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John Williams
Composer

In a career spanning more than six decades, John Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage. He has composed the music and served as music director for more than 100 films, including all nine Star Wars films, the first three Harry Potter films, Superman, JFK, Born on the Fourth of July, Home Alone, and The Book Thief. His nearly 50-year artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg has resulted in many of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and successful films, including Schindler’s List, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the Indiana Jones films, Munich, Saving Private Ryan, and Lincoln. His contributions to television music include scores for more than 200 films as well as themes for NBC’s Nightly News and Meet the Press and the PBS arts showcase Great Performances. He also composed themes for the 1984, 1988, and 1996 Summer Olympic Games and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Mr. Williams has received five Academy Awards and 52 nominations, making him the Academy’s most-nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in the history of the Oscars. He has received seven British Academy Awards (BAFTA), 25 GRAMMYS, four Golden Globes, five Emmys, and numerous gold and platinum records. In 2003 he received the Olympic Order (the IOC’s highest honor) for his contributions to the Olympic movement. He received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in December 2004. In 2009 he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and received the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the United States Government. In 2016 he received the 44th Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute—the first time this honor was bestowed upon a composer. In 2020 he received Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts, as well as the Gold Medal from the Royal Philharmonic Society in the United Kingdom.

In January 1980 Mr. Williams was named 19th music director of the Boston Pops Orchestra, succeeding the legendary Arthur Fiedler; he currently holds the title of laureate conductor, which he assumed following his retirement in December 1993 after 14 highly successful seasons. He also holds the title of artist-in-residence at Tanglewood. He has composed numerous works for the concert stage, including two symphonies and multiple concertos commissioned by several of the world’s leading orchestras. In 2009 he composed and arranged “Air and Simple Gifts” especially for the first inaugural ceremony of President Barack Obama.

John Williams
Composer

In a career spanning more than six decades, John Williams has become one of America’s most accomplished and successful composers for film and for the concert stage. He has composed the music and served as music director for more than 100 films, including all nine Star Wars films, the first three Harry Potter films, Superman, JFK, Born on the Fourth of July, Home Alone, and The Book Thief. His nearly 50-year artistic partnership with director Steven Spielberg has resulted in many of Hollywood’s most acclaimed and successful films, including Schindler’s List, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the Indiana Jones films, Munich, Saving Private Ryan, and Lincoln. His contributions to television music include scores for more than 200 films as well as themes for NBC’s Nightly News and Meet the Press and the PBS arts showcase Great Performances. He also composed themes for the 1984, 1988, and 1996 Summer Olympic Games and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Mr. Williams has received five Academy Awards and 52 nominations, making him the Academy’s most-nominated living person and the second-most nominated person in the history of the Oscars. He has received seven British Academy Awards (BAFTA), 25 GRAMMYS, four Golden Globes, five Emmys, and numerous gold and platinum records. In 2003 he received the Olympic Order (the IOC’s highest honor) for his contributions to the Olympic movement. He received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in December 2004. In 2009 he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and received the National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the United States Government. In 2016 he received the 44th Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute—the first time this honor was bestowed upon a composer. In 2020 he received Spain’s Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts, as well as the Gold Medal from the Royal Philharmonic Society in the United Kingdom.

In January 1980 Mr. Williams was named 19th music director of the Boston Pops Orchestra, succeeding the legendary Arthur Fiedler; he currently holds the title of laureate conductor, which he assumed following his retirement in December 1993 after 14 highly successful seasons. He also holds the title of artist-in-residence at Tanglewood. He has composed numerous works for the concert stage, including two symphonies and multiple concertos commissioned by several of the world’s leading orchestras. In 2009 he composed and arranged “Air and Simple Gifts” especially for the first inaugural ceremony of President Barack Obama.