On September 10 and 11, 2026, the concert John Williams’ Greatest Hits took place at De Doelen in Rotterdam as part of the Proms.
A concert held as part of the Proms festival differs somewhat from a standard concert; it often aims to attract a more diverse audience. That certainly seemed to be the case for the John Williams concert. There were many young people and families with children — audiences one wouldn’t typically expect at a concert like this.
Before the concert began, various activities were held in the foyer of De Doelen. Attendees could participate in a soundtrack quiz, play film-themed pinball machines, dress up as their favorite movie hero, enjoy aerial acrobats and there was a popcorn stand.
The program featured major, recognizable film classics scored by John Williams. The Rotterdam Philharmonic is a renowned orchestra, so the musical quality was assured, though I didn’t have particularly high expectations otherwise. I hadn’t seen the setlist beforehand, however.
The concert opened with a special address by the conductor, Oscar Jockel. He expressed his admiration and gratitude to the evening’s principal trumpet player. Just an hour before the concert started, this musician had been asked to step in for the regular principal trumpet player. The substitute was performing without much rehearsal time, and the conductor thanked the rest of the orchestra for their warm welcome. Even so, I was a little concerned about how this might affect the performance.
The first piece was “The Forest Battle” from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. It was a surprising choice, as this track isn’t often performed by orchestras — but what a performance it was! Furthermore, this is not an easy piece for the French horn players — especially given the long solos for the first horn — yet from the very first note, the performance was flawless and beautiful. Any reservations I had about the concert vanished instantly. The trumpet section was also excellent; there was no sign that the section was being led by a substitute player.
The conductor hosted the evening himself. He shared entertaining anecdotes, though he occasionally lost track of which piece was next on the program.
The second piece was also from Return of the Jedi: “Luke & Leia.” It is a shame that this piece is rarely heard in concert halls, as the orchestra performed it beautifully.
From Star Wars, the orchestra moved on to Jurassic Park. The magnificent melodies instantly transported the audience back to the island of dinosaurs.
From the dinosaurs, the journey continued to aliens with Close Encounters of the Third Kind. A medley of musical themes whisked us away to the world of Close Encounters. Notably, the organ at De Doelen was used for this piece, adding an extra dimension to the extraordinary music.
Naturally, Indiana Jones couldn’t be left out of the evening, and playing “The Raiders March” was a must. This iconic melody is instantly recognizable. The next piece was the “Adventures on Earth” suite from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The conductor explained that John Williams and Steven Spielberg had struggled to find the right music for the scene where the bicycle takes flight with E.T. and Elliott. Spielberg instructed Williams to compose the music independently of the visuals, promising to sync it up later. The rest is history. This demonstrates Williams’s genius: his ability to create a universally recognizable world using just a few notes.
Another essential classic included in the program was Schindler’s List. The violin solo was beautifully performed by concertmaster Vlad Stanculeasa.
We shifted from a world of war and tragedy back to the realm of fantasy with “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. This piece defined the entire Harry Potter film series, and it was a delight to hear.
To conclude the evening, we returned — as one might expect — to Star Wars. However, the choice was a surprising one: “The March of the Resistance” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. This is another piece rarely performed live by an orchestra. Finally, of course, came the Star Wars “Main Theme,” a fitting conclusion.
After thunderous applause from the enthusiastic audience, an encore was inevitable. It, too, was from Star Wars: “The Imperial March (Vader’s Theme).”
It was a magnificent piece that provided a beautiful finish to this surprising evening. Rarely have I heard John Williams’s music performed so beautifully by an orchestra. The inclusion of several lesser-known, yet still instantly recognizable, pieces was also a delightful surprise.
The combination of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and De Doelen remains a special experience and is well worth attending.
After the concert, a ‘brass band’, comprising the orchestra’s trombone players and the tuba player, performed in the foyer of De Doelen, playing a medley of various great classics. It wasn’t just John Williams; the set also featured pirates, hobbits, dragons, and mobsters. A delightful way to wrap up the evening.
Concert information
Where: De Doelen – Rotterdam, The Netherlands
When: September 11, 2026
Orchestra: The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Oscar Jockel
Program
- “The Forest Battle” from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
- “Luke & Leia” from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
- Theme from Jurassic Park
- Excerpts from Close and Counters of the Third Kind
- “Adventures on Earth” from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
- “The Raiders March” from Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Theme from Schindler’s List
- “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone
- “March of the Resistance” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens
- “Main Title” from Star Wars
- “The Imperial March (Vader’s Theme)” from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (encore)
