The red carpet is rolling out, as Willoughby Symphony Orchestra presents 'A Night At The Oscars’.
It's a thrilling evening of movie music conducted by Dr Nicholas Milton AM, paying homage to the classics like 'Schindler's List', 'The Mission', 'Saving Private Ryan', 'Harry Potter', 'Forrest Gump', 'Jurassic Park' and more.
Acclaimed German violinist Rosa Donata Milton returns to the stage by overwhelming demand, having previously performed Korngold's 'Violin Concerto'. Here, Rosa will bring her artistry to John Williams' theme from 'Schindler's List', and film faves like 'Ladies In Lavender', 'The Mission', 'Angels And Demons', and 'Le Cid'.
We caught up with Rosa ahead of 'A Night At The Oscars' to chat all things violin, film music, and audience take aways.
First of all, tell us what got you into playing the violin.
When I was four years old, I heard the final movement of Brahms’ First Symphony for the first time, and I was deeply impressed by the warm and rich sound of the strings in the main theme. I knew at once that I wanted to learn a string instrument. In the children’s book 'Peterchens Mondfahrt', the main character – a little maybug – plays a small silver violin. I was so fond of this maybug that it was immediately clear: it had to be the violin.
Why is it such an integral part of an orchestra?
The violin is the voice that tells the story and the breath that brings the music to life. It leads with a radiant melody. It is the heart that sets the pulse – at times guiding, at times accompanying – and it is the soul of the orchestra.
You're playing as part of 'A Night At The Oscars'. What are you most looking forward to about bringing the show to a live audience?
I am especially looking forward to sharing the stage with my musical family – a family that has long been a home for my husband Nick, and in which I now feel I have truly arrived. It is a beautiful feeling to experience this sense of connection through music. Of course, I am also looking forward to the wonderful pieces we will be performing – I love this music deeply, and it is very important to me to bring it as close as possible to the audience.
You've played stages around the world – is there something unique about performing film music with a full orchestra, especially for an Australian audience?
What’s so special about film music is that it reaches people all over the world – because it’s tied to stories we all know and love. Whether in Europe or here in Australia, these melodies carry memories; they evoke images and emotions that connect us. There’s something truly moving about bringing this music to life with a full orchestra – especially in front of an audience that might be geographically far away, but feels close at heart, because we all speak the same musical language.
Image © Alexandra Münch
What makes movie music so powerful and memorable?
Film music has the power to reach straight into our hearts – often before we even realise it. It carries our strongest emotions, tells stories between the lines, and sometimes stays with us longer than the film itself. Because it’s tied to emotions, to moments, to images, it becomes something deeply personal. And that’s exactly what makes it so powerful – and so unforgettable.
And how do you approach playing these emotional pieces?
I approach this music with a great deal of love – love for detail, for depth, for colour, but also for the emotion that lives within it. For me, the most important thing is to connect with the music from within – not just to play it, but to truly feel it. Sometimes I have the sense that it’s about unconditional love: a love from which I receive the music as a gift, a love that flows into the way I make music, and a love for the people sitting in the audience. And of course, imagination also plays a role – images, moods, inner spaces that become filled with sound. But at its heart, it is love that holds it all together.
From the concert hall to the big screen – do you remember the first film score that really made you sit up and take notice as a musician?
Oh yes, very clearly. As a child, I was fascinated by dinosaurs – long before it became a real trend. And then 'Jurassic Park' came to the cinema. Just being allowed to go to the movies was already something really special for me. And suddenly, there it was – one of my favourite dinosaurs on the big screen. When John Williams’ music began and the massive Brachiosaurus stepped out into the meadow, I immediately had tears in my eyes. That warm, powerful melody filled the entire cinema and moved me deeply – I was completely overwhelmed. From that moment on, I was in love with film music, too. Back at home, I listened to that soundtrack countless times in my room and kept dreaming my way back into that world – completely transported. To this day, I still love that music.
What music are you most excited to play for this show?
I truly love every piece in this programme – each one has its own beauty, its own unique magic. But I think I have two favourites. One is 'Flying To Neverland' and the other is a piece from 'Angels And Demons' – very simple in structure, yet profoundly emotional. It’s music that moves me deeply, precisely because of its simplicity. 'Flying To Neverland' from 'Hook' touches me deeply – it can bring tears to my eyes instantly, from joy, from a sense of lightness. And that has a very personal reason: Peter Pan is a character who doesn’t want to grow up. I feel that I’ve managed to keep that childlike view of the world alive in my heart – the wonder, the joy of discovery. And from that awareness grows a desire to protect all the beauty that surrounds us – with love, with mindfulness, and through the way we live.
What do you hope audiences take away from the experience once the final note?
I hope that people in the audience allow themselves to be touched – that they feel something deep within, even if just for a moment. When the final note has faded, I wish for them to go home with a feeling of happiness. Of love, gentleness, and joy. And maybe they’ll carry that feeling a little further out into the world.
Willoughby Symphony Orchestra's 'A Night At The Oscars' is on at The Concourse Chatswood 16-17 August.
