Disney-approved, award-winning conductor to lead Pirates of the Caribbean movie and concert

Come along for a swashbuckling adventure with Captain Jack Sparrow, his motley crew, and Music in the Mountains! Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley, the action-packed Curse of the Black Pearl sets mystery, intrigue, swords, and treasure to a live performance of Klaus Badelt’s thrilling musical score based on themes of Hans Zimmer. Artistic Director and Conductor Ryan Murray will lead the MIM orchestra, and basses and tenors of the MIM Chorus in a live performance while the full feature length film is projected on a large screen above the stage. Ryan is a member of a small worldwide group of conductors who are pre-approved to conduct Disney in Concert shows. 

“Movie scores add so much drama and excitement to the cinematic experience, but imagine the music played live by a full-size symphony orchestra,” said Jenny Darlington-Person, Executive Director of Music in the Mountains. “Movie concerts have become very popular in recent years, and we are excited to bring this innovative and exciting concert experience to Nevada County. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is the perfect choice because it is a fun family film with an iconic score.”

Ryan Murrary has been conducting the Music in the Mountains choir for the past 15 years. But his accomplishments while he has been working for MIM are nothing short of extraordinary. A past winner of the American Prize for opera conducting, Ryan was recently honored as the only American Conductor to be invited to a festival in Romania.

Murray’s dynamic conducting, natural musicality and deeply held passion for the arts have allowed him to steadily build a robust career since his professional debut at the age of just 22. Murray is also currently the Music Director & Conductor of the Auburn Symphony, the Associate Conductor for the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, the Music Director for Opera Modesto, the Conductor for the Sacramento Youth Symphony’s premier orchestra, and the Director of Orchestras and Opera at California State University. In 2014, he made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra. 

Murray holds degrees, summa cum laude, in Bassoon Performance and Voice Performance from California State University, Sacramento.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is the adventure of the roguish Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) whose easy pirate life capsizes after his nemesis, the wily Captain Barbossa, steals his ship and later attacks the town of Port Royal, kidnapping the governor’s beautiful daughter Elizabeth (Keira Knightly.) Elizabeth’s childhood friend Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) joins forces with Jack in a gallant attempt to rescue Elizabeth and recapture the Black Pearl. What Will doesn’t know is that a cursed treasure has doomed Barbossa and his crew to live forever as the undead.

The performance is scheduled at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Rd., Grass Valley, California 95949. Adult tickets are $50, children ages 10-17 are $25, and children 9 and under are free.  There is also a VIP section ticket for $150. It includes early entry, a table seat, and entry to a party with the artists after the show. 

Tickets are available through the Music in the Mountains Box Office at (530) 265-6124 or musicinthemountains.org. For in person purchases, the box office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. 

The presentation is licensed by Disney Concerts.