The soundtracks of great films—from the inspiring “Star Wars” theme song to the earthy melodies of “Fiddler on the Roof”—are what make films truly come alive. Just imagine one of these without the music.
In recent years, a new genre of concert has become available: the live film concert. It’s a wonderful way to get the whole family to enjoy an evening of classically performed music.
Why Live Film Concerts
Some naysayers might argue that a concert should be experienced as a concert, and a film as a film. But the reason a live film concert may be a happy medium is this: Kids and young people, in particular, might not be ready for a pure concert, and a live film concert can be a helpful entrée into the world of classical instruments and classical orchestras while providing a bit of side entertainment at the same time, so to speak.This experience would allow them to realize more fully where film soundtrack music comes from, or, in the case of digital music, and on which instruments and instrumental formation it’s based. It can allow them to put together in their minds the magic of sound with the implements used to make it.
In short, it can help make classical instruments “cool.” Instead of the begrudging attitudes you might get from kids when mentioning attending a classical concert, you might get a lot more buy-in with these.
Another benefit of live film concerts is that they can encourage listeners to listen more actively to music than normal, and to see what emotions or scenery different musical styles or melodies match up with. In fact, to take this a step further, live film concerts could not only help pave the way for a child to be a classical performer one day, but also instill in them some of the sensitivity that a composer or conductor would need as well.
On the film side of things, instead of watching a movie at home or even in a standard movie theater, the live film concert experience fosters a greater sense of community and connection, which we all know is even more important (for our societies and for our own mental health) in this post-COVID-19 age.
What They Look Like
To get a taste for what a live film concert looks like, you can search for promos of the two nature films I mentioned above (“Planet Earth Live” by the BBC and “Our Planet Live in Concert”) or a promo video of “Fantasia Live in Concert.” I find that nature scenery can be an especially immersive and beautiful way to experience live film concerts.How to Find Them
This genre isn’t one that’s as readily available as, say, a film at your local AMC or Cinemark theater, so it can take some looking to find one. In addition, the opportunities don’t come along often, and you may want to be choosy about exactly which film you take your family to, so advance planning is highly recommended.- FilmConcertsLive.com: This website is easily navigable and features lots of different films to choose from. Note that it has the schedule for countries around the world and isn’t limited to just the United States.
- CineConcerts.com: While this site is similar, it contains more information about the composers behind the music, for those who are interested in further learning.
- MoviesInConcert.nl: Here you can find showings around the world through 2025, but note that some of the concerts listed are merely concerts of film music, so it’s a good idea to read carefully and cross-check your information before making your plans.
There’s an amazing, bountiful world out there, with plenty of wholesome ways to keep kids engaged, just waiting to be experienced. Live film concerts are an excellent choice.
