Seth MacFarlane curates major film-composer fanfares as LACO prepares new Gehry hall

The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) has commissioned fanfares from six prominent film composers to help inaugurate its new home, the Frank Gehry-designed Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, with the project curated by entertainer and filmmaker Seth MacFarlane.

Film music meets chamber repertoire

The commissioned composers are John Williams, Ludwig Göransson, Joel McNeely, Thomas Newman, James Newton Howard and John Powell. The pieces will be performed by LACO — an ensemble of approximately 42 players — which contrasts with the larger Los Angeles Philharmonic that has more than 100 members.

LACO Executive Director Ben Cadwallader framed the choice as intentional, saying the commission was meant to signal “who we are” as an orchestra and to underline its connection to the city’s film music tradition. Cadwallader pointed to the ensemble’s roots: founded in 1968 by a group that included cellist James Arkatov, the orchestra has longstanding ties to studio musicians who bring film and television scores to life.

“We really thought about … ‘What statement can we make to Los Angeles and to the performing arts world that really shows who we are ?’” said Ben Cadwallader.

MacFarlane, best known as the creator and star of the animated series "Family Guy", said he grew up loving movie music and soundtracks — an enthusiasm he described as formative in his appreciation of symphonic scores.

Why the move matters

The Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, designed by architect Frank Gehry, will be the orchestra’s new home. The fanfare commission is presented as a way to ceremonially warm the hall while highlighting LACO’s hybrid identity: an institution that serves both as a high-level performance ensemble for classical repertoire and as an artistic outlet for musicians with deep experience in Hollywood studios.

Cadwallader emphasised that LACO remains a place where studio players can perform works by Bach and Mozart in a concert environment, distinct from the studio work that many of its members also do.

• Ensemble size: roughly 42 players.
• Featured composers: John Williams, Ludwig Göransson, Joel McNeely, Thomas Newman, James Newton Howard, John Powell.
• Curator: Seth MacFarlane.
• New venue: Terri and Jerry Kohl Hall, designed by Frank Gehry.

Those details underline both the local character of the project and its broader cultural resonance: the roster of composers reads like a cross-section of contemporary film scoring, from Hollywood veterans such as Williams and Newman to Oscar-winning writers like Göransson.

Context and consequences

The move and the new commissions reinforce Los Angeles’s identity as a city where the worlds of film and classical music frequently intersect. LACO’s history — begun by musicians who worked on studio sessions and live performances — gives the orchestra a distinctive mandate: to be a vehicle for serious chamber repertoire while celebrating the cinematic music that has helped define the city’s cultural life.

By commissioning short fanfares from high-profile film composers and placing MacFarlane at the curatorial helm, LACO positions the opening of Kohl Hall as both a celebration of place and a message to audiences and peers about its artistic priorities. The initiative is also likely to draw attention from film music fans who might not typically attend chamber concerts, potentially broadening LACO’s audience.

Performance dates and programming specifics for the hall-warming concerts have not been published in the material released so far.

This project is a notable example of collaboration between popular culture figures and classical institutions, and it reflects ongoing efforts by performing-arts organisations to broaden their appeal while honouring their artistic lineages.