Yes, you heard right.  Richard participated in a live concert presentation of John Williams fantastical score to the movie as it screened behind the orchestra!  We (100 musicians more or less) played on the state-of-the-art stage in Costa Mesa, CA’s new Segerstrom Hall, this time the dramatic and visual action serving as backdrop.

(author & concertmaster Mark Robertson on stage)

My young son Bren, already an astute musician,  mentioned something I found rather profound – the music was much more expressive, vibrant and more effective with the live musicians compared to the recorded score to the Harry Potter film.  Why?

Think about it.   A recorded underscore is massaged and sculpted and mixed to serve perfectly in the movie setting.  Many studio musicians play under a form of duress I call Red Light Syndrome – akin to being “under the microscope” for every blessed detail.  Some of our colleagues have even quivered under the fear of never being rehired should they make a mistake!!!  Now imagine a live ensemble playing their hearts out audaciously, flaws and all, as musicians have always done on stage for concert performance, driven only to convey the emotional impact of the music.  “Who cares if I make a mistake?  The real score is already in the can!”  (Thank you London, BTW…)

Ok, OK, OK!  What business does a stodgy classical guy have doing string arrangements for a Rock & Roll song!   Well, it pays well, number one; number 2, Richard has vast experience recording for such greats as Aerosmith, Childish Gambino & Natasha Bedingfield.  He also composed the string arrangements for 3 of Natasha’s songs.

Spike James is a talented rocker band.  Look and listen to their new hit, An American Anthem.  Sample Snippet of Strings below …

Full song available here:  An American Anthem

An incredible experience to play back-up violin for Johnny Mathis at the Luther Burbank Performance Arts Center in Santa Rosa, CA!  He is a genuine gentleman in the truest sense… gentile, laid back, ultra-professional, kind, even humorously self-effacing.

Rehearsal moments:

I remember working with him and Johnny Mandel on an album 1990-ish.  His signature voice still has that mellow, mellifluous quality and introverted expressivity that gained him fame (think Chances Are ).   He is of that uncommon crooner talent shared with Harry Belafonte, Nat King Cole, Perry Como & Johnny Nash.

A funny side note:  My son Bren, 9, is fascinated with superheroes (especially Batman!), so I have introduced him to some old-time characters including Hercules.  I had always believed that Johnny Mathis had recorded the exuberant and beautifully-performed theme song for the Hercules cartoon and I was going to compliment Mr. Mathis at rehearsal.  Thank the stars I was stopped from mentioning it to Mr. Mathis as my Google Search revealed that the song was sung by Johnny Nash, a popular American reggae and pop singer.  Click to check out the Mighty Hercules theme…

So much tinsel, so little time … What does a Tahitian goddess, a forgetful blue tang, a couple superheros, an omnipresent actor/spy, S & M and 2 very bored futuristic space travelers have in common?  Glad you asked!

Below are some pictures capturing moments from the music-making of some of these flix.  Can you tell who’s who?

Highlights include working with Thomas Newman, Steven Spielberg, Mark Mancina and especially John Lasseter.  Here he extolls the orchestra for their ability to capture the magic of the South Pacific, adding “I want everyone who sees this picture to feel like they have just been on vacation to Tahiti!”

Richard (Violin) can be seen just behind and to the left of Danny Elfman in this spirited reprise of “Dead Man’s Party” / Oingo Boingo from Hollywood Bowl!

Hollywood Bowl just 2 lonely hours before concert:

Richard’s Piano work, The Jester’s Waltz, received Honorable Mention (only American awarded!) in the most recent Opus Dissonus Competition. World-renowned pianist, Artur Cimirro, will be recording the work and performing it on recital programs in order to disseminate the piece internationally!

Here are the words from the pianist: “First, let me congratulate you for your award, I’m Artur Cimirro, composer and pianist … I’ll be working in your funny Jester’s Waltz … We are building a kind of database of quality contemporary piano music – and you are part of it now – this is one historic moment we are building, we hope you will build it with us.  I hope my words touch the deep or your heart and art, I’ll be very happy to promote and spread your work over the world …”

In  2014, Bidwell’s Path was designated a Finalist / Instrumental Music Category in the UK Songwriting Contest. More recently, Richard’s song Warrior’s Hymn was designated a Finalist.  4 of his other songs are considered Semi-Finalists: Stefan’s Song, Chicxulub: Dinosaur Musings on the Meaning of Life,  Losing Love & Faerie’s Embrace.