John Scott (composer)

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John Scott (b. Patrick John O'Hara Scott, November 1, 1930, Bristol, England) is a British composer and conductor.

Over nearly four decades, John Scott (aka Johnny Scott and Patrick John Scott) has established himself as one of the finest composers working in films today, having collaborated with foremost producers and directors worldwide, including Richard Donner, Mark Damon, Hugh Hudson, Norman Jewison, Irvin Kershner, Daniel Petrie, Roger Spottiswoode and Charlton Heston, among others. He has been an essential voice in international scoring, creating a body of melodically compelling works that represent some of the best music written for films.

John Scott was born in Bishopston, Bristol, England, in 1930 ^[1], where his musical ability was nurtured. His father was a musician in the Bristol Police Band, who gave John music lessons -- first on the violin and then the clarinet.

At age 14, John enrolled in the army as a Boy Musician in order to continue his musical studies of the clarinet and harp, then saxophone, touring with some of the top British bands of the era. He was hired by EMI to arrange and conduct some of EMI's top artists and, during that time, worked with Beatles producer George Martin and recorded such artists as Tom Jones, Cilla Black, and The Hollies. As a musician, he played with The Julian Bream Consort, Yehudi Menuhin, Ravi Shankar, Nelson Riddle, John Dankworth and Cleo Lane.

John Scott was the leader of a popular jazz quintet during the 1960s. He played for Henry Mancini and was principal saxophonist on John Barry's Goldfinger soundtrack. This exposure to film music whetted John's appetite for composing music for films. His first score was in 1963 for the film, A Study in Terror. Since then, John has scored over one hundred film and television projects and received numerous awards. His film scores include A Study in Terror (1965), Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon (1967) and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). More recently, his TV work has included incidental music for the ITV series Rosemary and Thyme. Of note are his many scores for films and documentaries by explorer Jacques Cousteau.

John Scott is the true creative artist; compelled to compose, whether commissioned or not. Turning to classical repertoire, he has written a symphony, a ballet, 4 string quartets, a guitar concerto and is currently working on an opera. He has also conducted many the world's finest orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and several of Europe's leading orchestras, including the Munich Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Budapest Opera Orchestra, the Lubliana Radio Orchestra and the Prague Philharmonic.

Since 2006, John Scott has been the Artistic Director of the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra.

[edit] News

Movie music to receive top billing at Royce Hall - Los Angeles Times - Los Angeles, Calif., Author: Lynne Heffley, Date: May 15, 2006, Section: Calendar; Part E; Calendar Desk, Document Types: Performance Review-Favorable

Music critic Jim Svejda of FM radio station KUSC devoted an entire afternoon (5 hours) to the music of John Scott and the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra on May 16, 2006.

ASCAP Playback Magazine - STEPPING OUT, Summer 2006 Big Hollywood Debut: The Debut Performance of the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra [Online Link]

Film music historian, author Jon Burlingame covers the HSO's second concert in his published review from Oct 11, 2006 here

The Hollywood Symphony Orchestra Performs World Premieres Along With Classic Film Music Date:(10/09/2006) Soundtrack.net