Escapades: The Music of John Williams
March 13 & 14, 2026
The music of John Williams is timeless and some of the most important of the 20th and 21st centuries. And he didn't just compose movie scores! Brian Lydeen presents the engaging "Escapades" for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra, and the orchestra features the fun and familiar music of this giant of a composer.
Program
The Cowboys: Overture..................John Williams
Escapades: Suite for Alto Sax and Orchestra
"Closing In"
"Reflections"
"Joy Ride"
Brian Lydeen, saxophone
(with Lucas Bernier, vibraphone and Darren King, bass)
INTERMISSION
Flying Theme from ET
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Medley (arr. Whitney)
Highlights from Jurassic Park (arr. Custer)
Suite from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2....Desplat/Williams/Brubaker
Raiders March
Program Notes
Cowboys: Overture
The music was originally composed for the 1972 John Wayne Western, The Cowboys, creating a "vigorous musical score to accompany virtuoso horseback riding and calf roping."
André Previn, a renowned conductor and friend of Williams, recognized the concert potential within the film's music and persistently encouraged Williams to create a concert overture.The piece showcases Williams's ability to blend Western film music traditions (like those of Ennio Morricone and Aaron Copland) with his own evolving and recognizable style, characterized by a vibrant Americana sound.
Escapades: Suite for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra
"Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra" is that it represents a significant intersection of his distinguished career as both a film composer and a concert composer. This piece comes from his Academy Award-nominated score for Steven Spielberg's 2002 film Catch Me If You Can. Williams adapted thematic material from the film score into a three-movement suite. This suite functions as a concise saxophone concerto. The suite channels progressive styles and energy.
John Williams
John Williams' prolific and impactful career, along with his ground-breaking work in film scoring, make him one of the most celebrated and recognized composers in cinematic history. His scores such as the ones for ET, Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter and the Indiana Jones series have become instantly recognizable and culturally significant, elevating the emotional impact and storytelling of these movies. He is also the most-nominated living person for Academy Awards, with 52 nominations and 5 wins, demonstrating the breadth and depth of his contributions to the film industry,