April 21st 2013, the city of Rotterdam.

For the third year in a row I'm gathering up for a great event: The LOTR live on screen: the films of LOTR accompanied by a live symphonic orchestra, full choir and children's choir! Today will be the last one in the row: The Return of the King.

Mixed feelings; looking forward to the concert, but it's the last one...

When entering the venue, the excitement get's me right away, the big screen, the great Rotterdam Philharmonic orchestra with the choirs right and left. As soon as the film starts and the orchestra starts to play, you'll right away be transported to Middle-earth, to this great imaginative world. Mr. Ludwig Wicki, the great conductor of this show, leads the orchestra over mountains and great landscapes and exciting adventures. And again, I'm thinking: "How did Mr. Shore made this, how did he manage, and not only that, it is, as Peter Jackson says, really the very soul of this film?" And also, the film is so good, and the music fits so well, that watching the movie I sometimes forget to look to the orchestra! There's nothing to say, this orchestra is so good! And of course the lovely and great soprano Kaitlyn Lusk, she sings the score so easily, she really is Elven-kind! As you see, I'm still excited of the performance.

It was a while ago when I listened to the music of the LOTR, but as soon as you hear it again, it strikes you! Howard Shore, thanks for your great music for this films! I again know why your music made me a film composer too! And of course Rotterdam Philharmonic, Choirs: Laurens Collegium Rotterdam Vocaal Talent Nederland, Ludwig Wicki and Kaitlyn Lusk.

THANKS!

Arjan Kiel