WIFF’s 15th anniversary Night at the Oscars concert with the WSO
Organizers of the Windsor International Film Festival wanted to do something special for its 15 year
anniversary.
That something special was A Night at the Oscars: A WIFF Celebration concerts with the Windsor
Symphony Orchestra at the Capitol Theatre. The event was part of the WSO’s Toldo Pops series for their
2019-20 season.
Vincent Georgie, executive director and chief programmer of WIFF was the master of ceremonies
and Daniel Wiley, the WSO’s assistant conductor was the maestro for both performances.
“We are celebrating the combining elements of film and music,” said Wiley, who is also the conductor
of the Windsor Symphony Youth Orchestra and the Windsor Symphony Community Orchestra. “Vincent
is sort of my guide, so I can stay on track.”
Georgie, a professor of marketing at the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business and director
of the University’s School of Creative Arts, shared his encyclopedic knowledge of film with the orchestra
and audience.
“The students put together the film clips,” said Georgie, referring to the edited scenes from the
soundtracks of Academy Award-winning movies ranging from Gone with the Wind to The Godfather
Part II.
One notable Oscar-winner for Georgie is Slumdog Millionaire. According to Georgie, this movie
would not have been seen but thanks to the critical acclaim at film festivals, the movie got distributed.
“That’s why film festivals like WIFF are so important,” said Georgie.
Other movie scores in the concert included two who have won Oscars with two different movies. The
first was John Barry with Dances with Wolves and Out of Africa.
“This film really features the horn section which has been so instrumental in many films,” said Wiley.
“Can we give a round of applause for the horn section.”
The second was Maurice Jarre, who was a long-time composer for director David Lean, who made
Doctor Zhivago.
“Doctor Zhivago is his masterpiece,” said Georgie right before the WSO performed “Lara’s Theme.”
Wiley said he enjoyed about Lean’s next iconic film with Jarre’s musical score was the percussion
section having fun using eight timpanies (kettle drums) instead of four.
That iconic film was Lawrence of Arabia and Wiley said that should end A night at the Oscars with
something “truly epic.”
“A beautiful epic,” said Georgie.