BMI honored the composers of music featured in the past year's top-grossing films, top-rated prime-time network television series and highest-ranking cable network programs May 21 at its annual Film & Television Awards. Held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the black-tie gala was hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Film/TV Relations Vice President Doreen Ringer Ross, who handed out more than 80 BMI Crystals throughout the evening.

View Full List of Award Winners

A highlight of the ceremony took the form of the Richard Kirk Award presentation to esteemed composer Christopher Young. Named after late BMI Vice President Richard Kirk, the prestigious award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music. As the 2008 honoree, Christopher Young joins an elite list of peers that includes George S. Clinton, Harry Gregson-Williams (PRS), Jerry Goldsmith, Thomas Newman, Michael Kamen, Mark Mothersbaugh, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin and John Williams.

Award-winning composer Christopher Young has carved out an enviable niche in the upper pantheon of Hollywood composers. The UCLA Film School alumnus first turned heads with fiendish scores for horror and science fiction projects, and he proceeded to garner accolades for work on macabre and fantastical films including Hellraiser, its Saturn award-winning sequel and Species, along with BMI award-winners Ghost Rider, The Grudge and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Young became a master of suspense, composing music for thrillers including Copycat and BMI honoree Entrapment, as well as dramatic and critical tours-de-force including Golden Globe nominee The Shipping News, Wonder Boys, Rounders and BMI award-winner Swordfish. He also fleshed out the haunting nuances and electrifying action sequences of box office gold Spiderman 3. The New Jersey native has also excelled in television composition, earning two Emmy nominations for telefilms Last Flight Out and Norma Jean & Marilyn. A dedicated mentor, Young has taught classes at USC, served as an advisor for the Sundance Institute's Film Composers Lab and created an innovative residential development to house aspiring composers in Los Angeles.

BMI also presented the Classic Contribution Award to Peter Golub in recognition of his progressive direction of the Sundance Institute's Film Composers Lab for the past ten years. An accomplished composer of film, theatre, ballet and concert works, Golub is a natural fit for the lab, which aims to enhance the role of music in independent film. His acute composition work includes scores for documentaries I.O.U.S.A. and Wordplay, along with films including The Great Debaters. Universally acknowledged as an unparalleled apprenticeship for the next generation of composing elite, the workshop has invaluably benefited from Golub's creative intuition and steady guidance.

BMI's Emmy-winning composers were also feted; the accomplished list included George Fenton (PRS) for the awe-inspiring documentary Planet Earth: Pole to Pole; William Ross for the 79th Annual Academy Awards; Lenny Williams for Nature: Christmas in Yellowstone; Yoav Goren for The XX Olympic Winter Games: The Stories of Torino; Katreese Barnes for Saturday Night Live's "Dick in a Box"; Gary Deinstadt, Billy Barber, Ron Komie, Danny Pelfrey and David Traugh for Guiding Light; along with Wes Boatman and John Henry Kreitler for "Love is Ecstasy" from Passions.

Legendary rocker turned lauded composer Pete Townshend (PRS) took home the evening's most awards, with three BMI Crystals for CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY. Composers garnering two awards each were Steve Jablonsky for Transformers and Desperate Housewives; Rupert Gregson-Williams (PRS) for Bee Movie and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry; George Fenton for Fool's Gold and Planet Earth: Pole to Pole; Mychael Danna for Surf's Up and Medium; Aaron Zigman for Step Up 2: The Streets and Why Did I Get Married?; Kevin Kiner for Amazing Race and CSI: Miami; Mike Post for Law & Order and Law & Order SVU; and Matt Koskenmaki for Hell's Kitchen and The Ultimate Fighter.

The night's winning composers for top-grossing films and critically acclaimed gems also included past Richard Kirk Award recipient Harry Gregson-Williams (PRS) for Shrek the Third, Trevor Rabin for National Treasure: Book of Secrets, legendary composer and past Richard Kirk Award recipient Lalo Schifrin for Rush Hour 3, John Ottman for Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Mark Mancina for television drama Criminal Minds, Randy Edelman for romantic comedy 27 Dresses, Tyler Bates for horror favorite Halloween and pop music architect Brian Wilson for HBO dramedy series Big Love.

Prolific composer Christopher Young will receive the Richard Kirk Award for outstanding career achievement at BMI's annual Film & Television Awards on Wednesday, May 21 in Los Angeles. Staged at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the black-tie, invitation-only dinner will also honor the composers of the past year's top-grossing films, top-rated prime-time network television series and highest-ranking cable network programs. BMI's President & CEO Del Bryant, and BMI's Vice President, Film/TV Relations, Doreen Ringer Ross, will host the event.

Named in honor of former BMI Vice President and film & television department founder Richard Kirk, the Richard Kirk Award is bestowed on composers who have made significant contributions to the realm of film and television. As the 2008 honoree, Christopher Young joins an elite list of peers that includes George S. Clinton, Harry Gregson-Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Thomas Newman, Michael Kamen, Mark Mothersbaugh, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin and John Williams.

Award-winning composer Christopher Young has carved out his enviable niche in the upper pantheon of Hollywood composers with unusual speed and unerring flair. The UCLA Film School alumnus first turned heads with fiendish scores for horror and science fiction projects, and he proceeded to garner accolades for work on macabre and fantastical films including Hellraiser, its Saturn award-winning sequel and Species, along with BMI award-winners Ghost Rider, The Grudge and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Young became a master of suspense, composing music for thrillers including Copycat and BMI honoree Entrapment, as well as dramatic and critical tours-de-force including Golden Globe nominee The Shipping News, Wonder Boys, Rounders and BMI award-winner Swordfish. He also fleshed out the haunting nuances and electrifying action sequences of box office gold Spiderman 3. The New Jersey native has also excelled in television composition, earning two Emmy nominations for telefilms Last Flight Out and Norma Jean & Marilyn. A dedicated mentor, Young has taught classes at USC, served as an advisor for the Sundance Institute Film Composers Lab and created an innovative residential development to house aspiring composers in Los Angeles. He describes his progressive two-pronged approach to composition as the exploration of the contemporary music's abstract ideas and the infinite pursuit of "the great American tune."

The ceremony will salute BMI's Emmy-winning composers from the past year. BMI will also present the Classic Contribution Award to Peter Golub in recognition of his progressive direction of the Sundance Institute Film Composers Lab for the past ten years. An accomplished composer of film, theatre, ballet and concert works, Golub is a natural fit for the lab, which aims to enhance the role of music in independent film. Universally acknowledged as an unparalleled apprenticeship for the next generation of composing elite, the workshop has invaluably benefited from Golub's creative intuition and steady guidance.

Newman, whose scoring credits span cinema, has received Academy Award nominations for American Beauty, The Shawshank Redemption, Little Women and Unstrung Heroes, a Golden Globe nomination for American Beauty and a BAFTA and Grammy win for American Beauty. Newman was also presented with the prestigious Richard Kirk Award for outstanding career achievement at the 2000 BMI Film & Television Awards.

Each year Retinitis Pigmentosa International honors those in the entertainment, business, and scientific communities who have exhibited artistic vision or visionary leadership in their respective fields, as well as those who have made significant contributions to the ongoing fight against degenerative blindness.

BMI honored the composers and songwriters of the music from the past year's top-grossing films, top-rated prime-time network television series and highest-ranking cable network programs at its annual Film & Television Awards. Held May 16 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the black-tie gala was hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Film/TV Relations Vice President Doreen Ringer Ross, who handed out more than 80 BMI Crystals throughout the evening.

View the Film/TV Awards List

A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the BMI Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement to multitalented film composer George S. Clinton. The prestigious award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music, with past honorees including Jerry Goldsmith, Thomas Newman, Michael Kamen, John Barry, Mark Mothersbaugh, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin and John Williams.

George S. Clinton's versatility and musical prowess have placed the Grammy-nominated maestro in the upper-echelon of Hollywood composers. The recipient of six BMI awards and composer for myriad films, Clinton's scores have lent depth to thrillers including Mortal Kombat and Wild Things ; supplied deft timing to comedic smashes Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and its two sequels; and helped paint poignant moments in Joe Somebody , quirky moods in 3,000 Miles to Graceland and foreboding atmospheres in The Astronaut's Wife . An active member of the film community, Clinton also serves as an advisor at the Sundance Institutes' Composers Lab.

BMI also recognized accomplished conductor and composer Lucas Richman with the Classic Contribution Award for ten years of service leading BMI's celebrated Conductor's Workshop. A BMI composer, Richman has led the workshop since its inception. Presently Music Director and Conductor for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Richman is a leading expert in conducting and composing, having fashioned an outstanding career as a conductor with numerous symphonies and orchestras in the U.S. as well as collaborator with numerous film composers as their conductor, recording scores for such films as the Academy Award-nominated As Good As It Gets, Face/Off, Seven, Breakdown, Anastasia and The Village.

BMI's Oscar-, Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning composers were also feted, including Gustavo Santaolalla, whose score for Babel earned him his second Academy Award for Original Score; and Alexandre Desplat (SACEM), whose score for The Painted Veil earned him a Golden Globe award for Best Original Score – Motion Picture.

Danny Elfman took home the evening's most awards, with four BMI Crystals for Meet The Robinsons, Charlotte's Web, Nacho Libre and Desperate Housewives. Composer Theodore Shapiro took home three awards for The Devil Wears Prada, Blades of Glory and You, Me and Dupree; and Pete Townshend (PRS) was once again a triple winner for CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY .

Composers who took home two awards were Teddy Castalucci for Wild Hogs and Little Man; Charlie Clouser for Saw III and Numb3rs ; Harry Gregson-Williams for Flushed Away and Déjà Vu; Rupert Gregson-Williams for Over The Hedge and Click ; and Aaron Zigman for Step Up and Bridge To Terabithia. Other award winners were Jeff Beal for Ugly Betty ; Rolfe Kent and Daniel Licht for Dexter ; Bruce Hanifan for Deadliest Catch ; Steve Jablonsky for Desperate Housewives ; Alex Wolff, Michael Wolff and Nat Wolff for The Naked Brothers Band ; Carim Clasmann (PRS) and Galia Durant (PRS) for Grey's Anatomy; Dain Blair and Tony Phillips for the hit series Deal Or No Deal, and many others.

Bestowed annually on a composer who has made significant contributions to the realm of film and television music, the Richard Kirk Award is named after past BMI Vice President Richard Kirk. As the 2007 honoree, George S. Clinton enters an ambit of elite colleagues including composers Henry Gregson-Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, John Barry, Thomas Newman, Michael Kamen, Mark Mothersbaugh, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin and John Williams.

George S. Clinton’s versatility and sheer musical prowess have placed the Grammy-nominated maestro in the upper-echelon of Hollywood composers. The recipient of six BMI awards and composer for a myriad of films, Clinton’s scores have lent depth to thrillers including Mortal Kombat and Wild Things; supplied deft timing to comedic smashes Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and its two sequels; and helped paint poignant moments in Joe Somebody, quirky moods in 3,000 Miles to Graceland and foreboding atmospheres in The Astronaut’s Wife. An active member of the film community, George S. Clinton also serves as an advisor at the Sundance Institutes’ Composers Lab.

The gala ceremony, will also salute BMI's Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy-winning composers. BMI will also present the Classic Contribution Award to composer and conductor Lucas Richman. Richman has led the BMI Conducting Workshop in Los Angeles since it inception, celebrating 10 years when the workshop commences in June. The Workshop is a two-week course taught by Richman, designed for working BMI film and television composers who wish to refine their conducting skills.

Gustavo Santaolalla	Thomas Newman

Last year's Original Score winner, BMI Latin rock producer Gustavo Santaolalla, grabbed the spotlight again this year with his music to the blockbuster film, Babel. His score will compete against the music to The Good German by veteran composer Thomas Newman and The Queen by first-time Oscar nominee Alexandre Desplat, who recently won his first Golden Globe for The Painted Veil.

Alexandre Desplat	Anne Preven

In the Original Song category, BMI songwriter Anne Preven -- the pen behind the Natalie Imbruglia smash "Torn" -- also earned her first Oscar nomination with the co-write, "Listen," from the Dreamgirls soundtrack. The song was also a recently nominated for a Golden Globe.

Pictured are (l-r): SCL President Dan Foliart, BMI composer Thomas Newman, BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross, SCL Executive Director Laura Dunn, music editor Bill Bernstein and BMI composer Chris Farrell. Photo by Annamaria DiSanto

Newman, a seven-time Oscar nominee and an Emmy, Grammy and BAFTA award winner, has scored such films as Finding Nemo, The Shawshank Redemption, Fried Green Tomatoes and Cinderella Man, among others. The youngest son of legendary composer Alfred Newman also received BMI's Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement at the company's 2000 Film/TV Awards.

The Society of Composers & Lyricists is the non-profit and primary organization for actively working professional composers and lyricists, with a distinguished 60-year history in the fine art of creating music for motion pictures and television. The predecessor organization, the Screen Composers Association, began in 1945 with such legendary icons as Max Steiner, Bernard Herrmann, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Dimitri Tiomkin and David Raksin among others. Current SCL members include top creative professionals whose experience and expertise is focused on many of the creative, technological, legal, newsworthy and pressing issues of the film/television/game music industry today.

Shown after the "Coffee Talk" are BMI composers Terence Blanchard and Thomas Newman, BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross, and BMI composer Harry Gregson-Williams. Photo by Randall Michaelson

BMI honored the composers and songwriters of the music from the past year's top-grossing films, top-rated prime-time network television series and highest-ranking cable network programs at its annual Film & Television Awards. Held May 17 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the black-tie gala was hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Film/TV Relations Vice President Doreen Ringer Ross, who handed out more than 100 BMI Crystals throughout the evening.

	BMI Film/TV Awards Photo Slideshow
	2006 Film/TV Awards list
	Harry Gregson-Williams Bio

A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the BMI Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement to versatile film composer Harry Gregson-Williams. Named after late BMI Vice President Richard Kirk, the prestigious award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music. Past honorees include Jerry Goldsmith, Mike Post, Thomas Newman, Michael Kamen, Mark Mothersbaugh, Lalo Schifrin, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken and John Williams.

Harry Gregson-Williams	Earle Hagen

One of Hollywood's most sought-after composers, Harry Gregson-Williams has infused his unique musical talent into the scores of such diverse films as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, Man on Fire, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Shrek, Shrek 2, Spy Game, Chicken Run, Kingdom of Heaven, Antz and Domino. The British-born Golden Globe nominee, who was named Composer of the Year at the 2005 Hollywood Film Festival, is currently working on the music to Shrek the Third and Déja Vu.

Celebrated BMI composer Earle Hagen received the Classic Contribution Award in recognition of more than 50 years as a BMI affiliate. He was also cited for 10 years of dedication as a mentor and teacher of the BMI workshop he founded in 1986, where he was instrumental in fostering the careers of many young film and television composers. A past Richard Kirk Award recipient, Hagen has written some of the most memorable themes in TV music history, including The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Spy, Make Room for Daddy, Gomer Pyle, USMC, That Girl and The Mod Squad, among others. He is also the author of three books, two of which are considered the definitive textbooks in the film scoring field.

BMI's Oscar-, Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning composers were also feted, including Latin rock pioneer Gustavo Santaolalla, whose Brokeback Mountain music earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Score and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for "A Love That Will Never Grow Old" from the movie's soundtrack. Danny Elfman's Emmy-winning theme to the ABC hit Desperate Housewives gave the composer two of his three wins; his score to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory also earned him a BMI Film/TV Award.

The gala ceremony also honored Rolfe Kent for the comedies Failure to Launch and Wedding Crashers, Trevor Rabin for sports drama Coach Carter, BMI Icon Brian Wilson for the theme to HBO's Big Love, Mark Mothersbaugh for the underscore to Big Love and family film Herbie: Fully Loaded, Charlie Clouser for the sequel Saw II and hit TV show Numb3rs, John Williams for the Golden Globe-winning Memoirs of a Geisha and blockbuster film War of the Worlds, David Newman for the romantic comedy Monster-In-Law, Alex Wurman for the groundbreaking documentary March of the Penguins, and Christopher Young for the horror movie The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

BMI Television and Cable Awards went to Steve Jablonsky for Desperate Housewives, Larry Groupe for Commander in Chief, Kevin Kiner for CSI: Miami, Peter Manning Robinson for Without a Trace, Charlie Midnight for Daisy Does America, James Levine for The Closer, and Dain Blair and Tony Phillips for the hit series Deal Or No Deal and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Also taking home multiple BMI Crystals were repeat triple winner Pete Townshend (PRS) for CSI, CSI: Miami and CSI: NY, as well as double winners Dominic Messinger for the soaps All My Children and One Life to Live, and Mike Post for the long-running Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

The award for Outstanding Career Achievement is named after past BMI Vice President Richard Kirk and is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to the field of film and television music. Past honorees include Jerry Goldsmith, Thomas Newman, Michael Kamen, Mark Mothersbaugh, Danny Elfman, Alan Menken, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin and John Williams.

One of Hollywood's most sought-after composers, Golden Globe nominee Harry Gregson-Williams has infused his unique musical talent into the scores of such diverse films as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, Man on Fire, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Spy Game, Shrek, Shrek 2, Chicken Run, Kingdom of Heaven, Antz and Domino. The British-born composer, who was named Composer of the Year at the 2005 Hollywood Film Festival, is currently working on the music to Shrek The Third and Déjá Vu.

The gala ceremony, which will also salute BMI's Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy-winning composers, will feature an award for the most performed song from a motion picture, as well as the Classic Contribution Award to past Richard Kirk honoree Earle Hagen. The 2006 BMI Film & Television Awards will be hosted by Del Bryant, President & CEO, along with Doreen Ringer Ross, Vice President of Film/TV Relations.