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  • JOHN WILLIAMS RETURNS TO THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL LEADING PROGRAM FEATURING HIS OWN CINEMATIC MUSIC MASTERPIECES INCLUDING NEW GRAND SUITE FROM "STAR WARS"
  • Aug. 29, 2003
  • Special Guest James Earl Jones Featured

    FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, AT 8:30 PM

    August 29 sponsored by Bank of America

    August 29 media sponsor: KTWV 94.7 FM The Wave and K-SURF 1260 AM

    August 30 is a Lexus Passionate Performance

    August 30 media sponsors: KTWV 94.7 FM The Wave and K-SURF 1260
    AM

    Movie-music master John Williams conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program at the Hollywood Bowl featuring many of his own cinematic music masterpieces on Friday, August 29, and Saturday, August 30, at 8:30 p.m. The program, narrated by special guest James Earl Jones, includes something for everyone, as Williams-a five-time Academy Award-winner-leads the Philharmonic in a performance of celebrated pieces from his many popular works.

    The evening's program opens with "Hooray for Hollywood" and a "Tribute to the Film Composer," arranged by Williams. The program also includes Williams' "Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra," the concert version of music from the film Catch Me If You Can, as well as a suite from the Harry Potter films. The evening concludes with a new dramatic "Grand Suite from Star Wars," featuring music from all five films as well as an original narration to be performed by legendary actor James Earl Jones. This marks the first collaboration by these two esteemed members of the original Star Wars creative team.

    Composer/conductor JOHN WILLIAMS is one of the most respected and honored composers of film and concert music, and is Laureate Conductor of the Boston Pops, where he held the post of conductor for 14 highly successful seasons. He has composed the music and served as music director for more than 100 films, and has been honored with five Oscars (he is the most nominated living person with 42 Oscar nominations, his most recent for Catch Me If You Can), three Golden Globes, four Emmys, three British Academy Awards and 18 Grammys, as well as numerous gold and platinum records. In addition to his film music, John Williams has written many concert pieces, including symphonies and concertos. His bassoon concerto, The Five Sacred Trees, was given its West Coast premiere in April 1999 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and soloist David Breidenthal. Williams, who has conducted at the Hollywood Bowl nearly every season since his debut there in 1978, was one of the first inductees into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in 2000. He last conducted at the Bowl in 2002.

    Though his face was never shown in the Star Wars films, JAMES EARL JONES is known to millions as the menacing voice of Darth Vader. Born in Mississippi, Jones' acting career has won him acclaim on both stage and screen. He earned his bachelor's degree in drama from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and was soon performing on Broadway. By 1959, he had won a Tony Award for his role as a prizefighter in The Great White Hope. He reprised the part for director Martin Ritt's film adaptation of the play and was nominated for his first Academy Award in 1971. Jones starred in the Stanley Kubrick classic Dr. Strangelove and would later star in the award-winning movie Field of Dreams (1989) with Kevin Costner. His more recent roles include voiceovers for CNN and the part of King Mufasa in Disney's The Lion King. Jones last appeared at the Bowl in 1990.

    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE

    Friday, August 29, 8:30 PM

    Saturday, August 30, 8:30 PM


    John Williams: His Music and More

    LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC

    JOHN WILLIAMS, conductor

    JAMES EARL JONES, narrator

    WILLIAMS (arr.): Hooray for Hollywood

    WILLIAMS (arr.): Tribute to the Film Composer

    WILLIAMS: Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra: Music from the film "Catch Me If You Can"

    WILLIAMS: Suite from "Harry Potter"

    WILLIAMS: Grand Suite from "Star Wars"

    August 29 sponsored by Bank of America

    August 29 media sponsors: KTWV 94.7 The Wave and K-SURF 1260 AM

    August 30 is a Lexus Passionate Performance

    August 30 media sponsors: KTWV 94.7 FM The Wave and K-SURF 1260 AM

    Tickets ($3 - $92) are on sale now at the Hollywood Bowl box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 213.480.3232, at all Ticketmaster outlets (Robinsons May, Tower Records and Ritmo Latino locations), or online at hollywoodbowl.com. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for a 20% discount, subject to availability; call 323.850.2050 for further details. For general information or to request a brochure, call 323.850.2000.

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  • Contact:

    Elizabeth Hinckley, 213.972.3034; Rachelle Roe, 213.972.3405; for photos - Beth Norber, 213.972.3409