Experience John Williams's score performed live by the New York Philharmonic to Steven Spielberg's out-of-this-world film.
Richard Kaufman has devoted much of his musical life to conducting and supervising music for film and television productions, as well as performing film and classical music in concert halls and on recordings. The 2018–19 season marks his 13th with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's CSO at the Movies series and his 28th as principal pops conductor of the Pacific Symphony. He holds the permanent title of pops conductor laureate with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
Upcoming engagements include Mr. Kaufman's debuts with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and returns to the Detroit and Hawaii Symphony Orchestras, The Cleveland Orchestra, and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Recent highlights include debuts with the New York Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and Handel and Haydn Society.
In 2015 Mr. Kaufman made his conducting debut with the Boston Pops Orchestra, substituting for John Williams, who invited him to share the podium at the annual Tanglewood Film Night in 2016. In July 2016, two days before its official theatrical release, he conducted the San Diego Symphony in a live performance of Michael Giacchino's new score for Star Trek Beyond, accompanying the film in its gala world premiere in IMAX.
One of the world's leading conductors of film music, Mr. Kaufman regularly appears with the Cleveland, San Francisco, Atlanta, St. Louis, London, Liverpool, Dublin, Indianapolis, and San Diego symphony orchestras and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. He is often asked to conduct such legendary film titles as Singin' in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz, Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Casablanca, The Bride of Frankenstein, Jaws, Pirates of the Caribbean, Silverado, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Amadeus, and Star Trek.
Richard Kaufman received the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. He supervised music for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios for 18 years, receiving two Emmy nominations.