24-25 Program Book - Flipbook - Page 93
Theme from Jurassic Park (1993)
JOHN TOWNER WILLIAMS
(b. February 8, 1932)
John Williams began writing the Jurassic Park score at the end of February 1993.
John Neufeld and Alexander Courage orchestrated the score. The composition
process was done concurrently with the sound editing process; Williams used
inspiration from sound designer Gary Rydstrom’s dinosaur noises. Williams
described the process as “a rugged, noisy effort—a massive job of symphonic
cartooning.” True to form, Williams used several musical motifs to represent
different aspects and characters of the movie, weaving them together in the score
to highlight the story and the drama.
The first motif is known as “Theme from Jurassic Park.” It is first heard when the
visitors first see the Brachiosaurus. Williams chose this motif to be the theme of
the park itself, with “gentle religioso cantilena lines” intended “to capture the
awesome beauty and sublimity of the dinosaurs in nature.” This theme is widely
regarded as one of John Williams’s greatest and is presented in different variants
throughout the film. Another theme, called “Journey to the Island,” is a noble
fanfare. It is first heard as the helicopter approaches Isla Nublar. A third theme
made up of four notes is heard frequently in scenes involving the threat of the
carnivorous dinosaurs, the raptors in particular.
Williams felt he needed to write “pieces that would convey a sense of awe and
fascination,” given that the movie dealt with overwhelming happiness and
excitement that would emerge from seeing live dinosaurs. There is no doubt that
the music from Jurassic Park is some of Williams’s most memorable and evocative.
Umoja– Anthem of Unity (2001/2019)
VALERIE COLEMAN
(b. September 3, 1970)
Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Valerie Coleman began playing flute in
the fourth grade. She also composed as a hobby, though it was soon obvious that
composing would figure prominently in her musical future, with large-scale works
appearing even in her younger years. She studied at Boston University and the
Mannes College of Music and began organizing the chamber music ensemble Imani
Winds in 1996 (Imani is Swahili for “faith”). This group has become one of the most
famous of its kind in the world today. Coleman also embarked on a successful solo
career, appearing with major symphonies worldwide.
Likewise, Coleman’s reputation as a composer has continued to grow. Highlighted
as one of the “Top 35 Women Composers” by The Washington Post, she was
CLASSICAL SERIES MAHLER’S FIRST SYMPHONY 93
