Movie and Music : It ’ s a Wonderful Life
{ program notes
Movie and Music : It ’ s a Wonderful Life
Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall Thursday , December 15 , 2016 — 7pm Friday , December 16 , 2016 — 7pm
Presenting Sponsor :
Justin Freer
Justin Freer , a conductor and producer
of film music concerts around the world , began his formal studies on trumpet , playing in wind ensembles , marching bands and community orchestras . He quickly turned to piano and composition , composing his first work for wind ensemble at age 11 . He gave his professional conducting debut at age 16 .
Mr . Freer has written music for trumpeters Doc Severinson and Jens Lindemann . He composed and conducted music for the 2011 and 2012 Major League Soccer Championship in Los Angeles , CA , and has served as composer for several independent films . He has written advertising music for 20 th Century Fox Studios ’ motion picture campaigns including Avatar , The Day the Earth Stood Still , Dragonball Evolution and Aliens in the Attic .
Mr . Freer ’ s works have been performed by the Musashino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble , Texas All-State Symphonic Band , the Grand Symphonic Winds , and the wind bands of several colleges and universities . His music has been discussed at the Oxford Round Table of Scholars and has been performed throughout the world
Justin Freer , Conductor Handel Choir of Baltimore
The concert will end at approximately 9:30pm
It ’ s a Wonderful Life Live Produced by CineConcerts “ IT ’ S A WONDERFUL LIFE ” licensed by PARAMOUNT PICTURES . This Program licensed by PARAMOUNT PICTURES .
from New York City ’ s Carnegie Hall to Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall .
As a conductor , Mr . Freer has appeared with major orchestras in the U . S . and abroad . Upcoming seasons will see his debut with the New York , London and Tokyo philharmonics and repeat performances with the orchestras of Philadelphia , Chicago , St . Louis and others .
He has been recognized by organizations including ASCAP , BMI , the Society of Composers and Lyricists and the Henry Mancini Estate . He is the Founder and President of CineConcerts , a company dedicated to preserving the concert presentation film and TV music set to picture , for which he has produced and conducted performances for Gladiator , The Godfather , Breakfast at Tiffany ’ s and It ’ s a Wonderful Life , among others . He spent several years as one of the principal conductors for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy In Concert and is scheduled to conduct the European concert run of Titanic .
Mr . Freer , born and raised in Huntington Beach , CA , earned both his B . A . and M . A . degrees in music composition from UCLA .
Justin Freer last appeared with the BSO in August 2016 , conducting the film score to John Williams ’ s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer ’ s Stone .
Roy Cox
Arian Khaefi
Arian Khaefi was named Artistic Director and Conductor of Handel Choir of Baltimore in 2013 . He serves as Director of Choral Activities at Towson University , where he conducts the University Chorale and Men ’ s and Women ’ s Choruses , teaches applied lessons in conducting and administers a choral program of six choirs .
Before coming to Baltimore , Mr . Khaefi served as Conductor of the Windsor Classic Chorale in Windsor , Ontario and as Assistant Conductor of the University Choral Society at the University of Michigan . He has prepared choruses for leading conductors including Peter Grunberg , Martin Katz , Christopher Warren-Green , Leonard Slatkin and James Conlon . Mr . Khaefi ’ s guest conducting has taken him across the Mid-Atlantic , and he has presented lectures and master classes both nationally and internationally .
Arian Khaefi last appeared with the BSO conducting the Handel Choir of Baltimore in Video Games Live !
Handel Choir of Baltimore
Now in its 82 nd season , Handel Choir of Baltimore is regarded as one of the region ’ s top choral ensembles . Led by Artistic Director and Conductor Arian Khaefi , the ensemble brings together singers and players from across the Mid-Atlantic to perform repertoire ranging from early music to newly commissioned works by some of the field ’ s best current practitioners .
Handel Choir of Baltimore last appeared with the BSO in July 2014 , performing in Video Games Live !, Emmanuel Fratianni , conductor .
Handel Choir of Baltimore
Christian Armonson
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