Perth Voice Interactive

“May the French horn be with you…”

Well, not quite, but the classical world and the Star Wars universe will collide when the WA Symphony Orchestra accompany a special screening of The Force Awakens at the Riverside Theatre in Perth.

The nearly 100-strong orchestra will perform John Williams’ musical score live to the film, adding grandeur and emotional depth to all those droids, jedis and shaggy wookiees.

“But it’s not one of the original movies!” I hear you cry.

Don’t worry, most of the early classic themes are woven into the The Force Awakens score, which is widely regraded as one of the best in the Star Wars series, earning Williams his 50th Oscar nomination.

Highlights include Rey’s Theme – at times playful, at times soaring – which has been hailed as one of the strongest pieces of music in the entire Star Wars canon.

On the night, WASO associate conductor Jen Winley will wield her lightsaber, I mean baton, and put the Mos Eisley Cantina band through their paces.

“This is a great score and deserved the Oscar nomination. It includes all the best of his original Star Wars score and includes some new themes for the new characters we meet,” Winley says.

“What is so clever is these new themes, especially for Rey and Kylo Ren, not only give us a glimpse into their character, but connect them to their heritage themes of The Force and Darth Vader.

“One of the most exciting cues in the film is the Scherzo for X-Wings. It is non-stop space battle fun!”

Williams is perhaps the greatest ever composer of film scores, writing iconic themes for umpteen classics including Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, Star Wars, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, Schindler’s List, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the Indiana Jones franchise and Jurassic Park. 

In a career spanning seven decades he’s won 26 Grammys, five Oscars, seven BAFTAs, three Emmys, four Golden Globes and has had 54 Oscar nominations.

He’s one of those rare composers who is equally popular with the critics as the public.

Winley says film scores should not be considered the flashy little brother of concertos, symphonies and opera.

“Film scores are definitely not considered lightweight music; they are some of the most challenging music orchestras need to be able to play, especially John Williams.” she says.

“What makes them so difficult is the endurance; they were never intended to be played live with the entire film and 2.5 hours of John Williams is a huge play for everyone.

“Orchestral musicians and conductors are generally fans of film music, so it is quite a thrill to play the score live to your favourite films.”

Winley is no stranger to Williams’ music – she conducted WASO in their John Williams 90th Birthday Bash in 2022 and for the live Home Alone play-along in 2021 (yes, Williams wrote the Home Alone score too).

So are these film concerts a gateway for younger people to get into classical music?

“The musicians of the WASO are incredibly versatile, and performing live scores to film is just one of many different types of projects we do,” Winley says.

“For me, the aim is not about film concerts being a gateway for younger audiences to come and experience a full symphony, but about making sure we, as an organisation, are connecting to as much of our community as we can do.

“We do this through film, education, family, community outreach and classical concerts, as well as collaborations with rock bands and other arts organisations (including youth orchestras).”

“…This live cinematic experience puts the power of orchestral music front and centre, enabling Star Wars fans to find deeper connections with the characters and action.”

Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Concert is on April 5/6/7 at the Riverside Theatre, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tix at waso.com.au.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK