Williams v. Zimmer: Clash of the Film Music Titans | Binge Thinking

Welcome to Binge Thinking! We host professors at local pubs to give talks on fascinating topics.

Topic: Williams v. Zimmer: Clash of the Film Music Titans
Speaker: Dr. Frank Lehman (Tufts University)

Why does the music of Star Wars feel timeless…while the soundtrack of Dune feels otherworldly and modern?

For decades, two composers have dominated Hollywood film scoring: John Williams and Hans Zimmer. Their music has shaped how audiences experience action, suspense, wonder, and heroism on screen...but their approaches could not be more different.

John Williams built his legacy on sweeping orchestral scores inspired by classical symphonic traditions. Hans Zimmer helped redefine film music through electronics, minimalism, texture, and experimentation.

In this talk, Professor Frank Lehman — one of the world’s leading scholars on film music — will explore how these two composers transformed cinema and what their rivalry reveals about the future of Hollywood soundtracks. Professor Lehman serves as the Director of Undergraduate Studies and Music Theory Coordinator for the Music Department at Tufts University. His thematic catalogue for the music of Star Wars (free & accessible here: franklehman.com/starwars) has become the authoritative reference for anyone performing, studying, teaching the musical themes and leitmotifs of this famous saga.

Topics include:

• Why John Williams became the master of the modern symphonic score
• How Hans Zimmer reinvented film music through electronics and minimalism
• The radically different approaches behind Star Wars, Superman, Dune, and Man of Steel
• How music shapes emotion, tension, and narrative in blockbuster films
• What the future of film scoring might sound like

Whether you love movies, music, or just want to better understand why certain scenes give you chills, this will completely change the way you watch films.

Agenda:
7:00 PM - Doors Open, drinks and socializing
7:30 PM - Lecture begins
8:10 PM - Audience Q&A
8:30 PM - More drinks and conversation

Come meet curious people, grab a drink, and learn something new.

Think Responsibly.