MAGNIFICENT MOVIE MUSIC
In 2014 Rachel created several lecture series on film music that have been a huge hit, leading to many requests to bring this fascinating subject to new audiences. She has already presented multiple “Movie Music” lectures for the Academy Art Museum in Easton, the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, and many other other venues. Highlights include her gala opening performance for the 2015 Chesapeake Film Festival and a return invitation to be their 2017 festival gala closing event.
Upcoming
Magnificent Movie Music series for Spring 2019!
With fascinating film clips, witty commentary and gorgeous piano demonstrations, concert pianist and movie fanatic Rachel Franklin delves into the hidden magic of some of the greatest film music ever composed. We look at the history and craft behind the composer’s work, enjoy some Oscar-winning sounds and share great movie trivia. Fasten your seatbelts…it’s going to be a fabulous ride!”
“What a production Rachel…congratulations…..your performance closed the festival with just the ELAN and touch of eloquence and elegance we hoped to have… I am still in the Stars about it all. Fantastic job.”
~ Cid Collins Walker, Artistic Director, Chesapeake Film Festival
“We look forward to attending all of Rachel’s lecture series and concerts. If we had to pick a favorite, it would be Magnificent Movie Music! As a filmmaker, I now have a better understanding of the vital contribution the composer makes assisting the director’s vision to guide the viewer’s emotional experience as the film unfolds. I would give it five stars.”
~ Jane Barbara, Chair, ScriptDC, Women in Film & Video, Washington DC. Writer/Producer, Testa Dura Media
Rachel Franklin featured on WERA, Arlington in the Morning with Ulysses E. Campbell
Rachel Franklin Presents: Magnificent Movie Music
Experiencing superb movie music can have a life-long impact. Director Alan Parker stated “A great film score gets under your skin, triggers your subconscious, enhances the drama and helps drive the emotional power train of the movie.” With fascinating film clips, witty commentary and gorgeous piano demonstrations, concert pianist and movie fanatic Rachel Franklin delves into the hidden magic of some of the greatest film music ever composed.
Jazz: Modern Soundscapes in Film
Enjoy spectacular jazz sounds from some of the world’s great movie scores, composed by some of the world’s greatest jazz musicians, including Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, Chico Hamilton, Sonny Rollins and Miles Davis. Films range from noir and crime, to comedy and drama.
Jewish Composers and the Golden Age of Film
It is impossible to imagine many movies without the great Jewish composers of the 20th Century. Such figures as Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann and Elmer Bernstein have engraved iconic scenes with their extraordinary music. Travel through time with Dr. Rachel Franklin tracing the immigration patterns of Jewish musicians from Europe and Russia to Hollywood, and investigate how so many became such an integral part of cinematic history.
Shakespeare: the Music Behind the Movies
“The Play’s the Thing” declared Hamlet, but nowadays he could easily have substituted “The Film.” Since 1900, this haunted Dane has starred in over 50 movies! From Macbeth to Othello, Romeo and Juliet to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, virtually every play by the Bard has enjoyed multiple productions on celluloid. Master composers such as Nino Rota, Patrick Doyle and William Walton illuminate Shakespeare’s texts while helping us relate emotionally to his astonishing stories.
William Wyler: the Films and the Music
Director-superstar William Wyler made some of the most magnificent films in the Hollywood canon, and worked with many distinguished composers. This dazzling array of musical talent includes Max Steiner, Miklos Rosza and Aaron Copland, and their movies range from Ben-Hur to The Best Years of our Lives.
