The Los Angeles Philharmonic announced on Tuesday that it had dedicated the stage of the Hollywood Bowl to John Williams, the 93-year-old composer who has scored some of history’s most legendary films, including “Star Wars,” “E.T.” and the “Harry Potter” movies.
The new name is the first such dedication in the bowl’s 103-year history. It was officially revealed in a private ceremony on Sunday that was attended by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss and other celebrities.
The change, which included new signage for the stage, was financially supported by many of Williams’s colleagues and friends, or their philanthropic entities, including the Hearthland Foundation, founded by Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, and the J.J. Abrams Family Foundation, according to a news release.
“Few artists have shaped the sound of our collective imagination as profoundly as John Williams,” Gustavo Dudamel, the music and artistic director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which performs regularly at the bowl, said in a statement. “As we dedicate the John Williams Stage at the Hollywood Bowl, we honor not only an incomparable composer and conductor but also a dear friend whose artistry reminds us of the very purpose of music — to connect us.”
Williams first conducted at the Hollywood Bowl in 1978, and concerts of his music, including “Maestro of the Movies,” have long been put on there. In a speech at the event, he described the honor as one of “unprecedented and unequaled” generosity.
“I want to thank all of the donors in this effort, who proudly support and salute the work done by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, one of the great orchestras of the world,” he said. “The uniqueness of this honor is certainly unheard-of, and I thank all of you.”
Kim Noltemy, the president of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, who also spoke at the ceremony, characterized the bowl as “synonymous with John Williams’s music.”
“His concerts at the bowl have defined what it means to experience film music live,” she added.
Williams has composed music for more than 100 films, including “Superman,” “Jaws,” “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List.” He has won five Academy Awards and 26 Grammys. He has worked particularly closely with Spielberg, and generations of moviegoers have venerated his work, much of which is synonymous with the summer blockbuster. Many of his scores have entered their collective consciousness.
Williams got his start in film music by taking cues from his father, who played drums in studio orchestras, according to the documentary “Music by John Williams,” which was released last year.
Williams was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in 2000, and President Barack Obama awarded him the National Medal of Arts in 2009.
Derrick Bryson Taylor is a Times reporter covering breaking news in culture and the arts.
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