John Williams
Biography
John Towner Williams (b. 8 February 1932, Floral Park, N.Y.) is an American composer, conductor, and pianist.
Born just one month shy of the death of John Philip Sousa, the son of a jazz drummer, Williams studied piano and composition at the University of California at Los Angeles and The Juilliard School in New York City. By the time he was in his late twenties, Williams was an active jazz and studio pianist and began composing music for television and films. In 1974 he met an ambitious young director named Steven Spielberg, and the two forged a friendship that would prove to be one of the most successful partnerships in the history of filmmaking. That year, the pair worked together on a film called Sugarland Express starring Goldie Hawn and a year later teamed up again for Jaws. It wasn’t long before Williams’ music garnered international attention unlike any American composer since Sousa.
In a career that spans six decades, Williams has composed many of the most famous film scores in Hollywood history, including Star Wars, Superman, Home Alone, the first three Harry Potter movies, and all but two of Steven Spielberg's feature films, including the Indiana Jones series, Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park and Jaws. He also composed the soundtrack for the hit 1960s TV series Lost in Space.
Williams has composed theme music for four Olympic Games, the NBC Nightly News, the inauguration of Barack Obama, and numerous television series and concert pieces. He served as the principal conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra from 1980 to 1993, and is now the orchestra's laureate conductor.
Williams is a five-time winner of the Academy Award. He has also won four Golden Globe Awards, seven BAFTA Awards and 21 Grammy Awards. With 45 Academy Award nominations, Williams is, together with composer Alfred Newman, the second most nominated individual after Walt Disney. He was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in 2000, and was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004.
Works for Winds
Adaptable Music
- Great Movie Adventures (arr. Sweeney) (Flex instrumentation) (2006)
- Highlights from "Jurassic Park" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (1993)
- Raiders March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Lavender) (1981/2017)
- Selections from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (2016)
- Selections from "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Murtha) (2017)
- Selections from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (2019)
All Wind Works
- The Adventures of Han (arr. Lavender) (2018)
- The Adventures of Mutt (arr. Lavender) (2008)
- Adventures on Earth (tr. Lavender) (1982/2007)
- America ... The Dream Goes On (arr. Higgins and Lavender) (1982/1985/1989)
- American Journey (arr. Lavender) (1999/2012)
- The Asteroid Field (tr. Lavender and Nowlin) (1980/)
- At the Movies with John Williams (arr. Justin Williams) (2016)
- Call of the Champions (arr. Moss) (2002)
- Cantina Band (arr. Kalver) (1977/2014)
- Catch Me If You Can (arr. Bocook) (2011)
- Chillers and Thrillers (arr. Moss) (2006)
- The Complete Harry Potter (arr. Brubaker) (2013)
- Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra (arr. Lavender) (1988/2016)
- Coronation March from "Star Wars" (arr. Burden) (1977/1978)
- The Cowboys (arr. Curnow) (1972)
- The Cowboys (Grade III) (arr. Bocook) (1972)
- The Cowboys (Grade V) (arr. Bocook) (1972/2007)
- Dance of the Witches (arr. Lavender) (1987)
- Dartmoor, 1912 (arr. Bocook) (2011)
- Duel of the Fates (arr. Story) (1999)
- The Empire Strikes Back (tr. Bullock) (1980)
- Escapades (arr. Bulla) (2002/2012)
- Excerpts from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (arr. Bulla) (1978/2009)
- Excerpts from "Far and Away" (arr. Lavender) (1992/1996)
- Fanfare for Fenway (2012)
- Fanfare from E.T. The Extraterrestrial (arr. Lavender) (1982)
- Flight to Neverland (arr. Lavender) (1991/2016)
- Flying Theme (tr. Lavender) (1982)
- For New York (arr. Lavender) (1988/)
- For the President's Own (2013)
- Great Movie Adventures (arr. Sweeney) (Flex instrumentation) (2006)
- Harry Potter Symphonic Suite (arr. Smith) (2001)
- Harry's Wondrous World (arr. Brubaker) (2003)
- Harry's Wondrous World (arr. Lavender) (2006)
- Helena's Theme (tr. Lavender) (2022)
- Highlights from "Harry Potter" (arr. Story) (2001)
- Highlights from "Hook" (arr. Bernaerts) (1991/2005)
- Highlights from "Hook" (arr. Heide) (1995)
- Highlights from "Jurassic Park" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (1993)
- Highlights from "Return of the Jedi" (arr. Jennings; orch. Lavender) (1983)
- Hogwarts Forever (2001)
- Home Alone 2, Lost in New York (arr. Lavender)
- A Home Alone Christmas (arr. Lavender) (1990/2006)
- Hooray for Hollywood (as arranger; tr. Bocook)
- A Hymn to New England (arr. Lavender)
- Hymn to the Fallen (arr. Lavender) (1998/1999)
- Hymn to the Fallen (arr. Sweeney) (1998/2000)
- The Imperial March (tr. Bulla) (1980/2008)
- Indiana Jones Selection (arr. Heide) (1981/2007)
- Jaws (arr. Steven Walker) (1975/2004)
- Jedi Steps and Finale. See: Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
- John Williams: Evening at Pops (arr. Higgins) (1987)
- John Williams: A Fantasy of Flight (arr. Smith) (2002)
- John Williams in Concert (arr. Lavender) (1992)
- John Williams: The Symphonic Marches (arr. Higgins; orch. Lavender) (1984)
- John Williams: Symphonic Soundtracks (arr. Moss) (2001)
- John Williams Swings (arr. Bocook) (2011)
- Jurassic Park Soundtrack Highlights (arr. Lavender) (1993)
- Liberty Fanfare (arr. Curnow) (1986/2002)
- Liberty Fanfare (arr. Bocook) (1986/2010)
- Liberty Fanfare (arr. Lavender) (1986/)
- Lincoln (arr. Bocook) (2013)
- The March from "1941" (arr. Lavender)
- March of the Resistance. See: Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
- Men of the Yorktown (arr. Lavender)
- Midway March (arr. Lavender) (1976/2010)
- Midway March (arr Curnow) (1976/1990)
- Midway March (arr. Moss) (1976/1994)
- The Mission Theme (arr. Lavender) (1987)
- Music for Brass (2014)
- Music from "Lincoln" (tr. Lavender) (2013)
- Music from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (arr. Sweeney) (1977/2016)
- Olympic Fanfare and Theme (arr. Curnow) (1984)
- The Olympic Spirit (1988)
- The Olympic Spirit (tr. Bocook) (1988/1996)
- The Olympic Spirit (tr. Rose) (1988)
- The Olympic Spirit (arr. Curnow) (1988)
- Olympics: A Centennial Celebration (arr. Moss) (1996)
- Out to Sea and the Shark Cage Fugue (arr. Bocook) (1975/2011)
- Out of This World (arr. Bocook) (1999)
- Parade of the Slave Children (arr. Walker) (1984/1997/2002)
- The Patriot (arr. Lavender) (2000/2015)
- The Patriot (arr. Moss) (2000/2001)
- A Prayer for Peace (arr. Moss) (2006)
- Princess Leia's Theme (tr. Lavender and Nowlin) (1977/)
- Quidditch (2001)
- Raiders March (tr. Lavender) (1981/2004)
- Raiders March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Lavender) (1981/2017)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark Medley (arr. Bullock) (1981)
- The Rebellion Is Reborn (arr. Bocook) (2017)
- Revenge of the Sith. See: Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith
- Rey's Theme (arr. Lavender). See: Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
- Rey's Theme (arr. Torskangerpoll) (2015)
- Rey's Theme (arr. Vinson) (2015/2016)
- The Rise of Skywalker. See: Soundtrack Highlights from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker"
- Scherzo for Motorcycle and Band (arr. Lavender)
- Scherzo for X-Wings. See: Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"
- Selections from "E.T." (The Extra-Terrestrial) (arr. Cacavas) (1982/2002)
- Selections from "Home Alone" (arr. Lavender) (1990/1992)
- Selections from "Superman Returns" (arr. Lopez) (2006)
- Selections from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (2016)
- Selections from "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Murtha) (2017)
- Selections from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Vinson) (2019)
- Selections from the "Star Wars" Saga (arr. Story) (1977/2006)
- Sinfonietta
- Soaring with John Williams (arr. Smith) (2007)
- Somewhere in My Memory (arr. Moss) (1991/200-?)
- Sound the Bells! (trans. Lavender) (1993/2003)
- Soundtrack Highlights from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (arr. Brown) (2015/2018)
- Soundtrack Highlights from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (arr. Brown) (2015/2019)
- Star of Bethlehem (arr. Lavender) (1992)
- The Star-Spangled Banner (as arranger) (1814/2004)
- Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace (arr. Smith)
- Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones (arr. Smith) (2002)
- Star Wars: Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (arr. Smith) (2005)
- Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (2019)
- Star Wars: Main Title (arr. Bulla) (1977/2006)
- Star Wars Medley (arr. Burden) (1977)
- Star Wars Medley (arr. Kalver) (1977/2013)
- Star Wars Medley (arr. Tatgenhorst) (1977)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Closing Credits) (arr. Lavender) (2016)
- Star Wars: The Marches (arr. Brubaker) (1977)
- Star Wars Saga (arr. Bulla) (2017)
- The Imperial March (arr. Bulla) (1980/2008)
- Star Wars Saga (arr. Meij) (1987)
- Star Wars Trilogy (arr. Hunsberger) (1977/1997)
- Suite from the Star Wars Epic, Part I (arr. Smith) (1977/2007)
- Suite from the Star Wars Epic, Part II (arr. Smith) (1977/2007)
- Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (arr. Lavender) (2015/2016)
- Scherzo for X-Wings (arr. Lavender) (2016)
- Rey's Theme (arr. Lavender) (2015)
- March of the Resistance (arr. Lavender) (2015)
- Jedi Steps and Finale (arr. Lavender) (2015)
- Suite from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (with Nicholas Hooper; arr. Bullock) (2002/2007)
- Summon the Heroes (arr. Lavender) (1996)
- Superman (arr. Lowden)
- Superman March (arr. Lavender) (1978/2008)
- Symphonic Marches (arr. Hamers)
- Symphonic Suite from "Far and Away" (arr. Lavender) (1992/2013)
- Symphonic Suite from "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (arr. Bocook) (2016)
- Symphonic Suite from "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (arr. Bocook) (2019)
- Theme from "JFK" (arr. Lavender) (1991)
- Theme from "Lost in Space" (arr. O'Loughlin) (1965/1993)
- Theme from "Schindler's List" (arr. Custer) (1994)
- Theme from "Schindler's List" (arr. Moss) (1993/2008)
- Theme from "Superman" (arr. Holcombe) (1979)
- Theme from "Superman" (arr. Nowak) (1979)
- Theme from "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (arr. Ployhar) (1982/1985)
- Throne Room and Finale (tr. Lavender and Nowlin) (1977/)
- Trumpet Concerto (arr. Lavender) (1996/2016)
- Tribute to the Film Composer (arr. Lavender)
- Viktor's Tale (arr. Lavender) (2004/2008)
- Viktor's Tale (arr. Rasmussen) (2004)
- Wide Receiver (arr. Lavender)
- With Malice Toward None (arr. Lavender) (2012/2015)
- Young Person's Guide to John Williams (arr. Bocook) (1991)
Resources
- Colburn, Michael J. "John Williams Returns to Bands Where He Began 50 Years Ago." The Instrumentalist vol. 58, no. 11, June 2004, pp. 12-17.
- John Williams website
- John Williams. Wikipedia. Accessed 8 August 2023
- Morse, Matthew C. "The Cowboys Overture." In Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Volume 10, Compiled and edited by Richard Miles, 826-837. Chicago: GIA Publications, 2015.
- U.S. marine Band concert program, 14 December 2014