A-list composers to attend British Film Music Concert

The concert Great British Film Music will offer an anthology of the work of both classical and contemporary British film composers, who have made an abiding contribution to the reputation and popularity of cinema in the UK. Brussels Philharmonic will perform a selection of their finest compositions, conducted by Dirk Brossé.

Naturally the concert will include George Fenton’s scores for films by Ken Loach, a director with whom he established a long-standing collaboration. During his career Fenton also composed for Stephen Frears (‘Dangerous Liaisons’, ‘Mary Reilly’), Neil Jordan (‘The Company of Wolves’, ‘High Spirits’) and Richard Attenborough (‘Gandhi’, ‘Cry Freedom’) and will therefore also receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for his entire oeuvre. The work of Michael Nyman, including his mesmerising music for Peter Greenaway’s films 'The Draughtsman’s Contract’ and ‘Drowning by Numbers’ will also be performed, as well as his hypnotic piano theme from Neil Jordan’s adaptation of Graham Greene’s novel ‘The End of the Affair’.

The Bard cannot be absent at a British film music concert so on that account Stephen Warbeck’s sublime music for ‘Shakespeare in Love’ as well as Patrick Doyle’s score for Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing' will be two of the Shakespeare adaptations on the line up. As announced earlier, Patrick Doyle will also receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert on Saturday 24th of October.

Craig Armstrong will attend the premiere of the concert performance of his music for Thomas Vinterberg’s Thomas Hardy adaptation ‘Far from the Madding Crowd', starring national pride Matthias Schoenaerts. Another concert premiere will be a composition by Alex Heffes for 'The Program', the latest film by Stephen Frears on fallen athlete Lance Armstrong. (Heffes' presence at the festival is still to be confirmed).

In addition to these British contemporary film composers there will be music included from classical composers such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, William Walton and legendary British composers of the sixties and seventies: John Barry (‘The Ipcress File’ and ‘The Knack’), Richard Rodney Bennett (‘Murder on the Orient Express’), Ron Goodwin (‘Where Eagles Dare’) and John Dankworth (‘Modesty Blaise’).

Artistic director Patrick Duynslaegher: "We are honoured that so many composers will attend the Great British Film Music concert and have expressed their appreciation for the consistent spotlight that Film Fest Gent chooses to shine on (the work of) film composers and their valued contribution to a film’s process.”

GREAT BRITISH FILM MUSIC CONCERT
Thursday, October 22nd 2015 in Music Centre De Bijloke in Ghent.
Music will be performed by Brussels Philharmonic and conducted by Dirk Brossé.
Tickets can be ordered through this link.