The Force is Strong: Hollywood Bowl Dedicates Iconic Stage to John Williams

The Los Angeles Philharmonic has dedicated the iconic Hollywood Bowl stage in honor of the legendary composer John Williams,

What’s Happening:

• The iconic Hollywood Bowl stage now bears the name of John Williams, a first-ever artist dedication for the venue.
• A private dedication ceremony was hosted by LA Phil President and CEO Kim Noltemy and board chair Jason Subotky, marking the unveiling of the new stage signage.
• As LA Phil's Kim Noltemy noted, Williams' music is "synonymous" with the Hollywood Bowl, having defined the live experience of symphonic film music for generations.
• The dedication was supported by philanthropic commitments from longtime friends and supporters, including:
  • Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw’s The Hearthland Foundation
  • Jason Subotky and Anne Akiko Meyers
  • Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen
  • Seth MacFarlane
  • Andrew Hewitt, Michael Rapino, Bill Silva, Barbara and Jay Rasulo, Jay and Deanie Stein
  • Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall
  • The Katie McGrath and J.J. Abrams Family Foundation
• Williams’s repertoire is vast, encompassing over 100 films, including all nine Star Wars films, the first three Harry Potter films, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, and Jurassic Park.
• His decades-long tradition of conducting annual concerts at the Bowl saw crowds waving lightsabers as the Star Wars theme soared through the air.
• While Williams has recently stepped back from conducting, his music remains a beloved annual fixture, celebrated by the LA Phil in concerts like “Maestro at the Movies.”
• Alex reviewed the Disney+ documentary on John Williams, finding it to be "pure fluff and lacking the depth the legendary composer deserves."

What They're Saying

• John Williams, composer: “This is an honor that is unprecedented and unequaled in generosity shown by the Los Angeles Philharmonic family — my family — in making this dedication. I want to thank all of the donors in this effort, who proudly support and salute the work done by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, one of the great orchestras of the world. The uniqueness of this honor is certainly unheard of and I thank all of you.”
• Steven Spielberg, film director: "Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth. We do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.”

More Than Just Music: John Williams and the Legacy of Film Score Albums

• Beyond the dedication, John Williams's impact extends into the very culture of listening to orchestral music outside of the concert hall.
• Williams is arguably the single most important figure in popularizing the commercial release of film scores as standalone symphonic albums.
• Before the blockbuster success of his Star Wars score in 1977, most film soundtracks were released as compilations of pop songs or simplified orchestral suites.
• The immense demand for the full, complex symphonic sound of the Star Wars soundtrack, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, proved that audiences craved the complete orchestral work.
• This success opened the floodgates for symphonic film scores to be treated as serious commercial albums, elevating the role of the composer as a star in their own right.
• His subsequent releases, from Superman to Indiana Jones, continued this trend, turning the film score album into a highly anticipated product, introducing millions to the beauty and power of classical-style orchestral music through the accessible gateway of cinema.

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