According to historian Kurt London, film music was born out of necessity—it was needed to cover the sound of the projector. It wasn’t long, however, before film music took on an artistic life of its own.

During the silent era, movie theaters had to provide their own musical accompaniment, either by playing a phonograph or hiring musicians to improvise a score live. The first film composers, as we think of them today, appeared in 1929, when the ability to synchronize sound to celluloid emerged. Since then, film music has evolved from lush, sweeping symphonies to jazz-pop confections to blockbuster orchestrations combined with powerful synths.

In recent years, film music has undergone yet another transformation, with composers coming to the form not only from conservatories but also from the worlds of hip-hop, rock, jazz, and experimental music. Many work in close collaboration with directors to evoke mood as much as emotion. With programs curated by composers, Reel Change: The New Era of Film Music celebrates this period of increasingly adventurous film music and the wide-ranging influences of its most groundbreaking voices.

The LA Phil's Humanities Programs are generously supported by Linda and David Shaheen.