Watch One of Hollywood’s Biggest Pictures Accompanied By Live Orchestra Music at the 2019 Beach Road Weekend
Some dates deserve a place in Martha’s Vineyard history.
They include 1922 when the original MV hospital was built; 1923 when the steamer Islander, the first modern car carrying vessel to the island, made its maiden voyage; 1923 when the Great New England Hurricane destroyed Menemsha; and of course, 1974 and 1975, when the iconic film JAWS was filmed on the Vineyard and subsequently released.
A more recent date will soon be added to the selective list. On August 9, 2019, as part of the inaugural Beach Road Weekend, a new music festival debuting at Vineyard Haven’s Veterans Memorial Park, the Hollywood blockbuster film JAWS in concert kicks-off this highly anticipated event.
In a truly one-of-a-kind film experience, the celebrated Cape Symphony will perform the entire score in sync with what is unquestionably one greatest motion pictures of all times. On a recent list of the greatest film scores of all time, JAWS takes the No. 9 spot.
Cape Symphony’s artistic director and conductor Jung-Ho Pak will lead the orchestra through this uniquely perfect pairing of film and music.
An accomplished conductor, Jung-Ho has worked with acclaimed performers such as Yo-Yo M and James Taylor and has conducted orchestras around the world. Passionate, energetic, and engaging, watch him in action and you fell the notes coursing through his veins and releasing through his finger in total presence and unrivaled creativity.
This Week on MV had the pleasure of speaking with Jung-Ho ahead of the August 9 event.
TW: What makes JAWS the perfect movie to be accompanied by an orchestra?
Jung-Ho: This kind of collaboration only works if you have the right film and JAWS is it. Just listen to the first two notes of the film’s score and you understand why this works. John Williams did it all brilliantly. When the film’s producers got into the editing room and discovered they didn’t have enough good foot-age of the shark, they had to create suspense that otherwise would have come from the shark. They did it with sound. In short, the music is the shark. Most people recognize a melody from a film’s soundtrack. For example, with film scores that have no lyrics, like Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark, no one walks around singing those tunes. But with JAWS, mention the film and people belt out those first two memorable notes.
TW: Will we saw more of these collaborations?
Hung-Ho: Yes. And it is aboom to the symphony and film industries. The symphony space has long been unheralded. This kind of tie-up brings new life into what the symphony is all about. We are much more than men and women in black tuxedos and evening wear. Most people leave a movie when the credits start rolling. We are slowly seeing more and more people wait until the very end so that they can enjoy the entire film score. That’s progress.
TW: When members of the orchestra glance at you, what are they looking for?
Jung-Ho: That is a great question and I will emphasize “glance.” They look to me for the beat and the tempo. That is how we stay together. They use their ears. They also look at me for emotion— to see what I am feeling–and they follow that lead. You could say I am like a traffic cop.
TW: You perform with so much energy and emotion. Is there a special workout routine you follow to prepare for a perfor-mance?
Jung-Ho: I wish I has a sexy answer for that, but in truth, most of my preparations concern meetings, planning, and details.
But I will unequivocally say that what I do is so rewarding and wonderful. I want others to feel that as well. We can all feel some-thing different, but we all need to feel something to appreciate the music. Music means different things to different people. When played right and appreciated, music takes on its own life. If an orchestra, and/or a conductor, are not inspired, it is not an emo-tional experience. It is technical. I am always inspired and I bring that to every performance.
TW: Do you ever just “jam” or let loose and rock out?
Jung-Ho: I sadly don’t listen to the radio anymore nor doI listen to music at all. When I need a break from work, I am not listening to music. I am focused on world events and trends, including where the consumer is heading next. That said, when I listen to popular music I turn to YouTube for jazz, classic rock, folk, and classic country.
TW: Any parting thoughts?
Jung-Ho: See you at the movies.
For tickets and more information, visit https://www.beachroadweekend.com/
