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    John Williams facts: Movie scores, family, age and awards

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    From composing the world's best-loved soundtracks - such as Star Wars and Harry Potter - to writing violin concertos, John Williams is one of today's musical giants. But how much do you know about the film composer, from his family to his compositions?

    1. John Williams Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco

      1. How old is John Williams?

      John Williams was born on 8 February 1932 in Long Island, and grew up in a musical family; his father was a jazz percussionist.

    2. John Williams education

      2. John Williams' early career

      Young John attended UCLA while studying composition privately with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Drafted in 1952, Williams spent three years conducting and arranging music for the U.S. Air Force Band. After his service ended, Williams moved to New York City and entered Juilliard where he studied piano.

    3. John Williams awards

      3. John Williams' awards

      The film composer has won five Oscars, four Golden Globes, seven BAFTAs and 25 Grammys. With 52 Oscar nominations, he is second only to Walt Disney as most nominated person ever. His first-ever Oscan win was for musical direction for Fiddler on the Roof.

    4. John Williams Henry Mancini Peter Gunn

      4. John Williams is a pianist

      Williams worked as a pianist in jazz clubs and eventually studios, most notably for the brilliant Henry Mancini. 'Little Johnny Love Williams' played the famous piano riff on the groundbreaking Peter Gunn theme. Williams went on to be music arranger and bandleader for a number of albums for singer Frankie Laine.

    5. John Williams and Samantha Winslow

      5. Who is John Williams' wife?

      John Williams married photographer Samantha Winslow in 1980. He was previously married to Barbara Ruick from 1956 to 1974.

    6. Toto's Joseph Williams - son of John Williams

      6. John Williams’ son is Toto’s Joseph Williams

      John Williams’ son, Joseph Williams, was lead vocalist of the rock band Toto from 1986 to 1988, and again since 2010.

    7. John Williams sculptor quote

      7. John Williams' quotes

      "Writing a tune is like sculpting," Williams once said. "You get four or five notes, you take one out and move one around, and you do a bit more and eventually, as the sculptor says, "In that rock there is a statue, we have to go find it."

    8. John Williams Steven Spielberg

      8. John Williams and Steven Spielberg

      In 1974, a young director called Steven Spielberg approached Williams to compose music for his film, The Sugarland Express. They teamed up again the following year for Jaws. The threatening shark motif, two low notes played alternately on the tuba, has since become synonymous with sharks in general and danger at sea. Spielberg and Williams have gone on to work on more than 20 films together, most recently War Horse, Lincoln and The Adventures of Tintin.

    9. John Williams Darth Vader Chewbacca Star Wars

      9. John Williams and Star Wars

      Spielberg recommended Williams to his friend George Lucas, who needed a composer for Star Wars. Williams delivered a grand symphonic score in the style of Hollywood's swashbucklers of the 1930s and 1940s. The soundtrack remains the best-selling non-pop record of all-time - and Williams won another Oscar for Best Original Score. He was also nominated for the follow-up scores for The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi.

    10. Indiana Jones The Raiders of the Lost Ark

      10. John Williams and Indiana Jones

      The late 1970s and early 1980s saw Williams at the peak of his powers and success. He scored Superman in 1978, followed by The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), created by George Lucas and directed by Spielberg. Williams' rousing Raiders March theme has defined the character of Indiana Jones and become a concert hall favourite in its own right.

    11. John Williams Boston Pops

      11. Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra

      From 1980 to 1993, Williams was Principal Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. He is now its Laureate Conductor, a role he was granted after 14 highly successful seasons.

    12. Liam Neeson Schindler's List Oscar John Williams

      12. The music to Schindler's List

      Considered by many to be the finest film score of recent decades, Schindler's List followed hot on the heels of Spielberg and Williams' collaboration on Jurassic Park - and it couldn't be more different. When he first saw the film, the composer told the director: 'You need a better composer than I am for this film.' Spielberg replied, 'I know. But they're all dead!' For the soundtrack Williams, following Spielberg's suggestion, hired the great violinist Itzhak Perlman. The film's main theme, played with such passion and emotional intensity by Perlman, is heartbreakingly simple and touching. For Schindler's List, Williams won his fifth Oscar.

    13. Harry Potter John Williams

      13. John Williams' score to Harry Potter

      Moving into the 21st century, Williams was brought in to score the film adaptations of J.K.Rowling's hugely successful Harry Potter books. He worked on the first three instalments. Hedwig's Theme continued to be used through the whole series. Like the main themes from Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, and Indiana Jones, fans have come to identify the Harry Potter films with Williams' original compositions.

    14. John Williams

      14. John Williams' classical compositions

      Williams has written numerous pieces for the concert hall, including a symphony and concertos for horn, clarinet, cello, flute and violin. Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter commissioned the composer to write a Second Violin Concerto, which she premiered alongside the BSO conducted by Williams at Tanglewood in July 2021.

    15. John Williams Barack Obama National Medal of Arts

      15. John Williams received the 2009 National Medal of Arts

      U.S. President Barack Obama presented the 2009 National Medal of Arts to John Williams on 25 February 2010, in the East Room of the White House in Washington. The Medal is the highest honour specifically given for achievement in the arts conferred to an individual artist on behalf of the American people. Williams received it for his achievements in symphonic music for films, and 'as a pre-eminent composer and conductor [whose] scores have defined and inspired modern movie-going for decades.'

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