The Force is Strong with Star Wars Concertmaster Roger Wilkie

Throughout his career, violinist Roger Wilkie has done a little bit of everything, from playing in chamber ensembles to solos, leading orchestras as concertmaster and serving as a top violinist for over 1,000 Hollywood films.

His most recent achievement stands out to him. Serving as concertmaster for legendary Hollywood composer/conductor John Williams, Mr. Wilkie is currently putting the finishing touches on the soundtrack to the hotly anticipated sequel “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” opening Dec. 18.

This is the first time anyone has scored a Star Wars film outside of London.

“It’s very, very exciting,” Mr. Wilkie said. “It’s a tremendous thing, a real honor.”

New musical elements will bring a heightened drama to the sequel, which features original cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, as well as newcomers to the series like Oscar Isaac and Andy Serkis.

While it was hard for Mr. Wilkie to pinpoint a favorite new song from the many musical cues in the new film, he did mention an exciting moment that surprised the musicians.

“We had a guest conductor, (Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director) Gustavo Dudamel, show up one day and conducted three of the major cues,” he said.

Mr. Wilkie has served as concertmaster to Mr. Williams for the past decade. He offered some insight into what happens behind the scenes to pull off those dramatic musical interludes that immediately signal the triumphal approach of the good guys, or the nefarious arrival of the bad guys.

“John Williams is really the master at that,” he said. “He watches the film without music, and he works with the director and comes to decisions not just about what places should have music and what kind of music, but what shouldn’t have any music, which is equally as important. So those kind of decisions are made between the composer and the director. He studies the film very thoroughly before he writes anything.”

If the thrill of becoming a part of Star Wars history wasn’t enough to satisfy him, as one of the soundtrack’s principal players Mr. Wilkie had the privilege of watching scenes from the film before they are released. Don’t try to winnow those details out of him though: the Empire takes a dim view of spilled secrets!

In Recital Roger Wilkie, violin, Joanne Pearce Martin, Piano Nov. 19, 2015 8 p.m. (562) 985-7000