A Christmas Carol

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Composer

Alan Silvestri

Bio

In over thirty years as a film composer, ALAN SILVESTRI has blazed an innovative trail with his exciting and melodic scores, winning the applause of Hollywood and movie audiences the world over.

Born in Manhattan in 1950, Silvestri was first drawn to music at an early age. Beginning as a drummer, his love for instruments quickly grew to include the bassoon, clarinet, saxophone and guitar. Writing his own music and forming numerous bands during his early school days, his musical life would lead him to the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he was to enroll as a composition major.

Upon leaving Berklee, Silvestri hit the road with Wayne Cochran and the C.C. Riders. As a guitarist in Cochran’s popular band, Alan toured America. Continuing to explore his love of music, he moved to Hollywood and the result was his first movie score with 1972’s “The Doberman Gang.â€�

He would score a number of small films during this period before breaking through as a television composer during the second season of the hit series “CHiPs.â€� During four years on the show, Silvestri’s talent for driving, energetic rhythms would help the motorcycle cops give chase. It was a music editor on the show, impressed with his talent, who would later recommend him to a talented young film director.

The filmmaker was Robert Zemeckis, and Silvestri’s suspenseful score for “Romancing the Stoneâ€� helped make the action-comedy a surprise hit. Both director and composer were suddenly propelled to a hugely successful collaboration that would include the “Back to the Futureâ€� series, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,â€� the Oscar®-winning “Forrest Gumpâ€� (for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Score), “Contact,â€� “What Lies Beneath,â€� “Cast Awayâ€� (for which he won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition), and the spectacular Christmas fantasy “The Polar Express.â€� The song “Believe,â€� performed by Josh Groban, which Silvestri co-wrote with Glen Ballard, was nominated for an Academy Award® in the Best Original Song category and won a Grammy Award® for Best Song for a Motion Picture. The most recent film in Zemeckis and Silvestri’s ongoing partnership is the epic tale “Beowulf.â€�

Through the years and over 100 scores, Silvestri has distinguished himself in many genres, from thrilling suspense (“Van Helsing,â€� “Predator,â€� “The Abyssâ€�), to galloping westerns (“Young Guns 2,â€� “The Quick and the Deadâ€�), youthful fantasy (“Stuart Little,â€� “The Parent Trap,â€� “Lilo and Stitchâ€�) rollicking comedy (“Father of the Brideâ€�, “What Women Want,â€� “Fools Rush Inâ€� and “Night at the Museumâ€�) and heartfelt drama (“The Perez Familyâ€� and the Oscar®-winning “Two Soldiersâ€�). But whether composing orchestral action, or tender melodies, his work has always been identifiable by its keen sense of melody and theme.

Long-time residents of the Carmel Highlands, the Silvestri family has embarked on a new venture as the founders of Silvestri Vineyards. Their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah wines show that lovingly cultivated fruit has a music all its own.

Composer- Job Description

Someone who composes the score of the film.