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A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T
| CORSAIR
May 18, 2022
Kris Bowers Sets the Stage with Cue & A television to video games. The musicians recommenced the n April 26, house lights performance with Bowers’ medley dimmed and the audience’s from the Netflix series “Dear White murmurs hushed as sev- People.” With just a pianist, two violinen artists made their way ists, a violist, cellist, and bassist– the to the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, score sounded as grandiose as though Calif. Among those artists were two it was played by a full orchestra. The award-winning composers and a quin- quintet then played Bowers’ scores tet of string musicians. Robert Kraft, the from projects including “Green Book,” event’s host, seated himself for prop- “King Richard,” “When They See Us,” “ B r i d g e r t o n ,” er viewing while and a short film the musicians directed by Bowprepared themers’ wife, Briana. selves with their Behind the muinstruments. The sicians hung a evening’s guest of screen displaying honor, Kris Bowmovie scenes of ers, broke the siclimactic, somlence. With creber, and heartscendoing piano warming nature. notes, he dove “Film scoring into the overture evokes emotion. and invited evIt snaps you to ery guest into his a very specific world of music. time, space, and Bowers grew up with classical and jazz training as visual cue,” Matthews said. By the end of the program, Bowers he studied at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts which he grad- asked the audience to shout out emouated from in 2006. He attended class tions. He planned to take that feeling alongside cellist Hillary Smith who later and fashion it into an improvisatory would sit amongst Bowers’ quintet. “He melody. “A baby’s love!” someone in went to New York and when he came the crowd said. Earlier that night, Bowback he called me to record on various ers shared that he and his wife had their projects and we've worked together first baby two months prior. For mere moments he pondered, then his finsince,” Smith said. In New York, Bowers advanced his gers began to play. The notes unraveled studies at Juilliard, until he earned his as though they had been thought out carefully and Bachelors in perfected for 2010 and Masweeks on end. ters in 2012. “[Bowers’ There, he met improvisation] the quintet’s just speaks to second violinwho he is and his ist, Stephanie perspective that Matthews. “I've we can hear in known Kris for his music. What many years, it's we're hearing is uniquely peran extension of sonal getting to him,” Matthews perform with said. Bowers’ friends who are final melodies also colleagues brought the auand people you dience to its feet admire,” Matin an uproar of thews said. On the Broad Asante Blackk, of the Netflix mini series “When They praise. The Cue & A Stage, Bowers See Us” projected on screen, April 26, at The Broad turned to face Stage in Santa Monica, Calif. (Rebecca Hogan | The series, hosted by Robert Kraft, the cheering Corsair). crowd with a modest smile. His over- is determined to advance the art of film ture, Kraft pointed out, was an entire- scoring by showcasing today’s comly different composition from one he’d posers, reputable and emerging. The heard Bowers practice before the show. production’s next installment will feaKraft then gave the young composer a ture songwriter and composer Michael well-deserved introduction. In his jour- Abels of “Get Out,” “Us,” and the upney thus far, Bowers has developed an coming film “Nope.” The Broad Stage impressive discography of soundtrack will hold the event on Wednesday, June compositions ranging from film and 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Aaliyah Sosa | Staff Writer
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“[Bowers’ improvisation] just speaks to who he is and his perspective that we can hear in his music. What we're hearing is an extension of him,”
From Left, Kris Bowers accompanied by Alyssa Park, Jessica Guideri, Andrew Duckles, Hillary Smith, and Mike Valerio finish performing on Tuesday, April 26, at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, Calif. (Karén Vartanian | The Corsair).
