Not that there could ever be enough accolades to thank The Maestro John Williams for all the incredible music he has created over many decades, but one that would certainly touch his heart is this, the naming last Wednesday of a performing arts center at his alma mater, North Hollywood High School in Los Angeles, part of an approximately $320 million comprehensive modernization project of the school.
Williams, who has earned more than 50 Academy Award nominations and five Oscar wins over his career, returned to the campus to help officially open the John Williams Performing Arts Center. During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the composer welcomed students into the space and encouraged them to make it their own.
“I’m overwhelmed and full of joy because this place, the couple of years I spent here like you are doing have been, for me, formative in my thinking, in my professional work and so on,” he said. “This is a great, magical place.”
The celebration included performances from North Hollywood High’s marching band, which played music from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and the school’s symphony orchestra, which performed selections from “Star Wars.” Williams watched and praised the students as they showcased his iconic music.
