The Musicians at Play (MAP) Foundation is reuniting mentors, professional film and television scoring musicians and students with the fourth annual RISE Film Scoring Orchestra on February 15th and 16th. More than 50 students aged 16 to 27 will participate in the film scoring initiative created to increase diversity among today’s studio session players recording famous soundtracks to blockbuster film and TV shows.
The Apprenticeship Program is a first of its kind, created by MAP Co-Founders April and Don Williams. The students will learn from masters in the craft, or MAP Mentors, who work with the students on a series of rehearsals before heading to the famous Clint Eastwood Scoring Stage on the Warner Brothers Lot.
“Each year, we’re astounded at the growth of the program, the interest from the students auditioning, and the community partners and professionals coming together to make this incredible program a success,” said MAP’s April Williams, who serves as Executive Director. “We’re thrilled that now we have a fully accredited apprenticeship program that is federally recognized and supported so that we can also help create opportunities for these young professionals as they start their careers.”
Timed to coincide with Black History Month, MAP’s RISE mentorship program offers high-level training among the studio system’s most talented orchestra members, pairing professional studio musician mentors with BIPOC music students in Southern California interested in careers in the feature film and TV arena. To date, MAP’s RISE program has mentored nearly 200 students in the four years, providing exposure to underrepresented communities and the ability to learn about careers in the music industry.
Conductor Anthony Parnther serves as MAP’s Artistic Director and will once again take the helm in creating the music program for the weekend, adding, “This year, I’m thrilled to see so many promising young musicians interested in developing their craft and knowledge of the film and TV scoring industry. I’m delighted to serve as a mentor and privileged to witness them grow as artists over the course of the sessions.”
This year, MAP’s RISE Film Orchestra will also include an award-winning 58-person student choir from Burbank Unified School District as part of the weekend programming.
MAP’s RISE Film Scoring Orchestra was founded in 2022 by music industry professionals including Anthony Parnther, Reggie Wilson, Booker White and John Acosta, and, the musician mentors featured in the program are credited on soundtracks to films like Star Wars, UP, L.A. Confidential, The Bourne Identity, Schindler’s List, Home Alone, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and JAWS, to name a few.
The Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture provides funding for the program. Kristin Sakoda, Director for the organization, added: “We are thrilled to support important initiatives like RISE that provide opportunities for emerging student artists on our professional music stages, in film and TV, and throughout the arts and creative economy of our county.”
In addition to funding from grant programs through the arts, once again Netflix will also join in supporting the program as a sponsor through the Netflix Fund for Creative Equity, the company’s $100 million commitment to help build new pathways for underrepresented communities within entertainment.
The Musicians at Play (MAP) Foundation, founded by the family of composer John Williams, hopes to serve diverse communities that struggle with consistent music education. To support further programming, donations can be made at www.musiciansatplay.org.
