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Learn about John Williams, one of the most acclaimed film composers in history, who has worked with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Find out his biography, awards, works, and influences.
Mar 10, 2024 · John Towner Williams was born in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, New York, on February 8, 1932. His father was a musician, and Williams started taking piano lessons at a young age.
Aug 12, 2024 · John Williams (born February 8, 1932, Queens, New York, U.S.) is an American composer who created some of the most iconic film scores of all time. He scored more than a hundred movies, many of which were directed by Steven Spielberg. Williams is also known for his work on numerous Star Wars films.
- Alison Eldridge
John Williams. Music Department: Jurassic Park. As one of the best known, awarded, and financially successful composers in US history, John Williams is as easy to recall as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein, illustrating why he is "America's composer" time and again.
- January 1, 1
- 2 min
- 1.82 m
- Star Wars (1977) For a film in the ‘space opera’ genre, only a soundtrack of operatic proportions could suffice – and it’s safe to say that John Williams delivered in spades.
- Schindler’s List (1994) It’s hard to imagine a more perfectly poignant score for Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List than the one that John Williams wrote, but even the composer himself had his doubts.
- E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) As the wise director Steven Spielberg once said, “Without John Williams, bikes don’t fly” – and this is precisely the score that proves it.
- Jurassic Park (1993) No one does awe and wonder quite like John Williams – and his main theme for Jurassic Park is no exception. You can’t help but get a sense of the magnificence and sheer scale of these prehistoric creatures from his stately music.
John Williams. Music Department: Jurassic Park. As one of the best known, awarded, and financially successful composers in US history, John Williams is as easy to recall as John Philip Sousa, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein, illustrating why he is "America's composer" time and again. With a massive list of awards that includes over 52 Oscar nominations (five wins), twenty-odd Gold and ...
Born and raised in New York, Mr. Williams moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1948, where he studied composition with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. After service in the Air Force, he returned to New York to attend the Juilliard School, where he studied piano with Madame Rosina Lhevinne. While in New York, he also worked as a jazz pianist, both ...