'Sounds of Hollywood': Two concerts open Chattanooga's first Film Music Symposium

IF YOU GO"The Matrix Live" with Don Davis conducting the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera live during the screeningWhen: 8 p.m. Saturday, March 2"Hooray For Hollywood" by the CSO, with guest conductors George S. Clinton, Peter Golub and Robert BernhardtWhen: 3 p.m. Sunday, March 3BOTH EVENTSWhere: Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St.Admission: $19-$49Phone: 423-267-8583Website: www.ChattanoogaSymphony.org

photo Joe Pantoliano, Laurence Fishburne, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, from left, star in "The Matrix."

Registration is closed for the inaugural Southeast Film Music Symposium, which is this weekend at three downtown locations, but tickets remain for the two feature concerts that are open to the general public.

For the first, on Saturday, March 2, composer Don Davis will lead the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera in a performance of the soundtrack he wrote for "The Matrix" while the film plays on the big screen at the Tivoli.

On Sunday, March 3, the "Hooray for Holiday" concert will feature George S. Clinton conducting the CSO during the performance of his Shagadelic Suite from the Austin Powers movies.

Also Sunday, composer Peter Golub will premiere his suite from "These Amazing Shadows," an award-winning documentary about the history and importance of the National Film Registry, and CSO Music Director Emeritus Robert Bernhardt will lead a program of Hollywood favorites by such composers as John Williams, Max Steiner and Dmitri Tiomkin.

Even in its first year, the symposium will be among the very best of such events in the country, according to Clinton, its artistic adviser. That's partly because, for whatever reason, there aren't many staged in the United States, but also because the participants are among the best at what they do, he said.

Clinton has attended several film music symposiums during his career and said they are more prevalent in Europe. Staging one in his hometown has long been a dream and one he wanted to do right if the chance arose.

"This is a world-class event," he said. "You've got the director of Sundance Music Program (Golub). You've got the top person at BMI in Los Angeles (Doreen Ringer Ross, vice president of film/TV), and then you have Don Davis. 'The Matrix' is one of the all-time greats.

"These are all top-notch, top-of-their-game Hollywood people."

Clinton said the concert will be an exciting and rare thing to see.

" 'The Matrix Live' is an event," he said. "It's not just a concert but a movie event with the composer conducting his own work."

Also attending will be Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton, directors of "These Amazing Shadows." They, along with Golub, who composed the soundtrack for the work, will discuss the film before its screening Friday night at the Majestic 12.

The CSO has presented the "Hooray for Hollywood" concert as part of its Pops series in the past but moved it to coincide with the symposium. Executive Director Molly Sasse said the symphony has done shows on back-to-back days many times in the past but not two full-blown concerts featuring entirely different works.

"It will be a challenge," she said.

For Clinton, who graduated from Brainerd High School, working with the CSO is just part of the thrill of this weekend. "It's like worlds converging for me," he said. "I'm in my hometown, but I will be here with people I've known forever in Los Angeles. It's a fun opportunity for me to show off my hometown and work with this great orchestra in the Tivoli."

BIOS

George S. Clinton: Has written scores to such diverse films as the hit comedy "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" and its blockbuster sequels and the hit martial-arts fantasy "Mortal Kombat" and its sequel. Other noteworthy projects include John Waters' "A Dirty Shame"; Disney's holiday hits "The Santa Clause 2" and "The Santa Clause 3"; and the sexy thriller "Wild Things." He recently was appointed the new chairman of the Film Scoring Department at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Don Davis: Has composed numerous film and television scores, including the Warner Bros. feature-film trilogy "The Matrix," "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions."

Doreen Ringer Ross: As the vice president of film/TV for BMI in Los Angeles, she oversees all activity serving film and television composers. Before BMI, she held artist development positions at A&M Records, ABC Records and MCA Records and also worked as a television producer.

Peter Golub: His film scores include "These Amazing Shadows," "Frozen River" (two Academy Award nominations), "Countdown to Zero," "The Great Debaters," "Wordplay," "American Gun" and "Outrage."

Edmund Stone: In 2006 he created "The Score," a national (and now international) syndicated film music program, heard on All Classical FM every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. He writes, produces and hosts the show, which highlights symphonic music in the movies.

Paul Mariano: His directorial debut, "Also Ran," won the award for Best Political Documentary at the 2006 Atlanta Docufest. His film "Faces of Genocide" began the International Citizens Tribunal on Sudan, held in New York City on Nov. 13, 2006. The film also was shown at the Sarajevo Biennial Meeting of the International Association of Genocide Scholars in June 2007.

Kurt Norton: Has produced, written and directed numerous shorts, including "These Amazing Shadows," his second documentary feature in collaboration with co-director Paul Mariano. He is currently working on a romantic comedy feature titled "The Mammoth Falls."

Robert Bernhardt: The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera music director emeritus served as music director and conductor of the CSO for 19 seasons. He was the second music director in the combined company's history and is its first with the title emeritus.

Contact staff writer Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.

Upcoming Events