Inspired by a 1720 Stradivarius violin nicknamed the “Red Mendelssohn,” François Girard’s beloved film The Red Violin (1998) traces the centuries-long odyssey of a mysterious, blood-red instrument. From its creation in 17th-century Italy to its reappearance at a modern-day auction in Canada, the violin crosses five countries and four centuries, leaving a profound mark on everyone who encounters it. The international cast includes Hollywood star Samuel L. Jackson as the Montreal appraiser who identifies the instrument, but the true protagonist is the violin itself—and the music drawn from its strings by each new player. In many ways, The Red Violin is a film that asks to be heard as much as it is seen.

Academy Award-winning American composer John Corigliano wrote the score, originally performed by the London-based Philharmonia Orchestra with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting and Joshua Bell on violin. The soundtrack won the Oscar for Best Original Score in 1999 and is widely considered one of the most evocative film-music works of the late 20th century.

This October, Eastman’s Soundtrax Film Music Festival (October 16–18) reunites Corigliano with his lush score more than 25 years after its release for a rare live-to-picture performance. The Eastman Philharmonia, led by Eastman alumnus Jeff Beal ’85E, will accompany the film, with Eastman Assistant Professor of Violin YooJin Jang stepping into the role once held by Bell.

BRINGING THE SCREEN TO LIFE: Jeff Beal will conduct the Eastman Philharmonia for a rare live-to-picture performance of ‘The Red Violin.’ Photo Credit: Fritz Myers.

“John Corigliano’s main theme is so beautiful,” Beal says. “The way he weaves it throughout the score, while also addressing the wide range of time periods the film covers, is a remarkable artistic achievement. His use of the solo violin is so well done, honoring both the classical and folk genres presented in the film.”

For audiences, the effect of a live-to-picture performance is something between a film screening and a concert experience. Every swell of strings and every delicate passage of the violin must match precisely the action on screen—both a technical feat and a dramatic intensifier.

“I’ve conducted many of my own scores live-to-picture, but I’m especially looking forward to conducting this one—the first time I’ve conducted a score I didn’t compose,” Beal says. “There are many technical aspects to keeping the live music in sync with the film. For the audience, we want them to feel the full power of the live music. Corigliano is a wonderful orchestrator, so I’m excited to hear his music performed acoustically in the beautiful Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Our wonderful violin soloist, YooJin Jang, will have the most challenging part—the violin is central in many scenes, both in the score itself and as music performed on screen by the actors.”

YooJin Jang’s solo role adds a unique dimension to the performance: audiences will hear a fresh perspective shaped by her own artistry. “Corigliano’s score is extraordinary because the violin becomes the true storyteller” she says. “Every phrase seems to carry centuries of memory and human emotion, allowing the instrument itself to embody the life of the film. This music has depth and presence that allow it to stand on its own.”

“For me, the most moving moments are when the violin feels inseparable from the image—when the line is as intimate as a whispered confession, or as expansive as a lifetime,” Jang adds. “Performing these passages in synchrony with the film is both a challenge and a rare opportunity, because the music and the story breathe together in real time.”

THE VIOLIN’S JOURNEY: Eastman’s Assistant Professor of Violin YooJin Jang steps into the shoes of Joshua Bell to put her own spin on the red violin’s voice.

When the Eastman Philharmonia strikes the first notes beneath the screen this October, the violin’s journey will begin anew. The film unfolds through the turning of tarot cards, each chapter foretold like a prophecy. From Cremona to Vienna, from Oxford to Shanghai, and finally to Montreal, the red violin passes from one owner to the next, carrying with it both beauty and tragedy. For audiences at Eastman, that fate will be felt not only on the screen but also in the hall itself—every twist of the story underscored by Corigliano’s score and Jang’s playing.

“I hope the audience experiences The Red Violin not only as a film, but as a profound musical journey,” Jang says. “Hearing this score live brings depth and immediacy that no recording can replicate. I hope they leave with a sense that the violin has spoken to them in its own timeless voice.”

“Film scores are composed in service of the entire cinematic experience,” concludes Beal. “For a score as artistic as this one—which deservedly won the Academy Award—I hope the audience recognizes the artistry that goes into the music we enjoy onscreen but sometimes overlook. I’m thrilled that we’re presenting the first-ever festival in North America dedicated to the art of film-music, and I can’t think of a better score to highlight this art form. Plus, the film’s final reveal—when we learn the origin of the violin’s red color—is both heartbreaking and devastating!”

For more information about John Corigliano and The Red Violin, along with all the events happening during Soundtrax, visit Soundtrax.org.

Eastman Presents: The Red Violin in Concert
Friday, October 17, 2025
7:30 p.m. | Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre