BATMAN” – LIVE IN CONCERT EXPERIENCE Conductor Sarah-Grace Williams Talks Bringing Danny Elfman’s Iconic Score Back to the Big Screen

“Batman” – Live in Concert is part of a global tour that brings Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster to symphony halls worldwide as a highlight of the DC in Concert series. The tour arrives in Australia as Warner Bros. Discovery celebrates 85 years of Batman throughout 2024.

Fans attending the event will experience the film projected on a massive screen while Danny Elfman’s legendary score is performed live by a full orchestra. The concert experience is enhanced with stunning stage lighting, post-event autographs, merchandise sales, and more. Attendees are encouraged to dress as their favorite DC Superhero or Super-Villain.

We had the opportunity to chat with Batman – Live in Concert conductor Sarah-Grace Williams about bringing Elfman’s iconic score back to the big screen, its impact on her work, and much more!

We are very excited to hear the iconic Danny Elfman score being played live along with the 1989 Batman film. We imagine there is a lot of preparation behind the scenes for you as conductor. How has that process been?

In the couple of months leading up to any event, I spend a lot of time with my head in the scores, preparing it for the first rehearsal. With a standard orchestral concert, this will involve analyzing the score at the piano, discovering and deciphering the structure and composer’s intentions. I really love this process, and it is no different when I am working on a film concert. I go through this same process, but I have to add the element of the screen. During the performance, I have a special monitor in front of me with information that is not seen on the main screen by the audience. This includes timecode, bar/beat counts, cue numbers, plus punches and streamers. These markings allow me to see exactly where I need the music to land so the live music performance and film align perfectly. I like to watch this several times before I am in the rehearsal room with the orchestra. The more I do this, the more familiarity I have, which allows me to conduct more organically within the prescribed constraints.

What has been the most challenging piece or song from the score to translate to a live setting?

The most complex aspect is the fact that the orchestra is live, and when we make music, we want the result to feel organic, with natural breath and space. However, we are constrained by the fact that the film cannot move at all. While we must be exact with this timing, we still want our performance to be full of musicality, not rigid and prescribed. This can be complicated to achieve sometimes.

Danny Elfman has written so many incredible pieces over the years, including his solo material and work with Oingo Boingo. What does his music mean to you?

I absolutely adore Danny Elfman’s compositional style; there is a gorgeous depth to it, with incredible coloring. He often uses recurring musical themes, or leitmotifs, that are associated with specific characters or ideas in the film, with his music traversing the same journey as the script. This is such a pleasure to navigate as a conductor.

I remember seeing the 1989 Batman film on opening weekend and have very fond memories of that. Do you remember when you first saw the film and did it have an impact on you growing up?

I can’t remember when I first saw it; I think it may have been a few years after it came out, but I do remember how much the music impacted me. I have always loved the score and would listen to it regularly. It was the first score of Elfman’s I heard.

Alongside Danny Elfman’s score is the soundtrack written by Prince. How will that be incorporated into the live performances?

The orchestral music has been removed from the soundtrack, meaning anything orchestral will be played live on stage underneath the score. However, the Prince score has been kept on the soundtrack, so along with the dialogue and special effects, you will still hear all of Prince’s wonderful music.

You have conducted live film scores for Jurassic Park, Love Actually, and The Muppets Christmas Carol in the past. Is there a film you would love to take on next?

In January 2025, I will be conducting Jaws with music by John Williams at the Sydney Opera House with The Metropolitan Orchestra. I am very excited about this one—the score is incredible!

Where did your musical journey begin? Did soundtracks and scores inspire you to become a conductor, and if so, was there one in particular that set things in motion for you?

I have been a musician my whole life. I studied performance (clarinet/piano) and composition at university, and while there, I started conducting on the side. By the time I finished my undergraduate degree, I realized I didn’t want to be a performer who conducted on the side, but instead, I wanted to be a conductor who performed on the side. So I threw myself into it completely, taking myself off to study conducting in Russia and never looked back! That was in my early twenties. When I finished studying, I returned to Australia, where I have been fortunate to be conducting ever since. I have always loved soundtracks and would regularly listen to these as I was growing up, so it was very exciting for me when I started to conduct these film scores.

Is there one piece of music or song that you have a special emotional attachment to that continues to inspire your work?

I would say there are composers that inspire me as opposed to specific pieces. There are so many, though! The list would definitely include Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Dvorak, Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms. As for film composers, like so many, I am in total awe of John Williams and his incredible lifetime of work.

You have been hailed by Limelight Magazine as one of the “10 Best Women Conductors in the World.” What advice would you give to young people with dreams of following in your footsteps?

Study as many scores as possible NOW. When you are further into your career and become busy, there isn’t the time for as much study as you would like. I very regularly wish I had more time to just sit and study, but with my hectic schedule, there is definitely some cramming involved sometimes. So, get as many scores learned and under your belt now; your older self will thank you!

Last question, who is the best Batman?

Michael Keaton. Without question!