The London Soundtrack Festival, a new festival dedicated to Film, Television, and Games Music, announced its 1st edition that will be celebrated on 19-26 March 2025.
The programm includes many concerts, masterclasses, screenings, and events, with very special guests: Howard Shore (LSF Inspiration Award recipient), Anne Dudley, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Anna Meredith, Harry Gregson-Williams, Stephen Barton, Natalie Holt, Paul Farrer, Stephanie Economou, Ludwig Forsell, Gordy Haab, Borislav Slavov, and others.
The London Soundtrack Festival has been created to reflect the ever-increasing interest and enthusiasm for film, TV and games music and to acknowledge that London is one of the most important centres for soundtracks in the world, with its legendary studios, musicians, facilities and leading creative artists from across all music disciplines.
Founded by concert producer, broadcaster and musician Tommy Pearson, the annual festival will feature major names in the film, TV and Games music industry, the best orchestras and iconic venues across the capital. We aim to be an unmissable date in the diary for all fans and concert-goers young and old, bringing the best music and performers to a wide audience with a packed programme of concerts, screenings, masterclasses and Q&As.
The London Soundtrack Festival is inspired by the life and music of our friend Christopher Gunning, the multi-award-winning composer best known for his music on TV and film, including the iconic theme to ITV’s Poirot (starring David Suchet) as well as his Bafta-winning score to the movie La Vie En Rose and famous ad campaigns for Martini and Black Magic. Following his untimely death in March 2023, Chris’s widow Sveta asked Tommy Pearson to create a festival that would match Chris’s extraordinary talent, skill and his infectious, enthusiastic spirit. In his honour, each year we present the Gunning Inspiration Award to a figure in the industry who has made a lasting impact on music with distinction and craft.
The London Soundtrack Festival is proud to collaborate with the BFI.
CONCERTS
Wed 19/3/2025 – 13:00h – Richard Harwood and Friends
Description:
Award-winning English cellist Richard Harwood, featuring special guests and Chamber Music by Film Composers. The London Soundtrack Festival gets underway at Wigmore Hall with a concert of chamber music written by composers who are best known for their work in film. Cellist Richard Harwood presents a varied programme that features concert music for solo cello, piano trio and string quartet by 5 Oscar-winners, including the premiere of a new work by Hildur Guðnadóttir, commissioned by the Festival.
Program:
- Miklós Rózsa: Toccata Capricciosa
- Dario Marianelli: I Think I Do Remember Him
- Christopher Gunning: Lament
- Hildur Guðnadóttir: New Work (Premiere – LSF commission)
- Rachel Portman: Juniper
- Bernard Herrmann: String Quartet ‘Echoes’
Artists:
- Ben Hancox – Violin
- Esther Kim – Violin
- Garfield Jackson – Viola
- Richard Harwood – Cello
- David Arch – Piano
Tickets (available 30/9/2024):
Fri 21/3/2025 – 19:30h – Friday Night is Music Night
Description:
A live broadcast of the long-running popular strand, now on BBC Radio 3. Featuring popular hits from film and television.
In a special edition of Friday Night Is Music Night as part of the inaugural London Soundtrack Festival, the BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Richard Balcombe present some of the best-known themes ever written for screens big and small, including James Bond, ET, Poirot, Out of Africa, Pride and Prejudice and a special tribute to composers and lyricists who would’ve been 100 in 2025 – Ron Goodwin (633 Squadron), Alan Bergman (Windmills of Your Mind) and Richard Sherman (Mary Poppins). Also featuring composers attending the London Soundtrack Festival: Howard Shore (Lord of the Rings) and Anne Dudley (Bright Young Things). Plus, the world premiere of a special suite of the greatest TV Quiz Show themes, arranged by Iain Farrington.
Program:
- Ron Goodwin: 633 Squadron
- James Bond Medley (arr. Stanley Black – in the BBC library)
- John Barry: Out of Africa
- Laura Karpman: Theme from The Marvels
- Christopher Gunning: Theme from Poirot (feat. solo sax)
- TV Quiz Show Suite (premiere, an LSF commission arr. Iain Farrington)
- John Williams: ET Adventures on Earth
- John Williams: Fiddler on the Roof Highlights (feat. solo violin)
- Anne Dudley: Waltz from Bright Young Things
- Michel Legrand/Alan and Marilyn Bergman: Windmills of Your Mind (instrumental)
- Howard Shore: The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
- Sergei Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2 (2nd movement) (feat. solo piano)
- Carl Davis: Pride and Prejudice (feat. piano)
- Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman: Mary Poppins Overture
Artists:
- BBC Concert Orchestra – Orchestra
- Richard Balcombe – Conductor
Tickets (available Sept 2024):
Sat 22/3/2025 – 19:30h – LSF Gala Concert
Description:
Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore receives the inaugural LSF Christopher Gunning Inspiration Award
The London Soundtrack Festival Gala Concert celebrates the career of Howard Shore, featuring music from his Oscar-winning scores for The Lord of the Rings together with music from his more than 45-year collaboration with director David Cronenberg and other highlights from Shore’s incredible career.
The gala concert will be a special night of music by this year’s Featured Artists, including Harry Gregson-Williams, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Anne Dudley, Natalie Holt and a specially-commissioned suite of the best known TV Quiz themes, arranged by Iain Farrington, all brought to the stage by some very special guest presenters.
A special focus on the music of Howard Shore, including his Oscar-winning music for the Lord of the Rings and his 45-year collaboration with director David Cronenberg. Also featuring the presentation of the LSF Gunning Inspiration Award to Howard Shore.
Program:
- Anna Meredith: Nautilus (from Eighth Grade)
- Natalie Holt: Music from Loki
- Stephen Barton: Picard Suite
- Anne Dudley: American History X
- Harry Gregson-Williams: Suite from Shrek
- Hildur Guðnadóttir: Tár, excerpts
- Arr Iain Farrington: TV Quiz Theme Suite
Special Guests:
- Howard Shore – LSF Inspiration Award recipient
- Hildur Guðnadóttir
- Anne Dudley
- Harry Gregson-Williams
- Anna Meredith
- Stephen Barton
- Natalie Holt
- Paul Farrer
Artists:
- London Philharmonic Orchestra – Orchestra
- Ben Palmer – Conductor
Tickets (available 17/9/2024):
Sun 23/3/2025 – 19:30h – Games Music: State of the Art
Description:
An unmissable celebration of Video Games Music
The Games Music: State of the Art day concludes in spectacular style with concert by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra playing music from some of the most iconic and popular Games available, including Assassin’s Creed, Baldur’s Gate 3, Star Wars Jedi Survivor, Indiana Jones, Metal Gear Solid and Battlefield 2042, introduced by the composers themselves.
Program:
- Gordy Haab: Indiana Jones
- Stephanie Economou: Music from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök
- Borislav Slavov: Baldur’s Gate 3
- Stephen Barton and Gordy Haab: Star Wars Jedi Survivor
- Stephen Barton: 1943 The Rise of Hydra
- Harry Gregson-Williams: Metal Gear Solid
- Hildur Guðnadóttir: Battlefield 2042
- Ludwig Forsell: Death Stranding
Composers:
- Stephen Barton
- Stephanie Economou
- Ludwig Forsell
- Harry Gregson-Williams
- Hildur Guðnadóttir
- Gordy Haab
- Borislav Slavov
Artists:
- Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra – Orchestra
- Pete Harrison – Conductor
Tickets (available 17/9/2024):
Tue 25/3/2025 – 20h – Great Movie Songs with Anne Dudley and Friends
Description:
Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley presents an exclusive night of great movie songs and music, backed by an orchestra and featuring very special guest vocalists.
Anne has composed many scores for film and TV, including The Crying Game, American History X, Elle, Mamma Mia Here We Go Again and the long-running TV series Poldark. She won an Oscar for her score to The Full Monty.
Her work spans the classical and pop genres and she has collaborated with many leading artists over the years. She was a founding member of the 1980s electronic music group Art of Noise, whose pioneering experiments in sound remain influential to this day. Artists who have sampled Art of Noise include The Prodigy, Drake and Dua Lipa.
Our stellar line-up of guest singers will be announced shortly!
Artists:
- Anne Dudley – Conductor
- Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra – Orchestra
- Neil Tennant, Jake Shears, Omar, Monica Mancini + other special guests to be announced – Special Guest Vocalists
Tickets (available 17/9/2024):
Wed 26/3/2025 – 19:30h – Hildur Guðnadóttir In Concert
Description:
Oscar-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir curates and performs an evening of her own incomparable music for film and TV.
Icelandic composer and cellist Hildur Guðnadóttir is one of the most exciting artists working in contemporary music today and, in a relatively short career so far, has already won an Oscar, a Bafta, a Golden Globe and two Grammys for her work in television and film.
In this concert, Guðnadóttir performs with the London Contemporary Orchestra in a specially selected programme of music from her TV and film scores, including Joker, Journey’s End, A Haunting in Venice and Chernobyl, alongside music by composers who have inspired her.
Pre-concert talk (18:15h): Hildur Guðnadóttir discusses her varied and award-winning career and the music being performed in the concert. Free to all concert ticket holders.
Program:
- Tar
- Joker
- Joker: Folie a Deux
- A Haunting in Venice
- Women Talking
- Chernobyl
- Journey’s End
- + music from Hildur’s solo album ‘Fact of the Matter’
- Mica Levi: Under The Skin
- Anna Porvaldsdóttir: Ró (from Tar)
- David Lang: Just (from Youth)
Artists:
- Hildur Guðnadóttir – Cello
- Special Guests – TBC
- London Contemporary Orchestra – Orchestra
- Robert Ames – Conductor
Tickets (available 17/9/2024):
19/3/25 – 18.15h – Modern Times – with live score
20/3/25 – 19.30h – Film: Eighth Grade with live score
MASTERCLASSES & EVENTS
- 22/3/25 – 11h – Masterclass: Paul Farrer
- 22/3/25 – 13h – Masterclass: Natalie Holt
- 22/3/25 – 15h – David Cronenberg & Howard Shore: In Conversation
- 23/3/25 – 14h – State of the Art: Games Music Day
- 24/3/25 – 12:30h – Masterclass: Harry Gregson-Williams
- 24/3/25 – 15:30h – Talk: Music in Prime Time – A History of TV Themes and Scoring
- SCREENINGS
- 22/3/25 – 11h – Film: Crash – Screening + intro by David Cronenberg & Howard Shore
- 22/3/25 – 13:30h – Film: Dead Ringers – Screening + intro by David Cronenberg & Howard Shore
- 23/3/25 – 12:30h – Film: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy + Howard Shore intro
- 24/3/25 – 14:00h – Film: Gladiator II + intro by Harry Gregson-Williams
- 25/3/25 – 17:45h – Film: Joker + Hildur Guðnadóttir intro
- 25/3/25 – 20:30h – Film: Joker: Folie à Deux + Hildur Guðnadóttir intro
