STEP INTO HOLLYWOOD’S MUSICAL LEGACY
Beverly Hills is about to become the epicenter of cinematic symphony. On Saturday, January 18, 2025, the Scott Dunn Orchestra makes its grand debut at The Wallis in Beverly Hills with The Hollywood Modernists: The Second Golden Age of Film Scoring.
This thrilling new ensemble, featuring many of Hollywood’s–if not the world’s–finest studio musicians, is dedicated to spotlighting the artistry of film music. Its inaugural performance will transport audiences back to the mid-20th century, showcasing unforgettable scores from A Streetcar Named Desire, North by Northwest, To Kill a Mockingbird, East of Eden, and more. Adding to the excitement is the world premiere of David Raksin’s “Song After Sundown,” written for John Cassavetes’ 1961 noir, Too Late Blues, in which a jazz-band pianist (Bobby Darin in his first non-singing role) bottoms out because of a blonde (Stella Stevens), then tries for a comeback. Originally scored for jazz saxophonist Stan Getz and the Boston Pops, this will be one for the books.
Scott Dunn - photo by Jeff Roffman
Scott Dunn, the orchestra’s visionary conductor and Associate Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra — whose Jan 10 concert with Cody Fry at Disney Hall has been postponed due to the L.A. fires — couldn’t be more passionate about the mission. “The music of these composers — Bernard Herrmann, Elmer Bernstein, Alex North, Leonard Rosenman — is some of the greatest ever written. It’s time these works shine on their own, free from their cinematic origins,” Dunn says.
Dunn promises audiences a journey that goes beyond nostalgia. “We’re not just revisiting the past,” he explains. “We’re celebrating the innovation and artistry that made these scores timeless—and showing why they deserve to be part of the orchestral canon.”
The Wallis Delivers the Magic of Film Music
The Wallis’ Bram Goldsmith Theater provides the perfect venue for this celebration, offering an intimate yet grand setting for these musical masterworks. Robert van Leer, Executive Director and CEO of The Wallis, sees this partnership as a natural fit. “With Hollywood’s storied musical history, it’s only right that Los Angeles has a dedicated orchestra to honor it. The Scott Dunn Orchestra fills that role perfectly.”
With tickets starting at just $29, this is your chance to experience the magic of Hollywood’s golden age like never before. Don’t miss the debut of an orchestra that’s destined to become a Los Angeles institution.
But that’s just the beginning. On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the orchestra returns to The Wallis with Henry Mancini at 100, a vibrant centennial celebration of the maestro behind The Pink Panther, Peter Gunn, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Known for his groundbreaking fusion of jazz and orchestral styles, Mancini’s legacy will come alive with performances of dramatic pieces like Days of Wine and Roses and Wait Until Dark alongside his signature hits.
Mancini (1924-1994) composed music for nearly 250 films — including 30 with Blake Edwards — and roughly 500 songs which were born out of his film scores (Mancini never considered himself a “songwriter”; he noted not long before his passing, “I don’t know if I’ve ever written a song that wasn’t on assignment. All the things that were successful were title or love themes from films … I was always trying to be a quote, unquote, film composer.” With the likes of Johnny Mandel and Alex North, Mancini pushed for the inclusion of jazz elements in television and film scoring. And it was his creation of themes — timeless melodies — that would be used to inform an entire soundtrack. Remember THEMES in film scores??!! (Quick pause to mourn.)
What: The Hollywood Modernists: The Second Golden Age of Film Scoring
When: Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills
Tickets: Starting at $29; available at TheWallis.org or by phone at 310-746-4000
Upcoming: Henry Mancini at 100, Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
