Multiple Emmy Award-winning composer Jeff Beal, whose credits include the acclaimed TV series “House of Cards,” and “Battleground” from the Stephen King series “Nightmares & Dreamscapes,” will preside over a special “stage-to-screen” concert.
Beal will join the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra on stage for “Battleground – Music Performed Live to Screen on Stage,” as University of Miami Frost School of Music’s kicks off its “Frost Music Live!” signature concert series.
The format for Friday’s “screen to stage” concert features scores being performed by a full symphonic orchestra, while a video montage of clips from the shows are broadcast on a large screen.
From 2006, “Battleground,” was the premiere episode of the eight-episode TNT anthology series, “Nightmares and Dreamscapes,” which dramatized Stephen King short stories.
“Battleground,” is a masterpiece of suspense special effects, and is stunning and thrilling, ” says Beal. “In fact, the film won both the Emmy for special effects, and for my score, and I think the audience will see why when they experience this film,” he adds.
Beal is a prolific composer, as well as a pianist, trumpeter and guitarists. Among his work are scores from “House of Cards,” “The Queen of Versailles,” “Blackfish,” “Oliver Stone’s The Putin Interviews,” and many, many more. In regards to his score for “Blackfish,” the late Roger Ebert wrote of Beal’s ability “to invoke many genres; thriller, mystery, melodrama.” He also has produced seven solo CD’s.
In addition to “Battleground,” Beal will also present musical suites from a broad range of his work – “Boston,” the 2017 documentary about the Boston Marathon, narrated by Matt Damon; “Pollock,” which was directed and starred Ed Harris as the painter Jackson Pollock; another Ed Harris film, the 2008 American Western “Appaloosa,” and the soon-to-be-released film “Bigger.”
“‘Bigger’ is coming out this fall so this will be a bit of a sneak peek of the film,” says Beal. “It’s a wonderful film chronicling the Weider brothers, (Joe and Ben) who helped found the modern day body building sport and fitness craze. They discovered Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the score’s main title sounds a bit like “Rocky,’” he adds.
As for “Boston,” Beal recorded that film score with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the concert production will be a great example of these “screen-to-stage” concerts that are becoming so popular both with concertgoers as well as symphonic orchestras.
“Many folks might think of a symphony orchestra as an old fashioned tradition, but when you see a film score performed live to picture, and other music from recent films it resonates, hopefully, in a current and meaningful way for a contemporary audience,” says Beal.
“Our world is full of screens and technology but nothing can supplant the thrill of a live orchestra concert,” he adds.
Beal’s work should also be of particular interest to Miami audiences, as the composer currently is immersing himself in the culture and lore of the Magic City as he fashions the score for “Grand Hotel,” a new series that Eva Longoria is producing for ABC.
“‘Grand Hotel,’ which premieres later this year, is a wonderful show about a family of hotel owners, kind of in the spirit of “Dynasty.’’ It’s very soapy, colorful, and fun, and I love translating what I love about this part of the country into music,”’ he says.
What gives Beal special joy about Friday’s program is that he worked with the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra a few years ago, for a program featuring his “House of Cards,” scores, and he relishes the opportunity to do so again, he says.
“The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra is really one of the cultural treasures of Miami,” says Beal, adding, “I hope the people here will discover this somewhat hidden gem, and come back for more live music.”
“Frost Music Live! Battleground – Music Performed Live to Screen on Stage,” will be performed at 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 7, at the UM Maurice Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Dr., Coral Gables, Fla., 33146. Tickets, $20-$40. Call 305-284-2400. www.frostmusiclive.com, email: fmtickets@miami.edu.
