John Williams - Conductor, Musician, Composer - Biography.com 11/1/17, 9:59 PM

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John Williams Conductor, Musician, Composer (1932–) American composer and conductor John Williams has scored more than 100 films, including 'Jaws,' six 'Star Wars' movies, 'E.T.' and the first three 'Harry Potter' films. NAME John Williams Synopsis OCCUPATION Conductor, John Williams was born in New York City on February 8, 1932. Williams—who studied at Juilliard—worked as a jazz pianist and studio musician before starting to Musician, compose for television and film. His career took off in the 1970s; since then, he has Composer scored more than 100 films, including Jaws (1975), the Star Wars films, E.T. (1982) BIRTH DATE and Schindler's List (1993). Williams has won five Academy Awards and received a February 8, 1932 record-breaking array of nominations. (age 85) Early Years and Musical Studies EDUCATION University of John Towner Williams, generally known as John Williams, was born in the Flushing California at Los section of Queens, New York, on February 8, 1932. His father was a musician, and Angeles, The Williams started taking piano lessons at a young age. With his family, Williams Juilliard School moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1948. He attended the University of California at Los Angeles for a short time before being drafted into the U.S. Air Force in 1951. PLACE OF BIRTH Flushing, After three years of military service, Williams returned to New York City, where he Queens, New worked as a jazz pianist. He also attended the Juilliard School, studying with famed teacher Rosina Lhevinne in pursuit of his dream of becoming a concert pianist. York However, Williams confessed in a 2012 interview with NPR that at Juilliard he heard AKA "players like John Browning and VanVanVan Cliburn CliburnCliburn around the place, who were also John Williams students of Rosina's, and I thought to myself, 'If that's the competition, I think I'd better be a composer!'" FULL NAME John Towner Film and Television Composer Extraordinaire Williams https://www.biography.com/people/john-williams-9532526 Page 1 of 4

Van Cliburn John Williams - Conductor, Musician, Composer - Biography.com 11/1/17, 9:59 PM

ZODIAC SIGN Returning to Los Angeles, Williams became a movie studio musician. He was heard Aquarius as a pianist on films such as Some Like It Hot (1959) and To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Working with HenryHenryHenry Mancini ManciniMancini, Williams also played piano on the theme for the television program Peter Gunn. Soon, Williams was composing his own music for TV. Shows that received Williams's musical touch include Wagon Train, Gilligan's Island and Lost in Space.

"I developed from very early on a habit of writing something every day, good or bad."

Williams also composed and arranged music for the big screen, starting with Daddy-O (1959). He received his first Academy Award nomination for Valley of the Dolls (1967). In 1972, Williams won an Academy Award for his work on Fiddler on the Roof. He'd also gained attention for his score for The Poseidon Adventure (1972), which received an Oscar nomination as well.

"I have to say, without question, John Williams has been theHenry single mostMancini significant contributor to my success as a filmmaker." - Steven Spielberg

Spielberg and 'Star Wars'

Williams may be best known for his work with StevenStevenSteven Spielberg SpielbergSpielberg and GeorgeGeorgeGeorge Lucas LucasLucas. Almost all of Spielberg's films have Williams scores; their notable collaborations include Jaws (1975), E.T. (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), Schindler's List (1993), Catch Me If You Can (2002), Munich (2005) and Lincoln (2012). Williams also composed the music for George Lucas's six Star Wars movies. In 2013, it was announced that Williams would write the score for Episode VII of Stars Wars as well.

The impressive body of work that Williams has created includes music for many other movies, such as Superman (1978), The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Home Alone (1990), JFK (1991), Angela's Ashes (1999), the first three Harry Potter films, Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and The Book Thief (2013). Williams is known for writing soaring scores that often feature recurring musical motives. In an ongoing career, he has worked on more than 100 films.

Additional Musical Work

Though Williams is best known for his film scores, he has written other music, including concert pieces and the themes for several Olympic Games. Williams alsoSteven regularly Spielberg works as Georgea conductor: Lucas In 1980 he became the conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra, a position he held until retiring in 1993. Williams still serves as a laureate conductor for the Pops, and has also conducted the London Symphony and popular concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.

Awards and Honors

As of 2015, Williams has had 49 Academy Award nominations, making him the living person with the most https://www.biography.com/people/john-williams-9532526 Page 2 of 4