It’s commonplace these days for tribute concerts to celebrate famous movie scores and soundtracks. But this wasn’t always the case. Film music was originally used to cover the excessive noise of the film projectors in movie theatres. It wasn’t until the first half of the 20th century that filmmakers realised their importance in the movie-watching experience.
Luckily for us viewers, soundtracks are now considered an art form and their composers are finally receiving their flowers. Thanks to Candlelight concerts in Singapore, you can hear scores by the likes of A. R. Rahman, Joe Hisaishi and many more performed live amid a sea of candles.
Table Of Contents
Featured Candlelight Soundtrack concerts
Candlelight: A Tribute to Joe Hisaishi
Influenced by minimalist composers like Steve Reich and Philip Glass, Joe Hisaishi’s music is pared back yet carries immense emotional weight. The enchanting worlds of Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Spirited Away become even more captivating with Hisaishi’s powerful compositions weaving through their stories. Immerse yourself in the magic of Hisaishi’s music at The Arts House—an evening of nostalgia, adventure, and moving melodies.
All upcoming Candlelight soundtrack tribute concerts
Where to see live film score concerts in Singapore
Candlelight film score tributes are illuminating venues across Singapore, including The Arts House, CHIJMES Hall and S.E.A. Aquarium. Iconic blockbusters, anime classics and soundtrack favourites from our childhood shine as classical musicians perform inside these gorgeous settings. What’s more, there are also movie score concerts taking place inside Victoria Concert Hall and Esplanade Concert Hall, paying tribute to a host of composers including John Williams.
“I think it’s great to see that there is such a connection to film music and the way people react or connect to a character or scene.” – Ramin Djawadi
How do great soundtracks help storytelling in film?
Music in film can set the tone of a scene and give a sense of what is gong on and how the characters feel. Oftentimes when you hear preppy and fast-paced music, audiences realise that the overall mood is light and jolly. If however, the scores feature a minor tonality and a slower tempo, this might mean that something rather sad or dark has happened, in return, making the audience feel sorrowful, as well.
Another important function of film music is to give clues as to the whereabouts of the film or a particular scene. The characters don’t need any dialogue to let audiences know where and when the movie takes place. For instance, in many period films, you often hear classical music to hint at the historic era. You’ll hear Baroque music play when the film is set in the 17th or early 18th century.
A Fun Film Score Fact
The most successful soundtrack in movie and music history is The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album. It was released in 1992 along with the film and it features the impressive vocals of Whitney Houston, who also starred in the film.