Composer John Williams attended the dedication ceremony. (photo by Noah Tingen on behalf of LA Phil)

The LA Phil has dedicated the Hollywood Bowl’s stage to John Williams. The dedication – the first in the storied history of the Bowl – honors the legendary composer and conductor whose music has inspired generations of filmgoers and helped cement the bowl’s reputation as the world’s leading venue for symphonic film music. 

Hosted by LA Phil president and CEO Kim Noltemy and Board Chair Jason Subotky, the private dedication ceremony marked the unveiling of new stage signage. The dedication is supported by philanthropic commitments from longtime LA Phil supporters and friends of Williams including Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw/The Hearthland Foundation, Jason Subotky and Anne Akiko Meyers, Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen, Seth MacFarlane, Andrew Hewitt, Michael Rapino, Bill Silva, Barbara and Jay Rasulo, Jay and Deanie Stein, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, and the Katie McGrath and J.J. Abrams Family Foundation. 

“Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes,” Spielberg said. “There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth. We do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.” 

Set against the Hollywood Bowl’s iconic shell, the ceremony featured performances of Williams’ Music for Brass by the LA Phil Brass Ensemble, led by conductor and 2025-26 Dudamel Fellow Miguel Sepúlveda, and Williams’ Theme from Sabrina by violinist Anne Akiko Meyers and LA Phil pianist Joanne Pearce Martin. Remarks were given by Noltemy, Subotky, LA Phil Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel and Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation director Norma Edith García-Gonzalez. 

“Few artists have shaped the sound of our collective imagination as profoundly as John Williams,” Dudamel said. “His music transcends generations, languages and borders – inviting us to dream, to hope and to feel. Each note carries us somewhere extraordinary – toward adventure, toward wonder, toward belief. For nearly half a century, the Hollywood Bowl has been the stage where John’s imagination meets the hearts of millions. As we dedicate the John Williams Stage at the Hollywood Bowl, we honor not only an incomparable composer and conductor, but also a dear friend whose artistry reminds us of the very purpose of music – to connect us.” 

“This is an honor that is unprecedented and unequaled in generosity shown by the Los Angeles Philharmonic family – my family – in making this dedication,” Williams said. “I want to thank all of the donors in this effort, who proudly support and salute the work done by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, one of the great orchestras of the world. The uniqueness of this honor is certainly unheard of and I thank all of you.” 

The Hollywood Bowl is located at 2301 N. Highland Ave. For information, visit laphil.com and hollywoodbowl.com.