John Williams, 94, Surprises Hollywood Bowl Crowd by Conducting “Star Wars”’ ‘Imperial March’
John Williams, 94, Surprises Hollywood Bowl Crowd by Conducting “Star Wars”’ ‘Imperial March’
Angelique BrenesMon, September 7, 2026 at 10:22 PM UTC
0
John Williams performing in 2016Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty Images -
John Williams, 94, surprised more than 13,000 fans at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 4
The legendary composer conducted the “Imperial March” from Star Wars during the encore
Williams has earned 59 Oscar nominations and five wins over his celebrated career
John Williams gave fans a surprise they won’t soon forget.
The 94-year-old legendary composer made an unexpected appearance in front of more than 13,000 people at the Hollywood Bowl on Sept. 4. Williams joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic onstage and conducted the “Imperial March” from Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back during the encore of Maestro of the Movies: A Tribute to John Williams.
The venue shared a video of the special moment on social media. “In a galaxy not so far away, we were thrilled to welcome John Williams back home to the Hollywood Bowl tonight!” the caption read.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic replied to the post with a message of its own, reading, “We 💙 you, John Williams!”
The appearance was a fitting celebration of Williams, whose music has defined some of the biggest movies of the past several decades. The Hollywood Bowl tribute features selections from his iconic scores, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Jaws and Jurassic Park, as well as more than 50 minutes of edited scenes from his films, according to the show’s official description.
Williams has a deep connection to the Hollywood Bowl. Los Angeles audiences have watched him conduct there since the late 1970s, and the Bowl stage was dedicated to him on Nov. 9, 2025, according to the venue’s website.
“His concerts at the Bowl have defined what it means to experience film music live. This dedication honors not only his artistic brilliance but also the way he has helped shape the Bowl into the most recognizable stage for symphonic film music,” Los Angeles Philharmonic President and CEO Kim Noltemy said at the time.
Advertisement
Although Williams is no longer conducting publicly, his music continues to fill the Hollywood Bowl. This weekend’s concerts feature music from four of his five Academy Award-winning scores and span 37 years of his film-composing career, according to the official website.
Williams is a 54-time Oscar nominee, with most of his nominations coming in the Best Original Score category. He won his first Oscar in 1972 for Best Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score for Fiddler on the Roof and won Best Original Score Oscars for Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, Star Wars, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Schindler’s List.
With 59 total Oscar nominations, Williams is the most-nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in Oscar history after Walt Disney. His 2023 nomination for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny also made him the oldest Oscar nominee ever.
— sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Williams has also composed music for four Olympic Games, including the “Olympic Fanfare and Theme” that was written for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“All I want to do is work,” he told PEOPLE in 1980. “The impulse to make music is the greatest fun in life. I guess I’m living my dream. I’m just asking for more of it.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
