Is there a more iconic film composer than John Williams? His themes for such cinematic epics as Star Wars and the 1978 Superman are stirring refrains that live eternally in the eardrums of generations.
And that’s not to mention those undulating, instantly identifiable two notes that animate his score for Jaws, or his booming welcome to Jurassic Park, or the rest of the unequaled repertoire that’s netted the movie music titan more Oscar nominations (54) than anyone save Walt Disney.
All of those selections and many more will be interpreted by Central Florida Community Arts (CFCArts) in American Maestro: The Music of John Williams, a sweeping retrospective of arguably the greatest soundtracking career in the history of the silver screen. Three performances are slated for Calvary Orlando: Friday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 23, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets range in price from $15 to $30.
The more than 350 musicians who make up the CFCArts Community Orchestra will lend their full instrumentation to the aforementioned classics, as well as such slightly less ubiquitous entries as Williams’s contributions to 1941 and Hook. And since 2026 is an Olympic year, the program will also include a patriotic run-through of his “Olympic Fanfare and Theme,” written for the 1984 games in Los Angeles.
Masterminded and conducted by Justin Muchoney, CFCArts’ executive and artistic director, the concert will feature a strong visual component. Scenes from featured films (and Williams’s own life) will be projected on high-definition LED screens, while theatrical lighting will illuminate the musicians in ways that convey a sense of movement and dynamism.
For Muchoney, American Maestro is a dream come true and the culmination of years of devotion: “I’ve listened to John Williams’s music more than any other composer in my entire life,” he says. “His music is what really unlocked something in my brain as a kid for how big and how emotional music should feel and sound.”
Calvary Orlando is located at 1199 Clay Street, Winter Park. For more information, call or visit the website.
