WSA 2013

At the 13th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards, Brussels Philharmonic, conducted by Dirk Brossé, honours one of the greatest stars of Italian film music from the golden years of Italian cinema. Italian composer Riz Ortolani, a living legend in European film music, is the third Italian to be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, after Giorgio Moroder and Pino Donaggio.

Sharing the stage, is Guest of honour Alexandre Desplat, the internationally renowned French composer who continues to amaze with his unbelievable productivity, which certainly does not come at the cost of quality and inspiration. At this 13th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert he will be the ‘pièce de resistance’ of the evening, conducting parts of his own scores performed by Brussels Philharmonic. We also welcome back Brian Byrne, last year’s Discovery of the Year, who returns with his winning score.

As a tribute to his exceptional attention to the power of music in his films, Film Fest Gent presents Scoring for Scorsese. Like no other, Martin Scorsese distinguishes himself through the use of existing classical compositions or quoting pop and rock songs and work by classic American songwriters. Time and again, he celebrates the wide variety within the art of film music. Scoring for Scorsese will be an exciting night, packed with music by Bernard Herrman, Howard Shore, Elmer Bernstein, Philip Glass and many more.

To celebrate 40 years of Film Fest Gent, the festival presents a unique concert with specially commissioned one-minute compositions, created by forty composers who are friends of the festival. Maestro Dirk Brossé will conduct these in a special Music Celebration, performed by soloists from the Brussels Philharmonic.

Other events during this 13th edition include the Film Music Seminar, several one-time screenings with live music, the annual Meet & Greet with composers from all over the world, and a documentary that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the world of conductor and music director of Film Fest Gent Dirk Brossé.