‘Music of John Williams’
The force of music awakens (sorry, folks) as the Phoenix Symphony performs greatest hits from the composer who scored all of the “Star Wars” films, plus “Superman,” three “Harry Potters” and 26 Steven Spielberg films, from “Jaws” to “Schindler’s List.”
Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. $48-$98. 602-495-1999, phoenixsymphony.org.
‘Writer’s block’ symphony
The Phoenix Symphony is spotlighting contemporary composers throughout the season, and next up is Andrew Norman, whose 2008 piece “Unstuck” is about that ultimate bane of creative artists, writer’s block. Soprano Ah Young Hong visits to sing Poulenc’s “Gloria,” and the program, led by maestro Tito Muñoz, climaxes with Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony.
Details: Two venues: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St. $39-$59. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 22-23, at Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. $18-$79. Coffee Classics performance (shortened program), 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 22, at Symphony Hall. $18-$39. 602-495-1999, phoenixsymphony.org.
