For DSO, 'Nightmare Before Christmas' and other films have become a musical bonanza

With a brisk wave of the conductor’s wand Tuesday during Detroit Symphony Orchestra rehearsals, one of the most celebrated movie scores of the past three decades came to life.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas,” the stop-motion holiday classic with the beloved Danny Elfman soundtrack, will be treated to a live play-along screening Wednesday night at Orchestra Hall — one of several film events lined up as the DSO heads into the heart of its 2024-25 season.

The DSO was early to the “live-to-film” concept, as it’s known in the industry, having jumped aboard in 2009. But such concerts have become increasingly popular, and the upcoming schedule is now full of them, including “Home Alone” (Dec. 11), “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (Dec. 20-21), “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (Jan. 11), “Batman (1989)” (July 25) and “The Lion King” (July 27).

For Detroit Symphony CEO and president Erik R?nmark, putting live music to movies makes an accessible entry point for prospective orchestra-goers.

“When you hear movie music like this — by composers like Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer or John Williams — you realize just how powerful an orchestra can sound,” he said.

During Tuesday’s rehearsals, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was projected on a large screen behind the DSO musicians as guest conductor Jason Seber guided musicians through the film’s overture, full of Elfman’s familiar motifs, and into the scene-setting opening song, “This Is Halloween.”

For events like this, the organization gets a version of the film with a modified audio mix that strips out the recorded music score. That role, after all, is being filled by the DSO, providing the rich textures of a live performance to enhance the experience.

It’s certainly not a traditional-looking symphony concert: Along with the movie screen in back, Seber’s conductor’s stand is armed with a laptop that streams with visual markers, cuing up placement of music in the film. Through a pair of ear pods, he hears a click track that helps him keep tempo and stay tightly in sync with the action onscreen.

But traditional or not, it’s the kind of concert that embodies the DSO’s mission of music for all people — and that can entice new fans to Orchestra Hall.

“We find that’s it’s a great way to expose audiences to the artistry of the orchestra in a different way,” R?nmark said. “It’s a way for you to bring your friends and family to something that’s a little more familiar and experience anew what great orchestral music can do for you.”

The film events come amid a bustling season that got underway in late September, when jazz giant Branford Marsalis joined the DSO and music director Jader Bignamini for the orchestra’s opening-night gala. The full lineup of coming concerts is at the DSO website.

The new season also brings some notable personnel developments.

Enrico Lopez-Ya?ez, the DSO’s recently appointed principal pops conductor, made his season premiere with a concert of “Star Wars” music, and will helm “Home for the Holidays” (Dec. 13-15) and his own Latin-pop program “La Vida Loca,” in March.

Norway’s Tabita Berglund has been named as the DSO’s principal guest conductor and, following her debut earlier this month, will return in March for another classical program.

Trumpeter Terence Blanchard, meanwhile, has been renewed as the ongoing Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director.

R?nmark said it’s all part of an artistic journey that places musical diversity as a guiding light.

“We’re very proud of having varied programming, not just across the series, but within the series themselves, and I think we outdid ourselves this year because there’s just something for everyone.”

Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: For DSO, live movie events have become a musical bonanza