David Mika, executive director of the Northwest Indiana Symphony and South Shore Arts, knows audiences love what he calls “the magic of movie music.”

NWI Symphony Orchestra Maestro Kirk Muspratt agrees, citing his nearly quarter of a century as the head of concert music programming as proof of what draws concert ovations and applause.

“After we had our-year hiatus from concerts during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, we had a very big and popular concert planned which had to go on the back burner,” Muspratt said.

“I’m always telling our audiences how much I love movie-score music, which isn’t to say I don’t also love all of the classical music favorites. For our 2020 concert season, we had so many pieces from composer John Williams planned, and it just never happened. Five years later and now, it’s really happening, and it’s exciting.”

Muspratt’s expressed excitement is about the May finale themed concerts of the just-announced 2024-25 season for his 70-musician Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra.

“A Salute to John Williams” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. May 15 and 16 at Living Hope Church, 9000 West Taft St. in Merrillville. The concerts will herald the vast work of Williams, 92, who is recognized as “the greatest American film composer of all time.”

“Audiences immediately recognize the works of John Williams,” Mika said.

“He has written some of the most popular and critically acclaimed film scores in cinematic history in his career spanning more than six decades.”

Williams has won 24 Grammy Awards, five Academy Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. The May concerts will include his selections from films like “Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Far & Away,” “The Patriot,” “Superman” and others.

“Following our fantastic free summer music festival, which had great attendance, it’s an exciting time to now focus our patrons on our Northwest Indiana Symphony subscription season, which is bigger and better with some very impressive programming to look forward to,” Mika said.

“I keep saying, ‘what’s not to love?’ Broadway musicals, the seasonal music favorites, some pure classical moments all showcased with extraordinary guest artists and soloists, and, of course, the special tribute to the quintessential American composer John Williams.”

The new season starts this fall with paired Broadway themed concerts 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25 in the nearly 1,000-seat auditorium at Living Hope Church starring vocalist Alisa Jordheim as soprano, Kimberly E. Jones as mezzo-soprano, Lorenzo Parnell as tenor and Jonathan Wilson as baritone featured with the Symphony Chorus performing with the orchestra favorite show tunes from musicals like “Les Miserables,” “Mamma Mia,” “Chicago,” “Phantom of the Opera,” “Sweeney Todd” and others.

“With 16 new singers added to our Symphony chorus roster of almost 80 choristers, plus 4 phenomenal vocalists from Chicago and beyond, our opening concert in October is truly titled ‘Iconic Broadway’ for a reason and will electrify any musical theater fan.”

At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, 5400 W. 29th Ave. in Gary, hosts the first of the annual two Holiday Pops concert nights for 2024.

“This season, we are bringing back what a night out the symphony used to mean as an evening of dinner, drinks at an exciting venue that has it all under one roof, but also the requirement that only patrons age 21 and older can attend.”

There is a second Holiday Pops concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7 at Valparaiso High School, 2727 N. Campbell St., which features the Symphony Chorus.

A spotlight on classical music fills spring dates with “Musical Masterpieces” at 7:30 p.m. March 21, and “A Salute to Tchaikovsky” at 7:30 p.m. April 25, both in the auditorium at Living Hope Church.

“We’ve also added three special add-on concert options to our subscription series, with all of the three events being held at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster,” Mika said. The Center is at 1040 Ridge Road, Munster.

“We have an exciting piano trio of greats at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 10 and then a Choral Valentine concert at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 2, and lastly, our String Brass Ensemble at 2:30 p.m. April 6. This new season is a full musical schedule of audience opportunities.”

Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.