 John Williams, the man responsible for the music in over 100 films in the last 40 years, and probably every Steven Spielberg and George Lucas movie ever made, brought himself to our level on Friday night with the Boston Pops.
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From platform nine and three-quarters to a galaxy far, far away, virtuoso conductor and Oscar-winning composer John Williams and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra captured the hearts and imaginations of a sell-out 8,500 crowd at Conte Forum at last Friday's Night's 15th Annual Pops on the Heights Scholarship Gala. This year's concert also featured stellar performances by Broadway star Maureen McGovern, opera baritone Robert Honeysucker, and Boston College's very own University Chorale.
Prior to the opening of the show, the excitement among students, parents, and alumni at Conte Forum was palpable. When asked how she felt about John Williams conducting the Pops this year, seventh-time Pops on the Heights concert-goer Kari O'Neil, A&S '11 replied, "It's unbelievable. His music is so good. I just love him."
The first half of Friday evening's two-and-half-hour program commenced with classic film scores such as the moving overtures to Gone with the Wind and Citizen Kane, as well as the solemn "Hymn to the Fallen" from Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan, beautifully accompanied by BC's University Chorale. Afterwards, internationally-renown opera baritone Honeysucker accompanied by the Pops Orchestra and the University Chorale performed a tribute to America with Alan and Marilyn Bergman's patriotic melody "America, the Dream Goes On."
In a surprise appearance during intermission, Meet the Press anchor Tim Russert came on stage and rallied Conte's audience over BC's Saturday football match against UMass, while John Williams conducted the epic original score to the NBC news program. Russert also thanked Williams for coming to BC and for his incredible contributions to music and cinema. "Thank you John for all that you have done to lift the human spirit throughout the generations," he said.
