RPO: All-American John Williams (Rochester, November 2026)

About this event

Your RPO invites you to a blockbuster night with the music of John Williams – no popcorn required! The first half dives into some of the most unforgettable scores ever written for film, including Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, Schindler’s List, and much more! After intermission, the mood turns proudly red, white, and blue as the RPO performs a selection of Williams’s all-American works in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. Grand, gleaming, and full of heart, this half blends pageantry with warmth, honoring both our country and the composer who has scored so many of its milestones. From Hollywood thrills to hometown pride, this is a celebratory evening that’s big, bold, and distinctly John Williams. Liberty Fanfare

The Cowboys Overture

With Malice Toward None with Alan Tolbert, principal trumpet

Catch Me If you Can: Escapades I. Closing In III. Joy Ride with Chien-Kwan Lin, alto saxophone; Lucas Conant, vibraphone; and Jeff Campbell, bass

Raiders March (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark)

Hymn to the Fallen (Saving Private Ryan)

The Flight to Neverland (Hook)

Sound the Bells!

Theme from Schindler’s List with Juliana Athayde, concertmaster

Excerpts from Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Yoda’s Theme (Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back)

The Asteroid Field (Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back)

Throne Room and Finale (Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope)

From Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra