A great tour, a great tribute but... Why John Williams?
FSO decided to dedicate an entire tour to John Williams and his soundtracks that will remain in history, possibly (or at least we believe) his scores will be preserved throughout the centuries and one day the maestro will be one of the great composers of history, like Mozart or Beethoven. With this introduction it is a little clear why we chose him, but there is much more than an opinion or personal taste.
Why John Williams?
He is one of the most recognized composers of film music, he has created the soundtracks for more than one hundred films, not counting music for television series. He is undoubtedly the composer who has made half the world fall in love with film music. Williams has worked with big names in cinema such as Steven Spielberg and has made musical compositions not only for cinema. He has demonstrated his great versatility by composing music for television, concert pieces and the music of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles (1984), Seoul (1988), Atlanta (1996) and Salt Lake City (2002).
Awards and nominations
We can say it very clearly, John Williams is the best film music composer. Nominated 51 times for the Oscars, he has won a total of 5 Oscars and 4 Golden Globe Awards. He also has four Golden Globes, seven BAFTAs and twenty-three Grammys. In 2005, his work on the Star Wars soundtrack was selected by the American Film Institute as the greatest musical work in American cinema.
But... How did he become the best?
He was born on February 8, 1932 in New York. His father was a jazz percussionist who played with the legendary Raymond Scott Quintet. His first contact with musical training was at the University of California, where he studied piano and composition. In 1952, he was drafted into the United States Air Force, where he arranged and conducted music for the Air Force Band as part of his duties.
When his military service ended, Williams moved to New York City and entered the Juilliard School, one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. There he studied piano and for a time worked as a jazz pianist in various studios and clubs in New York. He also played for composer Henry Mancini on the soundtracks of Peter Gunn (1959), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), and Charade (1963).
