David Newman (composer)
David Louis Newman (born March 11, 1954) is an American composer and conductor known particularly for his film scores. In a career spanning more than thirty years, he has composed music for nearly 100 feature films. He received an Academy Award nomination for writing the score to the 1997 film Anastasia, contributing to the Newmans being the most nominated Academy Award extended family, with a collective 92 nominations in various music categories.
David Newman | |
|---|---|
| Born | David Louis Newman March 11, 1954 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Composer, orchestrator, conductor |
| Relatives | Alfred Newman (father) Lionel Newman (uncle) Emil Newman (uncle) Thomas Newman (brother) Maria Newman (sister) Randy Newman (cousin) Joey Newman (cousin) Lucy Newman (sister) Musical career |
| Genres | Film score |
| Years active | 1982–present |
Life and career
David Louis Newman was born on March 11, 1954, in Los Angeles, California, the son of Mississippi-born Martha Louis (née Montgomery) and Hollywood composer Alfred Newman. His paternal grandparents were Russian-Jewish immigrants.[1] He is the brother of Thomas Newman, Maria Newman and the cousin of Randy Newman, all of whom are also composers. He is also the nephew of composers Lionel Newman and Emil Newman, and first cousin, once removed, of musician Joey Newman. An accomplished violinist, and successful concert conductor, Newman was educated at the University of Southern California. From late 70s till early 80s he played violin on most of John Williams' L.A. scoring sessions, and credits him for learning much about film-music composition.[2]
His first film work was on Tim Burton's short film Frankenweenie in 1984. In 1987, he scored Danny DeVito's Throw Momma from the Train. This was his first collaboration with DeVito, and he went on to score nearly all of his subsequent films, including The War of the Roses (1989), Other People's Money (1991), Hoffa (1992), Matilda (1996) and Death to Smoochy (2002). Newman has also scored the comedies The Flintstones (1994), The Mighty Ducks (1992), The Nutty Professor (1996), and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989).
Newman's credits during the early years of his career were mostly scoring B-movies such as The Runestone (1990) and The Kindred (1987) before he gradually transitioned to score mostly comedy films during his prime such as Bowfinger (1999), The Freshman (1990), and The Spy Next Door (2010). His score for The Spirit (2008) was a tribute to Mancini's 1950s and 60s neo-noir scores such as Touch of Evil (1958) or Experiment in Terror (1962).
He received an Academy Award nomination for the score to the animated Don Bluth film Anastasia (1997), following his father, who scored the 1956 live-action version. However, he lost to Anne Dudley for The Full Monty. His other scores include Critters, The Phantom, The Brave Little Toaster, Malone, Ice Age, and Serenity, among others.
In 1997, Newman began a four-year stint as the music director for the Sundance Institute, and he has conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra on several occasions. That year, he also re-recorded the 20th Century Fox Fanfare that was originally composed by his father Alfred, which debuted in the aforementioned Anastasia and is still being used permanently.
In February 2007, he was elected president of The Film Music Society.[3]
On May 21, 2009, Newman was honored with the Richard Kirk award at the annual BMI Film & Television Awards. The prestigious award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.[4]
Since 2012, Newman has conducted the RSO Vienna orchestra at the annual film music gala concert Hollywood in Vienna which is broadcast on radio and TV.
Newman is an alumnus and Board Member of the American Youth Symphony.[5]
Filmography
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
| Year | Title | Director | Studio(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | West Side Story | Steven Spielberg | 20th Century Studios Amblin Entertainment |
Newman's first collaboration with Steven Spielberg. Original themes and songs by Leonard Bernstein Fifth Spielberg film without his long-time collaborator, John Williams, since Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), The Color Purple (1985), Bridge of Spies (2015) and Ready Player One (2018). |
References
- MacDonald, Laurence E. The Invisible Art of Film Music: A Comprehensive History, Scarecrow Press (2013)
- Maurizio Caschetto, audio file interview with David Newman, April-May 2019, Legacy Conversations, available: www.thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com
- "David Newman Elected President of The Film Music Society". The Film Music Society. 22 February 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
- "BMI Film & Television Awards Tout Composers of Year's Top Film, Television, & Cable Music". bmi.com. 21 May 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
- "Board of Directors". American Youth Symphony. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
External links
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