Virginia Tech Multimedia Music Dictionary Composer Biographies

John Williams

Born:	February 8, 1932 in New York, New York, America
Died:
Nationality:	American
Era:	Twentieth Century
Main genre:	Film Scores, Orchestral Music
Main works:	Film Scores: Close Encounters of the Third Kind Jaws Star Wars 1,2 & 3 The Witched of Eastwick Far and Away Home Alone 1 & 2 Jurassic Park Nixon Hook Schindler's List JFK Born on the fourth of July Indiana Jones 1,2 & 3 The Accidental Tourist Stanley and Iris Empire of the Sun Sabrina The Lost World Presumed Innocent Orchestral: Concerto for Bassoon (1995) Concerto for Cello (1994) Concerto for Flute and Violin Concerto for Clarinet Concerto for Tuba Concerto for Trumpet (1996) Other Themes: Liberty Fanfare (for the rededication of the Statue of Liberty) Were Looking Good! (Special Olympics theme) Themes for Summer Olympic Games 1984, 1988, 1996
Brief biography:	John moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was 16. He went to UCLA and studied compositions privately with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. He went into the Air Force before returning to New York to attend the Julliard School where he studied piano with Madame Rosina Lhevinne. While in New York he also worked as a jazz pianist in both clubs and on recordings. Williams returned to Los Angeles where he began his career in the film studios working with such composers as Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman, and Franz Waxman. He went on to write music for many television programs in the 1960s, winning two Emmys for his work. In January 1980, John Williams was named nineteenth conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra since its founding in 1885. Mr. Williams assumed the title of Boston Pops Laureate Conductor following his retirement in December 1993.