It is Saturday evening, 15th March, and the music centre in Enschede is bustling with excitement. People have travelled from near and far to listen to SHOT, whether for a (grand)son or daughter, a friend, or simply as a film or music enthusiast. Around 19:00, the doors open for the eager crowd, who enter a colourful yet dimly lit hall.

As everyone scrambles to find a seat—and I truly mean scrambles, as enough tickets have been sold to fill the entire floor—keen eyes observe from the wings. Throughout the day, ticket sales have been closely monitored and shared among the SHOT members. We are all eager to see how many people will actually be seated and whether our guests have managed to secure a good spot. We cannot stand around for too long, as it is somewhat unclear how and when we should sit, and some have already made their decision, stepping onto the stage.

As the title suggests, all the pieces performed are from films spanning a wide range of eras. This means that everyone, young and old, will find something familiar in at least one of the pieces. The concert begins as many films do—with the iconic 20th Century Fox theme resonating through the hall. After a brief introduction from the organisation, we embark on our journey with a short segment from Superman. Accompanying the orchestra is a pianist who plays a brief intermezzo between SHOT’s performances, replacing the usual spoken introductions.

Following this first encounter with the pianist, SHOT’s journey begins in 1961 with music from West Side Story. Now, I could describe the entire film and its associated piece, but that would make this article rather lengthy. Fortunately, as this is a digital article, I can simply share the IMDb link. Click here for West Side Story. This opening piece immediately sets the tone for the audience, as props are incorporated among the orchestra members starting with a percussionist, playing the role of a policeman, who opens the piece with a sharp whistle.

After a short section from The Godfather, we move to the Old West with music from Ennio Morricone. This segment features themes from The Good The Bad And The Ugly (1966) and Once Upon A Time In The West (1968). From the horses of the Wild West, we transition to the horses of the Roman Empire with an intermezzo from Ben-Hur. As the observant reader may have noticed, our time travel is based on the films’ release dates rather than the eras they depict. For the next piece, we not only travel back in time but also to a galaxy far, far away.

I believe everyone will instantly recognise the iconic yellow letters and opening crawl, and for those who do not, the first note should certainly ring a bell. We find ourselves in a galaxy far, far away, where the Evil Ronny Buurink (SHOT’s conductor) reigns supreme—at least according to the words on the screen. Midway through the piece, the famous Imperial March plays, with the trombones doing their best to embrace the dark side, their instruments adorned with red LEDs resembling lightsabers. After Star Wars (1977), it is the pianist’s turn again, first with a short preview, followed by a full piece from Interstellar (2014). After these space adventures, our journey briefly returns to France with Intouchables (2011).

History has not always been kind to our French neighbours, and this is reflected in our next stop. An American archaeologist who frequently encounters Nazis—yes, we are embarking on an adventure with Indiana Jones (1981). As heroic as Indy (our conductor, now donning a cowboy hat) is, the intermezzo brings us back down to earth with the melancholic theme from Up (2009). It briefly seems as though the pianist will play a second piece, but the orchestra joins in. Forrest Gump (1994) begins with a beautiful piano melody, joined by the flutes, and soon the entire orchestra.

At this point, I lose track of the schedule, as the pianist begins playing an unknown piece titled "Yet to be Determined," for which I cannot provide a year or link. However, there is no need for concern—our journey continues. Together with the pianist, we enter Jurassic Park (1993). During this performance, an actual dinosaur runs through the hall, much to the delight of the audience. From the grandeur of dinosaurs, the intermezzo transitions to a small mouse and a familiar cat—Tom and Jerry (1940).

As the final piece before the break, SHOT performs the first number from Chicken Run (2000). In this piece, half the orchestra whistles, and kazoos suddenly emerge from all corners. (For the fans—there was a sequel in 2023: Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget).

The programme after the break begins just as the first half did, with the 20th Century Fox Theme. However, there is one major difference—all wind instruments have been replaced by recorders. To mark the internet age, SHOT delivers a hilarious rendition inspired by the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCPj4JPbKtA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCPj4JPbKtA). Once the audience recovers from the intense emotions stirred by this performance, the pianist continues with a second piece from The Intouchables: Un Mattina.

SHOT then ventures into J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world with a performance of The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001). Unfortunately, no special props are present in the orchestra—a ring on someone’s finger or replacing the conductor with a flaming eye would have been fitting, in my opinion. The pianist then takes us back to World War II with the theme from Schindlers List (1993).

Whereas the pre-break pieces were relatively short, SHOT performs only four post-break pieces, each nearly ten minutes or longer. Our journey continues into piracy and the gods of the sea with my personal favourite—Pirates Of The Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007). Ronny triumphantly enters with a pirate flag draped over his shoulders, which remains on the conductor’s stand for the rest of the concert. As the clinking of chains fades, the pianist continues with a second excerpt from The Godfather, while the orchestra prepares for a touch of magic.

Unfortunately, not everything goes smoothly at every concert, and tonight is no exception. Just before the next piece begins, in the dead silence, a tambourine crashes to the floor with a resounding clang. A percussionist has dropped it, causing the orchestra members to glance around in confusion while the audience stifles laughter. Then, the conductor breaks the silence—"AVADA KEDAVRA" rings through the hall, and without mercy, the guilty percussionist is murdered in cold blood: Ben van Straalen (15 Maart 2025). The orchestra does not mourn for long, as moments later, the melody of Harry Potter (2001) fills the room, played by "Harry Potter himself" on the glockenspiel, accompanied by his girlfriend on the flute.

Harry Potter ends on such a cheerful note that the pianist follows with an upbeat version of Up, leading into the final programme piece—How To Train Your Dragon (2010). This is by no means an easy piece to play, and many SHOT members have already given their all this evening, yet they perform it beautifully. After thunderous applause for this incredible performance, the organisation shares a few words. The board also takes the microphone—but to avoid sounding too self-indulgent, I will leave the reason for this speech to be revealed in a future article by another author. However, after all the thank-yous, there is one final encore—SHOT concludes its journey through film music with Aladdin (1992).

The music centre returns to tranquillity as visitors head home, while the musicians enjoy a well-earned drink and some good company.

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