JOHN WILLIAMS
February 8, 1932
Name: John Williams
Dates: February 8, 1932 Nationality: American Musical Time Period: Modern |
Famous Works: Jaws, Indiana Jones,
Harry Potter, Star Wars, & Jurassic Park |
The Composer:
John Williams was born on February 8, 1932, in Floral Park, New York. In 1948 John moved with his family to Los Angeles, California. He later attended college near his home in Los Angeles where he began to study composition. After college he was drafted into the United States Air Force where he had the opportunity to arrange music for, and conduct the Air Force band.
In 1954, when his service ended, Williams moved to New York City and enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music. After completing his education at Juilliard, Williams moved back to Los Angeles to begin working as a film studio orchestrator. Eventually he was given the opportunity to compose the theme to the television series Lost in Space. For Williams, this marked the beginning of a career that has spanned six decades producing some of our best music for film.
His film scores include Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Superman (1978), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Home Alone (1990), Hook (1991), Jurassic Park (1993), A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), and War of the Worlds (2005).
In total John Williams has received 5 Academy Awards and 45 Academy Award nominations. Together with composer Alfred Newman, John Williams is the second most nominated individual after Walt Disney.
John Williams currently lives in California.
In 1954, when his service ended, Williams moved to New York City and enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music. After completing his education at Juilliard, Williams moved back to Los Angeles to begin working as a film studio orchestrator. Eventually he was given the opportunity to compose the theme to the television series Lost in Space. For Williams, this marked the beginning of a career that has spanned six decades producing some of our best music for film.
His film scores include Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Superman (1978), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Home Alone (1990), Hook (1991), Jurassic Park (1993), A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001), and War of the Worlds (2005).
In total John Williams has received 5 Academy Awards and 45 Academy Award nominations. Together with composer Alfred Newman, John Williams is the second most nominated individual after Walt Disney.
John Williams currently lives in California.
The Facts
He has 47 Academy Award nominations, the only person with more nominations is Walt Disney. He has won 5 Academy Awards and 4 Golden Globe Awards.
He was the principal conductor for the Boston Pops for 13 years. (1980-1983) He has three children. |
He was born in Long Island, New York and his father was a percussionist.
Went to UCLA for college. After college he was drafted into the U.S. Airforce, where he conducted and arranged music for the Air Force Band. Studied piano at Julliard, one of the best music schools in the country. |
COMPOSITIONS
HARRY POTTER |
JURASSIC PARK |
JAWS |
STAR WARS |
SCHINDLER'S LIST |
HOOK |
INDIANA JONES |
E.T. |
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