The incredible story of Hollywood’s first Golden Age and the European immigrants who came to Los Angeles in the 1930s and invented the modern art of film scoring, from The Wizard of Oz to Casablanca.
April 30, 7:30 pm
@ The Huntington
May 3, 7:30 pm
@ The Wallis
May 4, 2:30 pm & 7:30 pm
@ The Wallis
ABOUT
MUSE/IQUE Presents ​
WELCOME TO THE DREAM FACTORY
The Hollywood Imagination and the Immigrant Composers Who Built It​​​
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The incredible story of Hollywood’s first Golden Age and the European immigrants who came to Los Angeles in the 1930s and 1940s and invented the modern art of film scoring.
MUSE/IQUE welcomes you to the golden days of Hollywood, where audacious dreams were built on sound stages by composers, actors, and directors, and lit up for the world on silver screens. Through soaring scores from films like The Wizard of Oz, Sunset Boulevard, and Casablanca, we present a story of resilience and imagination that transformed Hollywood into a beacon of opportunity.
When immigrant artists (including many talented Jewish composers) fleeing oppressive rule across Europe landed in Los Angeles, they brought with them new influences and perspectives that changed studios like MGM, 20th Century Fox, and Universal Studios forever. Through the lens of these pioneering filmmakers, Artistic & Music Director Rachael Worby and our artists explore how even in the darkest of times, fantasy and creativity can rebuild hope.
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Anne Akiko Meyers
Anne Akiko Meyers, one of the world’s most esteemed musicians, is a
GRAMMY® Award winning violinist, recognized as a muse and champion of
many of today’s most important composers. Anne’s recording of Fandango, a live performance with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic, received two Latin GRAMMY® Awards: Best Classical Album and Best Contemporary Composition. In the 2024-25 season, Anne will premiere Eric Whitacre’s, The Pacific Has No Memory, with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall and performs with the Cincinnati Symphony, Grant Park Music Festival, Sarasota Symphony, Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, and Vancouver Symphony.
Sy Smith
Sy Smith has long since solidified her place in the world of underground soul music (she’s often called “the hardest working woman in underground soul”). She has worked with artists including Whitney Houston, Sheila E., Meshell Ndegeocello, Chaka Khan, Usher, and Macy Gray. Smith has received two NAACP Theater Award nominations, both for best supporting actress in a comedy/musical, for her theater work in Los Angeles (Michael Ajakwe’s If You Don’t Believe: A Love Story, Body Language), and she has numerous television acting credits (Ally McBeal, How I Met Your Mother, American Dad). Her catalog includes 5 studio albums, with contributions from a who’s who of producers (James Poyser of The Roots, Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest and Nicolay of The Foreign Exchange).
MUSE/IQUE is proud to partner with The Wallis for our May 3 and May 4 performances of Welcome to the Dream Factory.
Proudly sponsored by Classical California KUSC
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Classical California KUSC is the #1 classical music radio station in the nation. KUSC and Muse/ique share a mission to broaden musical perspectives and expand access to transformative music experiences. Listen to KUSC on the radio at 91.5 FM in Los Angeles and Orange County, online at kusc.org, and our free smartphone apps on Apple and Android. And check out our streams online and on our website including our exclusive video game music stream called Arcade, a move music stream and more.​
Supported by Jewish Federation LA in partnership with The Weitzman and Jewish American Heritage Month
An official program of Jewish American Heritage Month
ADMISSIONS
MUSE/IQUE is a member-driven organization. Membership gives you admissions to 12 months of MUSE/IQUE events, beginning the moment you sign up! The more you give, the more you support us in our mission to bring life-changing live music to all.​
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Click here to find a membership level that best suits you. ​