June 2004

Top Film/Television Composers and Songwriters
Honored at 19th Annual Awards Celebration

Howard Shore and Clint Eastwood Among Honorees

Big Night Pictured (l-r) are ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento, Henry Mancini Award recipient Howard Shore, ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman, Opus Award recipient Clint Eastwood and jazz great Herbie Hancock, who co-presented the Opus Award to Eastwood with Bergman.

ASCAP presented its distinguished Henry Mancini Award to Howard Shore and its prestigious Opus Award to Clint Eastwood during the 19th annual ASCAP Film and Television Awards gala held on April 21st at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. In addition to honoring Shore and Eastwood, the event honored the composers, songwriters and publishers of the biggest box office film music and the most performed television music of the year. Over 700 members of the music industry elite attended the event, which was hosted by ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman.

One of the evening's special highlights was the presentation of the ASCAP Henry Mancini Award to Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy award-winning composer Howard Shore in recognition of his outstanding achievements and contributions to the world of film and television music. Comedic actress, producer and director Penny Marshall presented the award to Shore, along with Bergman. Shore and Marshall collaborated on the box office hit Big. Past recipients of the award include James Newton Howard, Quincy Jones, Michel Legrand, Johnny Mandel, Randy Newman, Alan Silvestri and Hans Zimmer.

Big Night Filmmaker and composer Robert Rodriguez was honored for Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over.

Howard Shore has been one of film & television music's most distinctive and versatile composers for more than 25 years. Shore received Best Original Score Academy Awards for his scores for two films of the Tolkien trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King, as well as the Best Song Oscar for "Into the West," a song co-written by Shore, Fran Walsh and Annie Lennox for The Return of the King.

ASCAP composer Clint Eastwood was presented with the ASCAP Opus Award, which honors individuals who recognize and understand the importance of music to film. Eastwood joins a select group of directors who have previously received the award including Stanley Donen, Norman Jewison and Robert Wise. Jazz great Herbie Hancock was on hand to help Bergman make the presentation to Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood has been a premier box-office star for a staggering 38 years. In an industry that has defined fame as fleeting, he is truly an icon. He is an actor, director, producer and film composer. Most recently, his Malpaso Productions film, Mystic River, was nominated for six Academy Awards, with Sean Penn and Tim Robbins winning for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, awards that are also a tribute to the director.

Another highlight of the evening was a tribute by Henry Mancini's daughter, Monica, who performed the songs "Dear Heart" and "Two for the Road," in honor of her father. ASCAP renamed its "Golden Soundtrack Award" in honor of Mancini in 1996 to pay tribute to one of the most successful music composers in the history of film and television. 2004 marks the 80th birthday year of Mancini and, on April 13th of this year, a commemorative U.S. postage stamp was issued in his honor.

Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a letter congratulating ASCAP on its 90th birthday, and to all of the award winners including Clint Eastwood, Howard Shore and Marco Beltrami who was honored for his score for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.

For a full list of ASCAP Film/TV Award winners, visit http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/awards/filmtv/2004/

Film/TV Awards Photos