Film Score Focus - Events

Film Score Focus Film Series at the Alamo!

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:37:03 -0500

Starting in August I'll be hosting a new film series at the Alamo Drafthouse focusing on superlative film scores. First up is the Alfred Hitchcock classic NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) which features a score by Bernard Herrmann. Before the screening, I'll give a brief twenty minute lecture about the score and give audiences a little glimpse inside what makes it so fantastic. I'll isolate a few themes to listen for, spotlight choices reflecting Herrmann's genius and give the audience a little better appreciation of the score just before we watch the film together. I'm really very excited. It'll be the first time I've ever seen NXNW on the big screen.

It'll take place Sunday, August 22, 2010, at the Alamo Ritz theater. Tickets will be $10.00. As an extra bonus for those arriving early, Mitchell Bowman will be performing renditions of Bernard Herrmann's music on the accordion! It should be an absolute awesome evening!

For more information and ticket purchasing, visit the page over at the Alamo website.

Special LIVE Episode of Film Score Focus (03/26/10)

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:49:00 -0500

This week begins KMFA's Spring Membership drive. I'll be hosting a very special LIVE presentation of Film Score Focus with a secret lineup of film music that is sure to ignite the fires of passion for film music.

Join me Friday night at 8:00PM (re-broadcasted Sunday night at 7:00PM) right here on 89.5 KMFA. Or you can listen live via the internet at www.kmfa.org.

If you're not already a member of KMFA please consider joining. Without your financial support KMFA and Film Score Focus would not exist. Call in to become a new member during the program and show your support for Film Score Focus!

There are some fantastic thank you gifts reserved for a variety of membership levels include one for film music enthusiasts!

Tune in Friday night at 8PM!

COWBOY SMOKE at Austin Film Festival

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:59:14 -0500

I wanted to let everybody know that a film I recently scored called COWBOY SMOKE (2008) will be screening at the Austin Film Festival.

COWBOY SMOKE Screening Times:
7:30PM Sat, Oct 18 Alamo Drafthouse Lakecreek
7:00PM Tue, Oct 21 Rollins Theater

I composed the score for this film at the end of 2007 and wrapped up the final mixes in January of this year. I'm very proud of this score. I believe it's one of my better feature film scores. I composed and performed all the tracks myself except for all the solo violin passages which was performed by the mighty Javier Chaparro who performed all the violin and fiddle solos in the IMAX film I scored, RIDE AROUND THE WORLD (2006).

Individual tickets will be available for purchase however AFF badge and film pass holders will get priority. I plan on attending both screenings so if you can make it, I'd love to see you there.

For more information check out the official COWBOY SMOKE page on the Austin Film Festival web site:
http://aff.bside.com/2008/films/cowboysmoke_aff2008

Hear Me Live on KMFA This Saturday!

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:03:53 -0500

Thursday marks the start of the Fall KMFA Membership Drive. To help out I will be on the air LIVE from 9AM until 12PM on Saturday, September 20th. I'll have some great film music selections to listen to and will gab a little more than I usually do but I have so much fun doing these lives shows. I hope you'll tune in and check it out.

Also, if you're not a member of KMFA or need to renew your current membership, Saturday morning will be the best time to show your support for Film Score Focus and KMFA. Thanks!

Free Film Music Concert in Austin!

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:28:29 -0500

Calling all film music fans in Austin! There's a free film music concert this Friday that you'll not want to miss.

Austin Wind Symphony celebrates three years with FREE concert!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Austin, TX – May 23, 2008 – It’s what you’ve been waiting for all year long… Now, after months of box-office boredom, summer movie season is finally here! And what better way to kick off the season than by listening to the music of your favorite blockbusters performed LIVE by the Austin Wind Symphony?

Come join AWS for “Adventures in Great Film Music” on Friday, June 6th at 8 p.m. You’ll be on the edge of your seat with the rousing action themes of Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean and you’ll marvel at the beauty and magic of the Chronicles of Narnia. Set a course for fun, as you journey to the deepest underwater depths aboard SeaQuest DSV, and blast off into the farthest reaches of space in command of the Battlestar Galactica!

In honor of the Austin Wind Symphony's three year anniversary, the “Adventures” concert will be FREE of charge! In this age of pricier gas, and let's face it, pricier everything, why not enjoy an evening of adventure on us?

Featuring selections from:

Amazing Stories
Indiana Jones
The Chronicles of Narnia
Pirates of the Caribbean
Stargate SG-1
Battle Beyond The Stars
Battlestar Galactica
SeaQuest DSV
Hercules
Star Wars: The Asteroid Field
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to wear a costume from their favorite adventure film!

Mark your calendars:
“Adventures in Great Film Music” with the Austin Wind Symphony
Friday, June 6th at 8 p.m.
Bethany Lutheran Church (south Austin)
FREE ADMISSION

For more information, press requests: call us at 512.944.8908, or visit us online at austinwindsymphony.org or myspace.com/theaustinwindsymphony.

** AWS is a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to providing education, entertainment and cultural enrichment while promoting and renewing public interest in the celebration of great scores from television, video games and motion pictures. **

Hear KING KONG VS. GODZILLA Live!

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 21:21:44 -0500

If you haven't heard the Austin Wind Symphony and heard the wonderful film music the ensemble plays exclusively on every concert, there is an upcoming concert that you can't miss! Check out the info below and get your tickets today.

From the SciFi Japan website:

Ad for the Austin Wind Symphony’s “Creature Features”
concert. Advertising art © 2007 Austin Wind Symphony

AUSTIN WIND SYMPHONY TO PERFORM SELECTIONS FROM KING KONG VS. GODZILLA IN OCTOBER

The First Ever Performance in North America of Akira Ifukube’s Music for the 1962 Film
Source: The Austin Wind Symphony
Special Thanks to Patrick Phillips

Godzilla fans in Texas are in for a real treat. For the first time ever in North America, musical selections from Akira Ifukube’s score to KING KONG VS. GODZILLA will be played in concert by the Austin Wind Symphony. The suite of music will be arranged by SciFi Japan’s own John “Dutch” DeSentis.

Fresh off of a recent concert dedicated to the music of HARRY POTTER, The Austin Wind Symphony is a small, but dedicated orchestra which specializes in only film music and performs in South Austin at the Bethany Lutheran Church often to sell out crowds. While the ensemble is only about 50 members, the church setting allows the music to boom and is fitting considering that many film scores have used a church as a recording area for these same acoustic reasons.

The group itself is extremely passionate about what they do. Commented the group’s founder and conductor, Patrick Phillips, “As conductor of the Austin Wind Symphony it really is a thrill and a privilege each week to work with a group of dedicated (volunteer) musicians that are willing to be challenged. Film music has its own complexities, and is just as demanding as Bach, Mozart or Stravinsky… I often get shot down by more classically trained musicians for my strong feelings regarding the significance of the music in motion pictures.” He also adds that this ensemble goes to bat for film music, discovering that when their audience leaves each concert, they do so knowing what was just performed, and with the memorable motifs of such legends of the screen as John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith fresh in their mind.”

The upcoming October concert will feature the likes of John Williams and Danny Elfman, but Phillips was looking for a little something else as well: “As I was preparing and selecting the music for The Austin Wind Symphony’s upcoming ‘Creature Features’ concert, it occurred to me that the ‘King of the Monsters’ wasn’t among them. I have always been a fan of the Godzilla films, and was moved to do an internet search for existing Godzilla music written by the late Akira Ifukube.”

Much to Phillips’ dismay however, finding existing music to anything by Akira Ifukube proved to be a fruitless effort. Just as he was thinking of throwing in the towel, he came across John DeSentis’ bio on SciFi Japan which stated that he was working on transcribing the score to the original GODZILLA. Phillips tracked DeSentis down and contacted him via his Music MySpace. Originally, Patrick wanted to merely use whatever transcriptions John was writing at the time. John countered with an offer to write something exclusively for the orchestra. After some talk, it was settled upon that KING KONG VS. GODZILLA would be the movie to be showcased. There are several reasons for that decision; one is that the movie is arguably one of the most popular in the entire Godzilla series and one of Ifukube’s best efforts of the 1960s. Another treat to this is the fact that nearly all of maestro Ifukube’s music was taken out of the American release of the movie and replaced with some decidedly out of place stock cues from the Universal Studios film library.

John DeSentis has blocked out a proposed suite which will definitely include the very popular “Main Title” track as well as several others. As it looks right now, the suite of music will be 5-6 minutes long. For John, this represents the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to bring the work of Akira Ifukube, his favorite composer, to ears that might not be entirely familiar with him. It also represents a great opportunity to collaborate with fellow musicians who share a common love of film music.

Indeed, it is that attitude towards the subject that has allowed the Austin Wind Symphony to flourish and attract fans with their incredible performances. Checking egos at the door, these musicians love the opportunities they have to play music in which people know and love from their favorite shows and films. Phillips adds, “The very music that so many people simply take with a proverbial grain of salt, is crafted under extreme schedules, and then recorded sometimes as soon as one week before a film makes it to the big screen… In a lot of ways, these men and women are the very heart and soul of the project, creating the emotional balance that allows us to laugh and to cry right along with the characters on screen. This is a unique gift that deserves audible attention and respect. The Austin Wind Symphony presents these scores, this time without the coverage of Hollywood sound effects wizards, and dialog.”

No doubt, the opportunity for Godzilla fans to hear Akira Ifukube’s work played live in concert is a rare one indeed. If you happen to live in Texas, you won’t want to miss this concert. The concert will also feature selections from JAWS (1975), BATMAN (1989), and a special STAR WARS tribute as part of its programming.

Austin Wind Symphony presents: “Creature Features” Hosted by Fangoria TV’s Horror Host Professor Griffin! - October 19th - 8:00pm at the Bethany Lutheran Church in South Austin, Texas. Admission is $8.00 for adults and free for children. For more information, visit the Austin Wind Symphony website.

New Contest Announced! Win Two FREE CDs

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 20:48:00 -0500

On September 22, 2007, I will be broadcasting a Film Score Focus program on the music of Mychael Danna. Mychael has done a number of eclectic works including THE ICE STORM (1997), THE SWEET HEREAFTER (1997), 8MM (1999), GIRL, INTERRUPTED (1999), HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (2001), VANITY FAIR (2004), CAPOTE (2005), TIDELAND (2005), LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2006), and most recently the animated feature SURF'S UP (2007).

To mark the occasion I'm giving away two brand new CDs of Mychael Danna's scores: THE NATIVITY STORY (2006), and BREACH (2007). If you would like to be entered in the contest for a chance to receive these two free CDs just email me at brian@filmscorefocus.org" title="Email me!">brian@filmscorefocus.org your 1). name, 2). full mailing address, 3). what you enjoy most about Film Score Focus, and 4). give me your best idea for a possible new show. The entry with the best new show idea will be selected the winner. That person will receive these two CDs and possibly have their idea turned into a future show.

The contest starts today. I'll stop accepting submissions by the time the show airs Saturday, September 22nd, at 10AM. Only one entry per person please. Duplicate entries will be discarded. The winner will be announced the evening of September 22, 2007, right here at filmscorefocus.org. For more information on general KMFA contest rules which apply to this promotion please visit KMFA.org.

Thanks for listening. Send in your entry today before it's too late!

Master Pancake - CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982)

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:31:09 -0500

Here in Austin, Texas, at the famed Alamo Drafthouse, you can experience firsthand the only place in town where making fun of the movie is part of the show. The Master Pancake troop screens a new film every month worthy of lampooning in the name of love. This month's film should be of special interest to film scoring fans because it features fan-favorite classic score by Basil Poledouris.

If you polled film music fans of the world what their favorite scores are, it should not surprise you that CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982) would appear frequently on their lists. It's unapologetic brutish strength and hammering themes are as infectious as they are memorable. If you want to relive this great score and laugh along the way check out the show and stay tuned for future screening announcements.

Here's more info on the next Master Pancake event.

Every Wednesday through August 8th at either the Alamo Village or Alamo South Lamar, Master Pancake Theater skewers the 1982 fantasy epic "Conan the Barbarian." Featuring the governor of California as a muscle-bound warrior who seeks revenge against the snake cult that killed his parents and stole his shirt. Directed by the always Nietzschean John Milius ("Red Dawn"), this film features great supporting roles from world champion surfer Gerry Lopez (as Conan's sidekick "Subotai"), alluring dancer/warrior Sandahl Bergman ("All that Jazz", "Xanadu"), and James Earl Jones ("Doctor Strangelove", "Field of Dreams") as the notorious villain who, with his puppy dog eyes and Cher wig, confuses people into having their heads chopped off.

The film was scored by Basil Poledouris and is considered his masterwork. Valued by music afficionados and collectors alike, copies of the more hard-to-find complete soundtrack sell on Amazon and E-Bay regularly for over fifty dollars. Highlights of the score include Poledouris' Wagnerian punctuation during scenes of battle and triumph, and his other-worldly mystery during the scenes inside the snake cult.

More info and tickets can be found at www.originalalamo.com and www.myspace.com/masterpancake.

The Music of Harry Potter LIVE!

nospam@example.com (Brian Satterwhite) — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 00:12:56 -0500

On Friday, July 20th, at 10:00PM the Austin Wind Symphony will be celebrating the release of the seventh and final Harry Potter book HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by performing music from the films live at BookPeople (click here for map) in Austin, Texas.