‘Richard Gere kisses differently when there’s no music’

The International Film Music Competition is celebrating its 10th anniversary. What do you think makes this event so appealing?

The competition itself is certainly at the heart of it all. One short film, three film scores – it allows you to experience, in a very compact space, what different compositions do to the images and how they alter the effect. At the cinema, you’re often completely unaware of just how important the music is. But a Richard Gere kisses differently when it’s missing; and a dark room with a pale girl in it only becomes eerie when the right soundtrack is added. Experiencing the film scores live with an orchestra in the Tonhalle amplifies this effect even further.

At the end, one of the film scores is awarded a prize. Do you always agree with the jury’s decisions?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It’s just like the Eurovision Song Contest for me – I often back the wrong ones… Then I’m always interested in the jury’s reasoning. I’m always amazed at what these experts can hear!

This time, Rachel Portman is the jury president – the first woman to win an Oscar for film music, in 1997 for *Emma*.

I’m really looking forward to seeing what she brings to the role, precisely because film music is still a rather male-dominated industry. You can see that in this competition too; so far, only one female composer has ever won. Women are also few and far between in the Swiss film music scene, from which we feature someone every year. But when I hear what’s currently happening at the Zurich University of the Arts, that’s starting to change. By the time the event celebrates its 20th anniversary, the statistics will no doubt be different.

This is the eighth time you’ve hosted the competition: of all the film music greats you’ve encountered, who has impressed you the most?

The first person who springs to mind is Mychael Danna, last year’s jury president. He’s a Hollywood legend, so you never know what to expect: is he difficult, does he act like a star? But not only was he very ‘down to earth’, he’s genuinely passionate about music – regardless of whether it’s by students or a renowned composer. And then I’d like to mention Frank Strobel, who conducts the evenings: without him, the film music competition wouldn’t be what it is. The way he manages to make the orchestra flow whilst always remaining perfectly in sync with the images – I have the utmost respect for that.

Film music presents very different challenges not only for conductors but also for composers compared to ‘normal’ symphonic music.

Yes. On the one hand, they have to be extremely creative; on the other, they are craftspeople who often have to write their music to the second for a specific commission. Many of them are brilliant, but only a very few are famous: John Williams, for example, or Hans Zimmer, who was actually here once – unfortunately in a year when I wasn’t able to host the event. Most of the others aren’t even known by name; the industry is totally underrated. Film music is much better than people think!

‘The competition works like a shoehorn: as the ideal gateway into the world of film music.’

You clearly love this genre…

I’m actually very drawn to this sort of – how shall I put it? – more commercially produced form of classical music. When I get to sit in with the orchestra during rehearsals, it’s a real highlight for me. In the cinema, the music just plays in the background; here in the Tonhalle, you really notice how well it’s written.

Does that change how you perceive it at the cinema too?

It actually happens to me now that, after a trip to the cinema, I say – wow, that music was good; and not just with symphonic film music, which is the focus of this event, but also with other styles, such as jazzy or electronic soundtracks. That would never have happened to me before, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way. This competition plays an important role in that respect. It opens people’s ears and raises the audience’s awareness of an underrated art form. In that sense, it acts like a shoehorn: as the ideal introduction to the world of film music.