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Terence Blanchard Biography

Birth Name:Terence Oliver Blanchard

Birth Place:New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Profession Composer, Music department, Actor, Producer

Fast Facts

Won his first Grammy as bandleader in 2008 for "A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)․"
Served as director for the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz for 10 years
While still in high school, attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, studying under teachers Ellis Marsalis and Roger Dickerson
Attended Rutgers University in 1980, studying under Bill Fiedler and Paul Jeffrey
First learned to play the piano at age 5, and the trumpet at age 8
Following successful collaborations for the Spike Lee films "Do the Right Thing" and "Mo' Better Blues," he served as composer for every one of the filmmaker's movies since
Appeared on screen in Spike Lee's Hurricane Katrina documentary, "When the Levees Broke," during a scene in which he and his upsettingly mother return home to find it demolished
Has composed more than 40 film scores, making him one of the most prolific jazz musicians to compose for film and TV
In August 2011, he left the Monk Institute to become the Artistic Director of the Mancini Institute at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music
In the early 1980s, joined Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, replacing Wynton Marsalis and serving as the musical director for four years
Was commissioned by the Opera Theatre St․ Louis to compose a score for the 2013 opera Champion, which profiles the life of boxer Emile Griffith, marking the first opera he has scored
Was a childhood friend of fellow trumpetist Wynton Marsalis
Most recently known to live in the Garden District of New Orleans with his wife and children

Awards

2002Sierra Award-Best Score: winner
2003COFCA Award-Best Score: winner
2003Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
2003Golden Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2003World Soundtrack Award-Soundtrack Composer of the Year: nominated
2005Black Reel-Best Original Score: nominated
2007Black Reel-Best Original Score: nominated
2008HFCS Award-Best Original Score: winner
2013Black Reel-Best Original Score: nominated
2015Black Reel-Outstanding Score: nominated
2016Black Reel-Outstanding Score: nominated
2018DOC LA Award-Best Composer: winner
2018HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Feature Film: nominated
2018LAOFCS Award-Best Score: nominated
2018SFFCC Award-Best Original Score: winner
2018SLFCA Award-Best Score: winner
2019Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score): nominated
2019BAFTA Film Award-Original Music: nominated
2019Black Reel-Outstanding Score: nominated
2019COFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2019GAFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2019HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Feature Film: nominated
2019Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2019Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2020CFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2020GWNYFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2020IFJA Award-Best Musical Score: nominated
2021Oscar-Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score): nominated
2021AFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2021DFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021DFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021HFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021IFMCA Award-Best Original Score for a Drama Film: nominated
2021LEJA Award-Best Musical Score: nominated
2021MNFCA Award-Best Music: nominated
2021MCFCA Award-Best Score: nominated
2021OFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021SFBAFCC Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021SFBAFCC Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021SFCS Award-Best Original Score: nominated
2021SCL Award-Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film: nominated
2022HMMA Award-Best Original Score - Feature Film: winner
2022IFJA Award-Best Musical Score: nominated
2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
2023Black Reel-Outstanding Score: winner
2023Black Reel-Outstanding Original Song: nominated
2023GMS Award-Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film: nominated
2023HMMA Award-Best Original Score - TV Show/Limited Series: nominated
2023Satellite Award-Best Original Score: nominated