From Home Alone, to Harry Potter, and even Star Wars, the Minnesota Orchestra continues to draw large audiences to its movies and music concert series where musicians perform the actual score to a film, as the film itself plays on the big screen.
The Minnesota Orchestra wrapped-up its latest installment of the movies and music series over the weekend with Alexandre Desplat’s score featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One.
"This is something we started doing in 2011 and something that I love doing," said Sarah Hicks, the principal conductor of Live at Orchestra Hall with the Minnesota Orchestra. "It really brings the thrill of an entire orchestra to a medium that we all know. For many people, the film world is where we first encounter live, orchestral sound. It's exciting for me to bring that to our hall."
Hicks, a film specialist, travels internationally doing these kinds of concerts and has 57 films that she regularly does, some more than others. Hicks will lead between 12 and 20 of these performances per year.
"I call it a demented video game," Hicks said about conducting the music and movies performances. "These are really complicated products that are developed by large companies, usually the people who own the rights to the movies. They're specially created films that they have to prepare all of the musical score parts in a special way."
In front of Hicks is an abundance of information including a detailed score filled with technical elements to help her align with the movie. Hicks also watches a special conductor video of the film that coordinates with what she has in her music.
"I'm looking at that, I have a click track in my ear, I'm looking at the score, and then I have a group of musicians who don't have that information and I'm coordinating them. So it's a lot of moving parts that I'm dealing with."
Hicks' goal is to pick films that show off the orchestra. From John Williams, to Pixar movies, each score brings a unique opportunity to showcase the musicians during each performance.
"I'm beholden to what is there on film," Hicks said. "I think at this point, most orchestras including the Minnesota Orchestra, are very accustomed to doing this and know what the limitations are in terms of their freedom, but also what freedom is there within those limitations. This orchestra's brilliant with doing them."
The performances come together with almost the snap of a finger, with the orchestra having just two rehearsals before their first performance.
"We don't realize how much music is in everyone of these films," added Hicks. "I think it takes coming to the concert hall and seeing the musicians on stage to realize how much music there is. It adds just so much excitement to the experience and that's why we do them."