Legendary composer John Williams honored with performing arts center at high school in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES — Legendary composer John Williams, one of the most celebrated figures in film music history, was honored Wednesday with a performing arts center named after him at his alma mater, North Hollywood High School in Los Angeles.

Williams, who has earned more than 50 Academy Award nominations and five Oscar wins over his career, returned to the campus to help officially open the John Williams Performing Arts Center. During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the composer welcomed students into the space and encouraged them to make it their own.

“I’m overwhelmed and full of joy because this place, the couple of years I spent here like you are doing have been, for me, formative in my thinking, in my professional work and so on,” he said. “This is a great, magical place.”

The celebration included performances from North Hollywood High’s marching band, which played music from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and the school’s symphony orchestra, which performed selections from “Star Wars.” Williams watched and praised the students as they showcased his iconic music.

The performing arts center is part of an approximately $320 million comprehensive modernization project at North Hollywood High School.

School and district leaders said the project blends historic architecture with modern design to better serve students.

“All of these other buildings, some have been modernized and some have been redone,” said Suzanne Luke. “It’s old meets new in a fresh, positive way.”

“This is a space that’s flexible enough that it can meet the needs of creativity that we haven’t even thought of yet,” said Andres Chait, the acting superintendent of LAUSD.

Jerry Yang added that the campus upgrades expand opportunities well beyond the arts.

“There are so many new facilities that students can use and really, at its core, what it’s doing is it’s providing students with more opportunities to learn, explore and grow as people on this campus,” he said.

Williams, whose work includes unforgettable scores for “Jurassic Park,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Star Wars” and “Jaws,” once walked the same halls as the students now performing in his honor.

Student Souchel Camacho said seeing Williams on campus was inspiring.

“I think being able to see someone who has such an impact on the arts, I think that’s so special,” she said. “And it will definitely be a good chance for students to see themselves within him and know and understand that they have that power to be who they want to be.”

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