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James Newton Howard Biography

Birth Name:James Newton Howard

Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, United States

Profession Composer, Music department

Fast Facts

Nominated on several occasions by the International Film Music Critics Association as Film Composer of the Year
After becoming interested in music as a child, he would go on to study at the Thacher School, the Music Academy of the West and later the University of Southern California
Began composing while touring with Elton John, eventually arranging melodies for "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart" and several other favorites
After dropping out of college after only a year, he would begin his professional career touring with Elton John as a keyboardist during the late '70s
Quote: "(On his dream project) "I think I've had them! I think the last couple years have been amazing․ Peter Pan was a dream project for me․ Working with Night is always a huge, wonderful musical opportunity․ I suppose every composer wants to do Lawrence of Arabia - so I guess my dream project would be a big epic score․""
Released his first album, James Newton Howard and Friends, in 1983
Transitioned to the film industry by the late '80s, eventually going on to score favorites such as "Batman Begins", "The Fugitive", "The Hunger Games" and several others
Joined the Royal Academy of Music as a visiting professor in 2010
He never conducts his own music
Began scoring every film made by M․ Night Shyamalan for at least the next decade beginning with 1999's "The Sixth Sense"
Known for his speedy completion of film scores, as he finished his work with "The Hunger Games" in just under a month
Only learned his family was Jewish 25-years after the death of his father

Awards

1989Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music: nominated
1991BMI Film Music Award-: winner
1992Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1993ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
1994ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
1994ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
1994Oscar-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
1995ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
1995Oscar-Best Music, Original Song: nominated
1995Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
1995Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music: nominated
1996ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
1996ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
1996ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
1997ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
1997ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
1997ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
1997Oscar-Best Music, Original Song: nominated
1997Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
1998ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
1998ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
1998ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
1998Oscar-Best Music, Original Musical or Comedy Score: nominated
1998Grammy-Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television: nominated
1998OFTA Television Award-Best Music in a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
1999ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
1999ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2000ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
2000ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2000ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2000Annie-Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production: nominated
2000IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2000IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2000Sierra Award-Best Score: nominated
2000Golden Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2001ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
2001ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2001Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
2001Annie-Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music Score an Animated Feature Production: nominated
2001GoldSpirit Awards-Best Animated Soundtrack: winner
2001Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Main Title Theme Music: winner
2001Stinker Award-Most Intrusive Musical Score: nominated
2001World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Song Written for a Film: nominated
2002ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2002ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
2003ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2003ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
2003OFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2004ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
2004Chainsaw Award-Best Score: nominated
2004IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2004IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Horror/Thriller Film: winner
2005ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
2005ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2005ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2005Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2005IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure Film: nominated
2005IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure Film: winner
2005IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2005IOMA-Best Original Score (Miglior colonna sonora originale): nominated
2005Stinker Award-Most Intrusive Musical Score: nominated
2005World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Soundtrack of the Year: nominated
2006ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2006ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2006ASCAP Award-Top TV Series: winner
2006ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2006Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
2006CFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2006CFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2006Gold Derby Film Award-Original Score: nominated
2006Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
2006IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: winner
2006IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film: winner
2006IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: winner
2006INOCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2006OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2006OFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2006OFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2006Stinker Award-Most Intrusive Musical Score: nominated
2006World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Soundtrack of the Year: nominated
2006World Soundtrack Award-Soundtrack Composer of the Year: nominated
2007Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2008ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2008Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2008AFCA Award-Best Score: winner
2008Davis Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2008ACCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2008CFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2008Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: nominated
2008HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2008IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2008IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Drama Film: nominated
2008IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure Film: nominated
2008IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2008IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Horror/Thriller Film: winner
2008Sierra Award-Best Score: winner
2008SLFCA Award-Best Music: nominated
2008World Soundtrack Award-Soundtrack Composer of the Year: winner
2009ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2009ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2009Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: nominated
2009Saturn Award-Best Music: winner
2009Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music-: nominated
2009Critics Choice Award-Best Composer: nominated
2009Gold Derby Film Award-Original Score: nominated
2009Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
2009Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: winner
2009ICS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2009IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Comedy Film: nominated
2009INOCA-Best Original Score: nominated
2009OFTA Film Award-Best Music, Original Score: nominated
2009OFCS Award-Best Original Score: winner
2010ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2010Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2011ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2011ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2011ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2011IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: nominated
2011IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film: nominated
2011IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2011IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Comedy Film: nominated
2011Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2012ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2012ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2012ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2013ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2013ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2013ASCAP Award-Top Box Office Films: winner
2013World Soundtrack Award-Film Composer of the Year: nominated
2014HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: nominated
2014IFMCA Award-Best Archival Release of an Existing Score - Re-Release or Re-Recording: nominated
2014SDFCS Award-Best Score: winner
2015IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2015IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2015IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: nominated
2015IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film: winner
2015IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2015IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2016HMMA Award-Best Original Score - TV Show/Miniseries: nominated
2016OFTA Television Award-Best Music in a Non-Series: nominated
2016Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
2017Saturn Award-Best Music: nominated
2017IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2017IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film: winner
2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Score: nominated
2019IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: winner
2019IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2019IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction/Horror Film: nominated
2019NMFC Award-Best Music/Score: winner
2020ICS Award-Best Original Score: winner
2020IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Drama Film: nominated
2020IFMCA Award-Film Music Composition of the Year: nominated
2021Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score): nominated
2021BAFTA Film Award-Original Score: nominated
2021BMI Film, TV & Visual Media Award-Theatrical Film Award: winner
2021Critics Choice Award-Best Score: nominated
2021DFWFCA Award-Best Musical Score: nominated
2021GAFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021Gold Derby Film Award-Original Score: nominated
2021Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
2021HCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2021HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021ICFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Drama Film: nominated
2021IFC Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021LEJA Award-Best Musical Score: nominated
2021OFTA Film Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021PCC Award-Best Score: nominated
2021Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021SCL Award-Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film: nominated
2021SLFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2021WAFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2022Annie-Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature: nominated
2022HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Fantasy Film: nominated
2022IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: winner
2022IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Animated Film: winner
2022IFMCA Award-Film Score of the Year: nominated
2022Movie Music UK Award-Best Original Score for a Action/Adventure/Thriller Film: winner
2023HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film: nominated
2023IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Science Fiction Film: nominated
2023OFTA Film Hall of Fame-Score: winner
2024IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure Film: nominated
2024IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for Television: winner
2024Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
2024World Soundtrack Award-Television Composer of the Year: nominated
2025Saturn Award-Best Film Music: nominated
2025IFMCA Award-Best Archival Release: nominated