
Alexander Payne Collaborates with Omaha Symphony to Celebrate Film Music
January 24th, 2025
Do you remember the last movie you watched? Can you recall the music from it? You might not think of it right away, but that soundtrack likely guided your emotions—building suspense when someone was lying or heightening fear when something terrible loomed.
Some film scores stick with us forever, their melodies instantly bringing scenes or entire movies back to life. That’s the power of film music. It’s a timeless art shaped by iconic collaborations between composers, symphonies, and filmmakers.
Omaha native and Academy Award-winning director Alexander Payne is returning to his hometown for a special event celebrating this art form. Partnering with the Omaha Symphony, Payne will present “The Power of Film Music,” an exploration of how exceptional scores elevate cinema and stand alone as remarkable music.
The program will feature works by legendary composers, accompanied by insights from Payne and film composer Rolfe Kent. A longtime collaborator of Payne’s, Kent scored films like Sideways and Election.
Payne said he envisioned an event like this years ago but waited for the right collaborator, finding it in the Omaha Symphony.
“The Power of Film Music with Alexander Payne and the Omaha Symphony” takes place Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit omahasymphony.org.