NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- Los Angeles native Danny Elfman has been writing music for hit films since 1985. He's perhaps best known for his long-time collaboration with director Tim Burton on films like Batman (1989) and Edward Scissorhands (1990), but it was their first film together that got Elfman hooked on sounds of the orchestra.

“The first cue the orchestra played on Pee Wee's Big Adventure, my first session, my first day--and I'd never stood in front of an orchestra before--that was it!” said Elfman from the stage of The Soraya in Northridge where his new violin concerto called “Eleven Eleven” recently received its west coast premiere. “It was just one of those things. It was, I like this feeling!”

In addition to several international premieres “Eleven Eleven”, which is partly inspired by the first violin concerto of Dmitri Shostakovich, was recently recorded by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by John Mauceri and just released on Sony Classical. But where does the title “Eleven Eleven” come from?

“My name, Elfman. Elf means “11” [in German], so I've always kind of had this thing about the number 11,” said Elfman. “And by pure coincidence, when I finished the concerto, myself and Sandy Cameron, the violinist, we decided, let's see how big it is because I've never counted the bars. And it was 11-hundred and eleven measures.”

“Eleven Eleven” was written for violinist Sandy Cameron whom Elfman first got to know through Cirque du Soleil and a tour of live concerts of his music for the films of Tim Burton. Elfman said he worked closely with Cameron on the concerto.

“I needed to learn what the violin can do because I'm writing on a keyboard and writing on the keyboard is very, very different than working a violin,” said Elfman.

Writing music outside the constraints of the film world presented challenges for Elfman, so he had to set his own boundaries and goals.

“I wanted this piece to be unique and my own,” said Elfman. “But I also wanted it to be playable."

Elfman said he will continue writing music for the concert hall if only because of the immense musical freedom it gives him. But he's also aware that much of his fan base comes to him from the film world.

“My entire point with this is, 'Can I somehow merge these two worlds?'” said Elfman.

Although we live in an age where many hear the sounds of the orchestra in movies as opposed to live concert halls, Elfman believes the live orchestra will always have staying power. “Orchestras can go and will go in a lot of directions,” he said. “I think the idea of the symphony orchestra will be alive and viable for a long time.”

And by blurring any boundary between the classical and film music worlds, Elfman is helping to keep the sound of the orchestra alive.