Today, the Edinburgh International Festival released thousands of tickets for the completely free Aberdeen Standard Investments Opening Event: LA Phil at Tynecastle. The event sees one of the world’s leading orchestras perform some of the best-loved film music in front of a vast crowd at the iconic Tynecastle Park stadium.

It will feature the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra performing an outdoor concert inspired by those so popular in their hometown venue, the Hollywood Bowl, and conducted by the legendary Gustavo Dudamel, Venezuelan-born Music and Artistic Director at LA Phil, one of the most distinguished and popular conductors of the 21st century.

The rich programme of music will comprise of a selection from Hollywood’s Golden Age films and blockbusters scored by one of Hollywood’s most popular composers, John Williams. It will include:

Korngold March of the Merry Men from The Adventures of Robin Hood
Williams Shark Cage Fugue/Out to Sea from Jaws
Herrmann Suite from Vertigo
John Williams Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
John Williams Fawkes the Phoenix from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Steiner Suite from Casablanca
John Williams Olympic Fanfare and Theme
WaxmanSunset Boulevard Suite
John Williams Theme from Jurassic Park
John Williams Adventures on Earth from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Mancini Theme from The Pink Panther
John Williams Throne Room and Finale from Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

The International Festival’s Learning and Engagement team has been working with Tynecastle High to develop the Tynecastle High International Festival Ambassadors, a self-selected group of students from across the school, that created a one-off community event, Heart of Hollywood. In preparation for the event, a series of workshops were held at the school investigating the music of John Williams and the relationship between film and music.

Another project in Gorgie and Dalry sees primary school pupils designing their own stars in the style of those in Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, celebrating the children’s own talents. These will be unveiled in Tynecastle Stadium’s plaza in early August. Gustavo Dudamel himself has a Walk of Fame star which was unveiled in January 2019 in the presence of composer John Williams. Find out more about the project here.

The International Festival is also delighted to continue the Opening Event sponsorship partnership with Aberdeen Standard Investments in this, the first of a new three-year agreement. It is also delighted to have the continued support of EventScotland, who has supported the Opening Event since its inception in 2015.

Following the Opening Event on the Friday night the LA Phil and Dudamel continue their International Festival residency on Saturday and Sunday with performances at the Usher Hall. These include one of the grandest and most gripping symphonies ever written, Mahler’s Symphony No 2 Resurrection which will also feature the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and the European Premiere tour of John Adams’ new piano concerto Must the Devil have all the Good Tunes?, featuring the virtuosic Yuja Wang.

LA Phil and Gustavo Dudamel also bring to Edinburgh 20 members of Youth Orchestra Los Angeles’ youth orchestra programme for underserved communities throughout Los Angeles to take part in activities with Scotland’s Big Noise orchestra, a music programme that changes lives by fostering confidence, discipline and teamwork in the young people taking part. YOLA’s visit to the Scottish capital culminates in a free open rehearsal at the Usher Hall on 4 August which will be led by Gustavo Dudamel himself.