Crime buffs have the opportunity to relive their favourite cinematic moments with grandeur as the Sydney Symphony performs a selection of unforgettable film scores, from Monty Norman and John Barry’s stylish James Bond theme, to Jerry Goldsmith’s suspenseful score to Basic Instinct and John Newton Howard’s eery composition for The Sixth Sense.
Presenting the concerts will be the inimitable Clive James AM, making a welcome return appearance following the popular Symphony at the Movies concerts with the Sydney Symphony in 2006. Known for his wicked sense of humour and lightning fast one-liners, James has established a career spanning more than 30 years. Despite having spent most of that in London, he remains a proud Sydneysider who will once again share his insights with Sydney audiences.
Crime Time will showcase the well-known film scores of 11 composers who, between them, boast 137 Academy Award nominations for their work. Conducting the concerts will be film music specialist Frank Strobel, a highly acclaimed film composer in his own right. Strobel combines a strong grounding in classical music with a wealth of experience as a conductor, arranger, editor, producer and recording artist. He has previously served as Principal Conductor of the German Filmorchestra Babelsberg and is currently the Artistic Director of the European FilmPhilharmonic Berlin, which manages film music productions and performances the world over.
Some of the most iconic scenes from crime films owe their suspense, horror or emotion to the music that talented composers have created especially for them – imagine the infamous shower scene from Hitchcock’s Psycho without its spine-chilling violin accompaniment or the looming shark in Spielberg’s Jaws minus its ‘bah-dum, bah-dum’.
Crime Time is part of the Sydney Symphony’s Kaleidoscope series, which fuses symphonic sounds with contemporary styles and genres. Executed under the artistic direction of Australian jazz legend James Morrison, previous Kaleidoscope concerts have included performances with New York crooner Kurt Elling, jazz pianist Chick Corea and Mr Mission-Impossible, Lalo Schifrin.
Crime Time will be held at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall from Sept 11-13. Tickets can be purchased by phoning the Sydney Symphony Box Office on 02 8215 4600 or visiting www.sydneysymphony.com
[Release by Sydney Symphony]