film music

Behind The Podium / The Force Is Strong With The MSO

Behind the Podium / The force is strong with the mso

This May 31st & June 1st, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra returns to a galaxy far, far away when we perform Star Wars: Return of the Jedi live to film!

Principal Pops Conductor Ryan Murray conducted many of the MSO’s film concerts, including last year’s Star Wars: The Empire A New Hope and in 2022, Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert. This year, he will be leading 84 musicians in perfect time as Star Wars: Return of the Jedi plays on a 26’ x 16’ screen (the equivalent of 36 60” TVs!). An impressive feat that is a result of only 5 total hours of rehearsal time together!

Read on for an exclusive look behind the stage to see what goes into preparing for a unique concert like this with an interview with Ryan Murray we did last May 2023! 

MSO: How long does it take for you to prepare for a movie concert and is there any difference compared to preparing for a standard classics or other pops concerts?

Ryan Murray, conductor: It takes anywhere between four to six months to prepare for a movie concert and there are some major differences in how you prepare for these concerts compared to a standard classics or pops concert. The major difference in getting ready for one of these concerts is memorizing and internalizing the tempos of the original movie. Unlike in a traditional concert where the interpretation can vary from orchestra to orchestra and conductor to conductor, in the movie concerts you must play exactly in time with the film! And while I have a special screen in front of me with something called punches and streamers on it to help me line up with the film, the orchestra does not have that information, so it’s my job to really know the score inside and out so that we can make sure everything lines up just right!

Conductor Ryan Murray at the podium, with screen that provides film information in real-time.

MSO: Could you explain the how you use the screen in front of you to help line the orchestra up with what is on the big screen?
RM: Sure, while I’m conducting I have a click track and a special screen in front of me that I use to line everything up with the film. The orchestra does not have that information, so it is really the conductor’s job to make sure that all the tempos line up exactly with the film. Once the movie starts there is no margin for error, and we all must work very hard to make everything match! It is actually a very fun challenge and keeps you on your toes as a conductor!

MSO: Now that you've done a couple Star Wars in Concert performances, what did you learn from that experience and were there any surprises or challenges that come to mind?

RM: I think that the most interesting thing about performing the Star Wars movies in concert is how much freedom you have as a conductor. The score is written in such a symphonic way that you have the room to be slightly flexible with each performance- each performance is unique and exciting! Obviously, there are key moments where you have to make sure everything lines up exactly, but there are other places where you can let the orchestra be a little bit free and that makes for a really incredible musical experience.

MSO: John Williams’ scores are so iconic and each film he works on is distinctive, even when included in a franchise like Star Wars. Are there any differences to the overall musical tone for this movie, The Empire Strikes Back compared to A New Hope?

RM: There are a lot of similarities in the soundtrack including the overall size of the orchestra, the way the music is scored and the iconic opening credits music, but there is a little bit of a darker tone to this movie. The music is a bit more introspective, and I think emotionally a little bit deeper as well. We get introduced to some new characters in this film including Yoda, and the wonderful music that makes up Yoda’s theme. We also see a great character development arch happening with the main players from the first film and the music reflects that beautifully.

MSO: So, who is your favorite character from the franchise and what is your favorite theme to listen to and which is your favorite to conduct?

RM: It would be hard to pick a favorite character from the franchise, probably Yoda or Darth Vader –  talk about opposite ends of the spectrum! They both have such great music!

I really enjoy conducting the opening theme – that classic Star Wars melody. The opening ten minutes of every Star Wars movie features the entire orchestra and some really challenging music– it’s always a lot of fun! I always enjoy listening to the Imperial March – there is such intensity to that music – and such great brass writing!


The Force is Strong with the MSO

Come join Ryan Murray & the MSO on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi in Concert this May 31 & June 1 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

This article was updated May 20, 2024.

Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert By the Numbers

June 3 & 4: Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

“Never Tell Me the Odds!”


The Force is Strong with the MSO

Come join Ryan Murray & the MSO on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert this June 3 & 4 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

Behind the Podium / Star Wars in Concert with Conductor Ryan Murray

Behind the Podium / June 3 & 4: Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert

Conductor Ryan Murray Takes the MSO to a Galaxy Far, Far Away!

This June 3rd & 4th, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra travels to a galaxy far, far away when we perform Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert, live to film!

Previously MSO Associate Conductor Ryan Murray has conducted our past two film concerts: Pirates of the Caribbean in 2019, and Pixar in Concert in 2020. This time, he will be leading 81 musicians in perfect time as Star Wars: A New Hope plays on a 26’ x 16’ screen (the equivalent of 36 60” TVs!) at the Gallo Center for the Arts. An impressive feat that is a result of only 5 total hours of rehearsal time together!

Read on as we interview Ryan for an exclusive look behind the stage to see what goes into preparing for a unique concert like this.

MSO: How long does it take for you to prepare for a movie concert and is there any difference compared to preparing for a standard classics or other pops concerts?

Ryan Murray, conductor: It takes anywhere between four to six months to prepare for a movie concert and there are some major differences in how you prepare for these concerts compared to a standard classics or pops concert. The major difference in getting ready for one of these concerts is memorizing and internalizing the tempos of the original movie. Unlike in a traditional concert where the interpretation can vary from orchestra to orchestra and conductor to conductor, in the movie concerts you must play exactly in time with the film! And while I have a special screen in front of me with something called punches and streamers on it to help me line up with the film, the orchestra does not have that information, so it’s my job to really know the score inside and out so that we can make sure everything lines up just right!

Conductor Ryan Murray at the podium, with screen that provides film information in real-time.

MSO: Could you explain the how you use the screen in front of you to help line the orchestra up with what is on the big screen?
RM: Sure, while I’m conducting I have a click track and a special screen in front of me that I use to line everything up with the film. The orchestra does not have that information, so it is really the conductor’s job to make sure that all the tempos line up exactly with the film. Once the movie starts there is no margin for error, and we all must work very hard to make everything match! It is actually a very fun challenge and keeps you on your toes as a conductor!

MSO: Movie concerts are popular among audiences not only because hearing the music live is thrilling, but because the movies tend to be nostalgic for most of us. Does the nostalgia or being a fan of the movie, have an impact on you when you’re prepping or when rehearsing?

RM: There is a big nostalgia element when it comes to preparing a movie concert—especially Star Wars. I can’t think of any music that is more iconic than those opening few minutes of the score. I think we are all really excited about this music and for so many musicians we grew up loving this score—so to put it all together with the live movie and our fantastic audience it’s very exciting!

Conductor Ryan Murray leading the MSO in Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of The Black Pearl, March 2019

MSO: What do you think makes this John Williams’ score is so iconic?

RM: To me John Williams’ music is so dramatic and the way he writes for the orchestra is absolutely brilliant. The score is full of wonderful melodies and much like an opera, each main character has their own theme. These themes are then developed and transformed throughout the film to help us understand the emotions and the drama of the scene and this element of the movie becomes even more powerful with a live orchestra on stage!

MSO: Are you a Star Wars fan and if so, what is your favorite Star Wars movie?

RM: Yes, definitely a Star Wars fan! I would say my favorite Star Wars movie is either A New Hope—which we are performing, or the Return of the Jedi. Although I didn’t know it at the time, because I didn’t start studying music until high school, I’m sure the symphonic score was one of the major things that made me such a fan of these movies!  


The Force is Strong with the MSO

Come join Ryan Murray & the MSO on a trip to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert this June 3 & 4 at the Gallo Center for the Arts!

Korngold’s Hollywood Legacy: From the Sherwood Forest to Tatooine

Listen to the following video, does anything sound familiar?

You may hear similarities between Korngold’s Main Theme from the movie Kings Row (1942) to the very recognizable main theme from the Star Wars franchise, composed by John Williams in 1977. In fact, Williams has cited Korngold as his main inspiration when composing for Star Wars. While Korngold did not start his career with Hollywood in mind, his legacy has left a lasting impact on film and classical music history.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold, composer

Erich Wolfgang Korngold was born in 1897 to a Jewish family in Austria-Hungary, his father was a prominent music critic of the time. A child prodigy, he began writing his own music by age seven, and by the age of 11 wrote his first ballet Der Schneemann (The Snowman). He had a very active composing career from then into his 20s, writing music for operas, ballets, orchestral scores, and more.

In 1934, producer and director Max Reinhardt invited Korngold to Hollywood to adapt Felix Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) incidental music for film. Korngold would then continue to establish himself in Hollywood, even winning his first Academy Award for his work on Anthony Adverse (1936).

Before he began composing for The Adventures of Robin Hood in 1938, Austria was invaded by Germany, and his home was confiscated by the Nazis. Korngold had the fortuitous opportunity to stay in America to help support his family until the end of World War II. He noted that the opportunity to compose for The Adventures of Robin Hood and stay in America likely saved his life. Korngold would go on to win his second Academy Award for that movie score and would ultimately establish the symphonic style that would be later used in action films during Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Errol Flynn as Robin Hood in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

For The Adventures of Robin Hood, a movie that launched actor Errol Flynn’s career, Korngold used a technique from his opera background, of incorporating leitmotifs, or short recurring musical phrases, for specific characters as they show up on screen. Korngold wanted the music to be sophisticated but still accessible to the public and he achieved so by incorporating leitmotifs. He realized that if there were recurring themes throughout the film, this would help the audience better understand what’s going on in the film by creating synergy between the narrative and the score. He would slightly alter the motifs in “thematic transformation” to fit whatever is going on screen. A similar technique can be found in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, for example, where in the final movement, Beethoven restates and reinterprets the previous themes introduced in the first three movements.

Korngold had vowed to give up composing anything other than film music until Hitler had been defeated. At the end of World War II, he retired from films to concentrate on music for the concert hall. Facing previous criticisms that assumed he was only successful as a film composer, who sold himself to Hollywood, he was determined to prove himself by producing a work that displayed his virtuosity. His Violin Concerto was the first work that he penned after the end of World War II in 1945. He was deeply affected by the criticism of being a “Hollywood sell-out,” and sought to validate his life’s work. Korngold borrows his own themes from his movie scores. The first movement features themes from Another Dawn (1937) and Juarez (1939), the second quotes Anthony Adverse (1936), and the final movement has themes based on the main motif from The Prince and the Pauper.

His Violin Concerto in D Major was dedicated to Alma Mahler, the widow of his childhood mentor, Gustav Mahler. It premiered on February 15, 1947 by Jascha Heifetz and the St. Louis Symphony, under the baton of Vladimir Golschmann. Heifetz’s performance secured Korngold’s place in standard repertoire and continues to be a popular piece performed to this day.

Be transported back to the Golden Age of Hollywood on March 4 & 5 with the MSO in Korngold & Dvorak, featuring Korngold’s Violin Concerto performed by Charles Yang!


Listen to Korngold’s Legacy Live!

Come watch Charles Yang perform Korngold’s Concerto in D Major for Violin, conducted by Akiko Fujimoto this March 4th & 5th at the Gallo Center for the Arts!


Learn more about Korngold (Reference):