Getting All Fan-Girly About My Favorite Composer

If you have read this blog around this time of year for the past several years (at least, since Disney took over the Star Wars franchise), then you know that I am a HUGE fan! I have now seen the last movie, The Rise of Skywalker, twice, and I will be going back for some more once I get back to my own home. Looking forward to watching this movie the third time will get me through some cold, wintery, gloomy days, I am more than sure!

I promise, I will not reveal any spoilers about the plot, the ending, or anything OTHER THAN...

My FAVORITE composer of all time has a cameo!

There. That's the only thing that I will reveal.

Mr. John Williams is my favorite composer. There is no one else who even compares in my musical universe, though Michael Giacchino is gaining on some of my other favorites right now. Mr. Williams, however, is at the pinnacle that all others are compared to and must strive to achieve!

My love affair with the music of Mr. Williams started with my first interaction. The first time I saw what is now called "Star Wars: A New Hope" was the beginning of it all. I saw it in a drive-in movie theater (because, yes, I am THAT old!). My parents thought that I would join my siblings in slumber during the late show, but I was riveted from the first scene and could not let go! While the story intrigued me, the music sucked me into the world that I was seeing. It still does.

I saw Mr. Williams in real life once.

I did not talk to him because he was across a very crowded space where a performance for children was happening and I was supervising some of those children. He stopped by to see a bit of the performance, and I froze in awe and wonder. I wish I had been on the other side of the performance venue so I could have told Mr. Williams about how much his music has influenced my musical tastes, my ambitions, my day-to-day life, and my appreciation for all things musical! Maybe I will write a letter to send into the ether of what I am sure is lots of fan mail - I could express myself in that manner.

Is Mr. Williams the reason I became a music therapist? No, but his music certainly has helped my music therapy development along the way. I am a cornetist and find that being able to play the brass lines for all of the music is wonderful. It is nice to be carrying the melody throughout a musical piece - something that doesn't always happen in orchestral pieces.  It fascinates me how much the music of this man has been a part of my musical life.

I'm going to look up the fan mail address of Mr. Williams now. I think I have a job ahead of me to put down on paper (or on this blog) exactly what I want to express to this brilliant composer...