Úbeda Film Music Festival Spotlights Leading Composers
The International Úbeda Film Music Festival celebrated the music of the movies in incomparable style for the sixth consecutive year July 14-18. Staged in Ciudad de Úbeda, Spain, the event revolved around numerous panel discussions, screenings, a three-day film music workshop and four breathtaking film music concerts. Featured guests included BMI composers Dave Grusin (On Golden Pond, The Goonies), Randy Edelman (Dragonheart, The Mummy 3), Nathan Barr (True Blood, Hostel), Christopher Lennertz (Alvin and the Chipmunks, Marmaduke, Medal of Honor: Rising Sun), and Jamie Christopherson (Lost Planet, Jack Hunter), as well as BMI vocalist Lisbeth Scott (Munich, The Passion of the Christ, True Blood), who all mingled with fans and industry executives from all over the world.
Held in picturesque 16th century hospital courtyards, the live performances thrilled audiences both visually and aurally, as the Malaga orchestra and accompanying choir interpreted scores written by visiting composers.
“The guys who run this festival all do other things normally—they are bank executives, lawyers, accountants, engineers, etc.,” says Doreen Ringer Ross, BMI Vice President, Film/TV Music. “They take their vacation time and volunteer to work this event because they love the music.”
Fans drawn to the event enjoyed awe-inspiring displays of virtuosity as they rubbed elbows with fellow aficionados. “They attract hundreds of other like-spirited film music fans from all over the world to come and share in this,” Ringer Ross says of event organizers. “The composers signed autographs for over four hours!”
In addition to live performances and workshops, the festival included the presentation of Jerry Goldsmith Awards and Goldspirits Awards. Goldspirits winners included BMI composers Alexandre Desplat (SACEM), named Best European Composer; Christopher Young, whose Creation was named Best European Original Soundtrack (OST) and Best Dramatic OST, while hisDrag Me to Hell earned best Terror/Thriller OST; and Alan Silvestri, whose enduring Back to the Future was named Best Edition/Reedition of a Past Original Soundtrack.
“This festival is unique in that it spawned from love,” says Ringer Ross, “love of film composers and their music. When composers go to Úbeda, they can feel this.”
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