Legendary composer John Williams surprised guests at the Hollywood Bowl on Saturday, September 5, taking the podium during Maestro of the Movies: A Tribute to John Williams.
Williams Returns to Maestro of the Movies
Williams appeared for the show’s encore and conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic through “The Imperial March” from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. Video shared by the Hollywood Bowl shows the 94-year-old composer receiving a standing ovation as thousands of glowing lightsabers filled the amphitheater.
Notably, Williams was not among the weekend’s announced artists. David Newman conducted the main program, while actress and director Bryce Dallas Howard served as host.
The concert featured music across Williams’ legendary composing career, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Superman, Lincoln, Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List. According to the Hollywood Bowl, more than 50 minutes of specially edited film clips accompanied the music — the most in the concert’s history.
The first 500 guests entering each performance also received complimentary lightsabers. The three-night engagement runs from September 4 through September 6.
Before this weekend, Williams had not conducted during Maestro of the Movies since its July 2023 engagement, when he shared the podium with Gustavo Dudamel, conductor and music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Williams was scheduled to return in July 2024 but withdrew because of a health concern from which he was expected to recover. David Newman conducted the program in his place.
Williams subsequently withdrew from several other engagements for health reasons, including concerts at Tanglewood and with the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic orchestras. His condition was not publicly specified, and he has never formally announced his retirement from conducting.
The September 5 encore marked his first time conducting publicly since a February 22, 2024, concert at Carnegie Hall and his first return to the Maestro of the Movies podium in more than three years.
Check out the full clip from the Hollywood Bowl on Instagram:
Williams made his conducting debut at the Hollywood Bowl in 1978 and became an almost annual fixture beginning in 1981. His concerts grew into a beloved summer tradition combining famous film scores, movie clips, and the audience’s now-customary display of lightsabers during Star Wars selections.
In November 2025, the venue formally dedicated its concert stage as the John Williams Stage, making him the first artist to receive that distinction in the Hollywood Bowl’s history. Williams was also named a Disney Legend in 2024.
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