Billboard has acquired“Cosmic Symphony,”a short documentary from Oscar-nominated composer Laura Karpman in her directorial debut. The film honors four iconic instruments lost in the 2025 Los Angeles fires, including pianos from“The Wizard of Oz”and“A Star Is Born,”and closes with an animated send-off imagining them playing together in a cosmic symphony. John Legend, Rita Wilson, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and more serve as executive producers, with musicians like Diane Warren and Starr Parodi appearing on camera.
The LA premiere takes place Monday, Oct. 26, at the Wallis Annenberg Center, followed by a concert benefiting MusiCares. The film then launches on Billboard’s digital channels and BillboardTV on Tuesday, Oct. 27. For Karpman, the project is deeply personal:“When a musician loses an instrument, they lose a part of themselves,”she said, calling the film“a thank you to all of the musical instruments that help us sing our song.”
Beyond the star power, the doc shines a light on wildfire recovery through the arts and the work MusiCares does for musicians in crisis. It’s a reminder that instruments aren’t just tools, they’re partners, memories and voices. So tell us: what’s the one instrument you could never replace?
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Local Lawton
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