The Greenville Symphony Orchestra will bring Hiccup and Toothless back to the big screen with a live orchestral twist on Nov. 7, performing John Powell’s score to DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon” while the complete 2010 film plays in high definition overhead. Two performances are scheduled, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., both at the Peace Center.
According to Greenville Journal, the orchestra will perform the Academy Award-nominated score live to picture while the film is projected on the big screen, a format that demands tight synchronization between the musicians and the on-screen action. Guest conductor Conner Gray Covington will lead the orchestra for the occasion, according to the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, which lists the performance as part of its 2026-27 season.
Covington brings a deep well of experience to the podium. The Greenville Symphony Orchestra notes he has conducted more than 20 feature films with orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra reports that during his tenure with the Utah Symphony, he led nearly 300 performances spanning classical subscription, educational, film, pops and family concerts.
A Viking Boy, a Wounded Dragon, and a Village Divided
The film itself follows Hiccup, a young Viking who defies his community’s longstanding hostility toward dragons by befriending one of his deadliest foes, a dragon he names Toothless, per the Peace Center. The venue describes the concert as a thrilling experience for all ages, though it asks guests not to bring children younger than five to performances not specifically geared toward children. Every attendee needs a ticket for the show, including children small enough to sit on a lap, the Peace Center notes.
Live film-score concerts like this one have become an increasingly popular format among orchestras, pairing cinematic storytelling with the immediacy of a full ensemble playing in real time. As Variety has reported, orchestras ranging from the Chicago Symphony to the New York Philharmonic have been playing classic film scores live to picture in growing numbers, drawn by audiences looking for events that combine music and visual spectacle. The same report notes that the format tends to attract a wide mix of film-music enthusiasts, casual film fans, young people and families — and that while technology has made it easier for musicians to stay in sync with the picture, the process remains demanding.
Greenville's Growing Appetite for Film-Score Nights
This isn't new territory for the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, which has previously staged similar concerts built around films from the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises, according to the Greenville Journal. The appetite for this kind of programming isn't limited to the Upstate. Australian orchestras have found that live film performances now sell out as soon as they're announced, per ABC News Australia, which also reports that both the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra have announced 2026 performances of the sequel, “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” in concert.
Covington himself is no stranger to this particular score. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra reports he was scheduled to lead that orchestra in three live-to-picture performances of “How to Train Your Dragon” in late November during its 2025/2026 season. Other orchestras have taken their own turns with the material as well — the Maryland Symphony Orchestra has previously presented the film in concert, featuring it in HD alongside a live score.
Tickets and Showtimes
Tickets for the Greenville performances start at $39 and are available online at greenvillesymphony.org, by phone, or in person at the Peace Center box office at 300 S. Main St. in downtown Greenville, per the Greenville Journal. For more information on showtimes or accessibility, patrons can reach the Peace Center at 864-467-3000 or through peacecenter.org.
