Jacksonville Symphony to perform the music of John Williams

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With three upcoming concerts to take place Friday, Sept. 21 and Saturday, Sept. 22, the Jacksonville Symphony will host a celebration of the music of John Williams — one of the most prolific film score composers of all time — that will include performances of selections from such cinematic classics as the “Star Wars,” “Harry Potter” and “Superman” films. 

In a career spanning more than five decades, Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage, and he remains one of the nation’s most distinguished and contributive musical voices. He has composed the music and served as music director for more than 100 films, including all eight “Star Wars” films, the first three “Harry Potter” films, “Superman,” “JFK,” “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Far and Away,” “The Accidental Tourist,” “Home Alone” and “The Book Thief.” His 45-year artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg has resulted in many of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and successful films, including “Schindler’s List,” “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jaws,” “Jurassic Park,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” the “Indiana Jones” films, “Munich,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “The Adventures of Tintin,” “War Horse” and “Lincoln.” 

Williams has received five Academy Awards and 50 Oscar nominations, making him the Academy’s most-nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in the history of the Oscars. He has received seven British Academy Awards (BAFTA), 23 Grammys, four Golden Globes, five Emmys and numerous gold and platinum records. In 2016, he received the 44th Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute — the first time in history that honor was bestowed upon a composer.

Two performances will take place Friday, Sept. 21: a one-hour Raymond James Coffee Series concert at 11 a.m. and a full Fidelity Financial Pops Series concert at 8 p.m. The Saturday, Sept. 22 performance will be at 8 p.m. All concerts will take place in the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts in Jacoby Symphony Hall in Jacksonville. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, call the ticket office at (904) 354-5547 or visit www.jaxsymphony.org.