BMI Honors Top Film and TV Composers
Thomas Newman Named Richard Kirk Award Recipient for Outstanding Career Achievement
 | BMI last night honored the composers and songwriters of the music in the top-grossing films of the year and the top-rated prime-time network television shows at its annual Film & Television Awards dinner. Held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the black tie gala was hosted by BMI President and CEO Frances W. Preston. More than 52 awards were given out during the ceremonies. |
The highlight of the evening was the prestigious Richard Kirk Award, which was presented to composer Thomas Newman in recognition for Outstanding Career Achievement. Newman, a four time Oscar nominee and BAFTA award winner, has scored such films as The Shawshank Redemption, The Horse Whisperer, The Player, Little Women, Fried Green Tomatoes, American Beauty, The Green Mile, Phenomenon, American Buffalo, The People Vs Larry Flynt, Oscar and Lucinda, and many others. The youngest son of legendary composer Alfred Newman, Thomas studied composition and orchestration at USC, completing his academic work at Yale. He scored his first film, Reckless, at the age of 29, and his reputation for originality and for intensifying mood and character grew with his work on such films as Gung Ho, Scent Of A Woman, Citizen Cohn and many others.
Directors Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption) and Jon Avnet (Fried Green Tomatoes, George of the Jungle) sent video messages congratulating him on his award. Darabont said, "Tom's music has added an enormous amount to both The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. He is a quote 'storyteller' and that's what he views his job as - which is wonderful. He manages to elicit an enormous amount of the emotional content of the film�without being obvious. He gives you something a little unexpected but yet you're in tears by the end of it. He's quite brilliant that way."
Avnet described Newman as, "Basically my voice on a certain level." Described as an open, collaborative and devoted composer who brings his small children to the conducting stand at times, Avnet said, "He creates a kind of visceral situation whereby you're able to experience the narrative - you won't see in Tom's music a lot of stings and hits and 'look at me.' Instead, you'll see a kind of airy weave that allows you to feel what's going on. He doesn't point, and that's part of what I like about his work. "
Composers receiving multiple Film Music Awards for their work included Newman for The Green Mile, American Beauty and Erin Brockovich; and Jerry Goldsmith for The Haunting and The Mummy.
BMI Composers who received Film Music Awards included John Williams for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace; George S. Clinton for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me; David Arnold for The World Is Not Enough; Mark Mancina for Tarzan and Teddy Castellucci for Big DaddyM.
"Fortunate" from LIFE was named The Most Performed Song From A Motion Picture. "Fortunate" was written by R. Kelly and published by R. Kelly Publishing, Inc. and Zomba Songs, Inc
The composers of the top-rated network prime-time television shows were also feted. Amongst those receiving multiple Television Music Awards were W. G. "Snuffy" Walden for Providence, The West Wing and The Drew Carey Show; Bruce Miller for Frasier andBecker; and Mike Post for NYPD Blue and Law and Order. Composers receiving Television Music Awards included Ian Dye for NYPD Blue; Martin Davich for ER; Allee Willis for Friends; Marc Lichtman for Touched By An Angel; Darryl Phinnessee for Frasier, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Bennett Salvay for Providence; John Griffin for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire; John Flansburgh and John Linnell for Malcolm In The Middle; Dennis C. Brown forDharma & Greg; and Peter Scaturro for The Practice.
BMI's Emmy Award winning composers were also honored, including Richard Hartley, Alice In Wonderland; Martin Davich, Trinity; Carl Johnson, Invasion America - Final Mission; Julie Bernstein, Steve Bernstein, Tim Kelly and Richard Stone for Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs; Gary Kuo, AJ Gundell and Dominic Messinger for All My Children; and Laura Karpman for The Living Edens: Madagascar.
BMI, founded in 1940, is an American performing rights organization which represents more than 250,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in all genres of music. Through its music performance and reciprocal agreements, it grants businesses and media legal access to it repertoire of more than 4.5 million musical works from around the world.
Below is a complete listing of composers and songwriters who received awards at BMI's Film & Television Awards.
Richard Kirk Award
Thomas Newman
BMI Film Music Awards
David Arnold The World Is Not Enough
Teddy Castellucci Big Daddy
George S. Clinton Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Danny Elfman Sleepy Hollow
Jerry Goldsmith The Haunting, The Mummy
Richard Horowitz Any Given Sunday
Mark Mancina Tarzan
Thomas Newman American Beauty, Erin Brockovich, The Green Mile
John Williams Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
Trevor Rabin Deep Blue Sea
Christopher Young Entrapment
BMI Most Performed Song from a Film
R. Kelly "Fortunate" from LIFE
R. Kelly Publishing, Inc. "Fortunate" from LIFE
Zomba Songs, Inc. "Fortunate" from LIFE
BMI TV Music Awards
Dennis C. Brown Dharma & Greg
Martin Davich ER
Ian Dye NYPD Blue
John Flansburgh Malcolm In The Middle
John Griffin Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
Steve Hampton Stark Raving Mad
Mark Heyes Daddio
Corbin Krauss Stark Raving Mad
John Lennon Providence
Marc Lichtman Touched By An Angel
John Linnel Malcolm In The Middle
Paul McCartney Providence
Bruce Miller Becker
Frasier
Darryl Phinnessee Frasier
Mike Post Law and Order
NYPD Blue
Bennett Salvay Providence
Peter Scaturro The Practice
Barrett Strong Family Law
W.G. "Snuffy" Walden Providence
The Drew Carey Show
The West Wing
Allee Willis Friends
Norman Whitfield Family Law
BMI Emmy Award Winners
Martin Davich Trinity
Richard Hartley (PRS) Alice In Wonderland
Carl Johnson Invasion America � Final Mission
Julie Bernstein Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs
Steve Bernstein Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs
Tim Kelly Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs
Richard Stone Steven Spielberg Presents Animaniacs
A. J. Gundell All My Children
Gary Kuo All My Children
Dominic Messinger All My Children
Laura Karpman The Living Edens: Madagascar
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