“La La Land” In Concert

Illustration by Andrea Leung

I’ve listened to the “La La Land” soundtrack quite a few times, but I’d never felt it until I listened to the live orchestra play it right in front of me. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the release of “La La Land”, so the film is going on tour with a full orchestra and a jazz ensemble to play the soundtrack in sync with a screening of the film. “La La Land” is one of my favorite movies, so you know I had to find a way to attend. I have always loved how the soundtrack drives the plot, instead of just accompanying the visuals.

I arrived at Atlanta Symphony Hall, and everyone understood the assignment for the unspoken dress code. I even saw a couple of women wearing the same yellow dress from the movie which made me so happy. As the audience quickly filled up, the musicians slowly trickled in. The musicians who arrived early were silently rehearsing their music, and most arrived within five minutes of showtime. I saw a bass clarinet, which I played, and I became even more eager to hear it all come together. 

The lights finally dimmed, and the orchestra began tuning. Tuning is a lovely and nostalgic sound for me because I grew up playing in concert bands. After they were done tuning, the conductor strutted onto the stage, and her flowy sleeves were so mesmerizing when she began to conduct. The first note of the overture immediately made me feel like I was entering a new world. 

The overture sets up the feeling of being inspired, putting yourself out there, and waiting for what comes next. Then, the actual movie started and “Another Day Of Sun” began shortly after. Being so close to the source of the music allows you to feel every single beat, and I was just so ecstatic through this whole thing because I was feeding off of that energy of the orchestra. Because I noticed the bass clarinet earlier, I was able to pick it out, which is something I couldn’t do just listening to the soundtrack. The jazz ensemble was phenomenal, and an extra shoutout to the pianist for playing all movie long. 

“A Lovely Night” is where I first realized how much of the story is told through music. The tension between Mia and Sebastian saying they aren’t into each other, yet the melody is pulling them closer, and suddenly they are dancing together. The introduction to “Mia & Sebastian’s Theme” is in the scene where they first meet, and then it follows them and their journey throughout the film. I both love and hate their theme because it is so beautiful, but it reminds me of what could’ve been between them. I feel like the melody and the specific notes Justin Hurwitz chose reflect the dual nature of ambition in Los Angeles. The joy of chasing your dreams, yet having to sacrifice the love that can’t survive the different paths. 

The epilogue will haunt me for the rest of my life. For the longest eight minutes ever, the movie played out the life that Mia and Sebastian could have had, with very little dialogue. The music did all the speaking it needed to, bringing back familiar melodies with slight changes to show what they were still holding onto. The whole “what if” sequence, along with the music, goes to show how love can still be deeply real and meaningful, even if it was only temporary. Hearing it live was a real tearjerker, and it didn’t help that I wasn’t wearing waterproof mascara. The trumpet player stood up and performed his solo, and he truly nailed every single note, even the extremely high ones. The audience erupted in applause as soon as he finished because it was that incredible.

This movie is unforgettable because of its soundtrack, and hearing it live proved that to me. From the overture that made me feel like I was entering a new world, to picking out the bass clarinet in the songs, to watching a whole room hold its breath through the epilogue, the music was never about just accompanying the story. It was telling the story the entire time. Having grown up around concert bands, I already knew how special live music is, but this was the first time I got to experience a film I love that way. The soundtrack hasn’t changed, but I have, and I will never listen to it the same way again.