his own label, Canary Classics.
The Music Academy of the West will further celebrate its 60th anniversary with an unprecedented 2007 season program featuring numerous other classical music luminaries. The Academy will present more than 190 events over the course of this year's summer school and festival, which begins June 18 and concludes on August 11. Additional highlights will include an ambitious production of La Bohème, performances by baritone Thomas Hampson, violinist Gilles Apap, and the Takács Quartet, and conducting turns by Alexander Lazarev and David Robertson.
For tickets and information, call 969-8787. Information is also available online at www.musicacademy.org.
Founded in 1947, the Music Academy of the West is among the nation's preeminent summer schools and festivals for gifted young classical musicians. The Academy provides these promising musicians with the opportunity for advanced study and performance under the guidance of internationally renowned faculty artists, as well as guest conductors and soloists. Admission to the Academy is strictly merit based, and students receive full scholarships. Academy alumni are members of major symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, ensembles, opera companies, and university and conservatory faculties throughout the world. Many have established themselves as prominent solo artists. Based in Santa Barbara, the Music Academy of the West presents more than 175 public events annually, including performances by faculty, visiting artists, and students; masterclasses; orchestra and chamber music concerts; and fully staged opera. For more information, visit www.musicacademy.org.
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