Nicest film composers you have met or you think is friendly

[David Coscina 4]

I have to say that, while Williams seemed very nice, I've gotta say Gabriel Yared is about the nicest composer I have met. He's incredibly generous with his time and genuinely cares about his fans and what they think. And he LOVES music. I have never seen a purer artist.

John Adams was also very very generous with his time. He treated me like a fellow musician not a fan when I talked with him backstage after a performance he gave in Detroit.

Mind you, Williams is a much more popular person and the one time I did speak to him, he was very very gracious and even engaged in a brief conversation about The Accidental Tourist CD that I has brought for him to sign (the original WB release).

Anyone else with nice stories of composers who were kind or friendly to you?

[Datameister 2,056]

Never met any... =/

[Maglorfin 196]

So far, I've only met David Arnold, Trevor Jones and Patrick Doyle, and they were all very nice, maybe Arnold most of all, as he also discussed a bit of 007 music with me and gladly signed all my CDs. On Casino Royale booklet, he wrote "To Tine - I know your name!", which was particularly cool.

[Richard Penna 3,715]

Only met Howard Shore, and due to the amount of people waiting for the signing, he wasn't particularly talkative to most people.

But I'm sure he is a nice guy

[SF1_freeze 131]

Bear Mc Creary who you can talk with on his Blog per comments section. He takes his time and answers a lot of inside questions and also is very open to fan suggestions.

The comments on his blogs even influenced his work and motivated him to be even better and more detailed in his BSG final scores...

[Neimoidian 14]

I met some and most of them were really nice (none was unpleasant). David Arnold for one, he is extremely cool and funny guy. I have fond memories of John Scott who was very kind and friendly. I also met (less-known) British composer Christopher Slaski and we even went for a drink and talked a lot (he happened to be of Polish ancestry).

[Marian Schedenig 8,227]

Chris Afonso. But I don't think I've met any other film composers yet.

[Eric_JWFAN 11]

Michael Kamen (RIP)

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard

Both were great.

[David Coscina 4]

Michael Kamen (RIP)

I only got a couple emails from Kamen- one such one was a response to a question where I asked him whether there was any film genre he had not scored to which he replied "well, I haven't scored a porno yet". Classic Kamen! I miss him still.

Koray, did you meet both composers at a signing for Batman The Dark Knight? I have always wanted to meet JN Howard. He seems like a cool guy. Actually, Zimmer seems like one of more laid back composers, I certainly will give him that. He'd undoubtedly be someone you could sit down and have a pint with and talk shop. I would ask him about his early film scoring experiences like working on Thelma and Louise with Ridley Scott.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Yeah I met them at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square. They're both funny. My brother told Hans he was one of the best composers, to which he replied "Have you ever heard of Beethoven or Mozart?"

[Jacob 0]

Never met any... =/

Same here.

Nice stories, guys.

[Datameister 2,056]

Yeah I met them at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square. They're both funny. My brother told Hans he was one of the best composers, to which he replied "Have you ever heard of Beethoven or Mozart?"

He's said in interviews before that he thinks Williams and others are much better at writing action music than he is, too.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

At least he's honest.

[tharpdevenport 4]

Not met any in person; does e-mail and phone count?

[Maglorfin 196]

With whom did you speak on the phone?

[tharpdevenport 4]

Edited.

[John Crichton 4]

Never met any... =/

Same here.

Nice stories, guys.

[Ollie 1,059]

There are several composers on this board who are nice and friendly. Does that count?

[Maglorfin 196]

I guess it does, as long as they're film composers.

[OrchDork 0]

I have had the great pleasure of meeting numerous composers who have worked or are working in Hollywood, and each has been great.

John Williams was very kind and gracious (as always).

Alan Menken was really nice and seemed humbled when I praised him after an early screening of "Enchanted".

Stephen Schwartz was great - a very nice guy, and he perked up when I told him my ultimate dream was to compose for films; he said that was wonderful and that I should really go for it.

Christopher Young is also a nice guy, very much interested in passing along information to younger composers... but if something in his studio breaks or something on the scoring stage doesn't sound right, watch out - he goes crazy.

John Debney was a very nice, fun guy.

Michael Giacchino was also a very nice, fun guy. Very relaxed and encouraging. He even signed a printed score for one his "Lost" cues for me!

Bear McCreary was nice - also relaxed yet disciplined in his work ethic and approach to scoring.

Blake Neely is probably the most relaxed person I've ever met... he also has a great sense of humor.

Joel McNeely also has a great sense of humor, and is always up for helping out younger composers.

Aaron Zigman was nice and pretty relaxed. I met him only briefly, at Sony, while he was scoring "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" and he seemed like he hadn't slept in weeks - but he was still nice and encouraging.

Edward Shearmur is also a nice guy... a little 'hard' or stubborn at times, but a pretty cool guy.

Ted Shapiro works next to Ed, so they're about the same... though I think Teddy's a little more relaxed.

Jack Smalley is probably the funniest older composer that I know. I had a conversation with him once about the themes in the third "Harry Potter" film, and he jokingly asked (in a positive light) if Williams wrote a 'gay Dumbledore' theme. He also has an interesting approach to the musical side of film scoring, where he uses 12-tone rows - so he doesn't have to sit down at a piano and 'masturbate' (as he puts it); he can just sit at a desk and write.

I've talked with Alan Silvestri on the phone numerous times, and he's fantastic... a really nice guy and also very interested in helping out aspiring film composers. He's incredibly funny, too, and he always compares various aspects of the film music field to sports or culinary arts or something else - which I think is very interesting.

A friend of mine (Shearmur's assistant) talked with Conrad Pope and David Arnold via email about a year ago, and said that each was very nice and encouraging. That same friend met James Newton Howard once, and he said equally praising things about him.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I asked James Horner why he dyed his hair white and grew a ponytail, and his response was to loudly hum the danger motif whilst repeatedly punching me in the face.

[Richard Penna 3,715]

I'm hoping more composers will come over here for concerts or signings in the future. Living in the UK sucks for meeting composers.

[Maglorfin 196]

Living in the UK sucks for meeting composers.

Could be, but all my film composer meetings happened in London.

[David Coscina 4]

great posts everyone!

[BLUMENKOHL 1,070]

I don't at all get that Williams is nice. He seems very...disingenuously nice. In the sense that he has to be respectful and nice because he thinks he is so good.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yes!

[fommes 154]

My brother told Hans he was one of the best composers, to which he replied "Have you ever heard of Beethoven or Mozart?"

First I actually misread this as your brother telling Hans: "Have you ever heard Beethoven or Mozart?"

[Charlie Brigden 7]

To which Hans replied, "I listen to no-one but Kraftwerk."

[fommes 154]

In Hans's defense, reportedly he has said that even Kraftwerk writes better action music than him.

[Hlao-roo 389]

Yes!

I don't at all get that Williams is nice. He seems very...disingenuously nice. In the sense that he has to be respectful and nice because he thinks he is so good.

Well, you would know; you're his shrink.

[bondo 33]

Via email - Trevor Morris and Christopher Lennertz are as nice and humble as can be.

[Incanus 5,722]

I don't at all get that Williams is nice. He seems very...disingenuously nice. In the sense that he has to be respectful and nice because he thinks he is so good.

Naturally you are correct. He is nice just by obligation, a prisoner of his own public image. Behind that mask he must be the devil himself.

I think same goes for most composers and people really. Mostly nice on the outside, pure evil on the inside.

[TownerFan 4,991]

I had the luck to meet several film composers and I have to say I always had pleasant experiences, they were all very nice with me. Many of them I met for actual interviews I did for Colonne Sonore magazine.

John Williams: met him twice, both times in Chicago. The first time he was evidently tired after the concert, but he was very nice and kind to sign autographs and shake hands with fans. The second time he was in a very jovial and "open" mood, he actually spent a couple of minutes talking just with me. I know he probably didn't care a cent about me, but he was so kind and gentle that I must say he was very true. He's a real gentleman, that's it.

Ennio Morricone: he's a very serious, no-nonsense guy. Sometimes he could have a pretty rude temper and his mood could change radically between the spaces of a minute. If you say the wrong thing to him, it could be quite a bad experience However, he's sweet.

Howard Shore: a very nice person, really. He looks very absorbed in his own art and thoughts.

Gabriel Yared: probably the nicest I ever met. He loves talking about music and he's really a deep and thoughtful person. He also shows a true respect for the person he has in front of himself, and that's not so obvious.

Elliot Goldenthal: initially, he looked a bit aloof and detached, but as our conversation went on, he really opened himself and was very involved. He's a very clever and thoughtful musician. He has a bit of a "New York guy" air, but he's very nice. His wife Julie Taymor is gorgeous and nice as well.

John Debney: a very, very nice guy. He loves his job and loves to talk about it.

Chris Young: a lovely, lovely person! I met him in Madrid in 2006 during the Soncinemad festival and I was struck by his openness with ALL the fans. He loves to talk with everyone and spends A LOT of time with everyone. What a sweet guy.

Dario Marianelli: a very nice person too. He too loves his job and loves music in general.

[Maglorfin 196]

Wow, Maurizio, lucky you, respect!

[Melange 446]

I asked James Horner why he dyed his hair white and grew a ponytail, and his

response was to loudly hum the danger motif whilst repeatedly punching me in the face.

I would have thought the metallic CLANG would have been more suitable.

I haven't met any film composers.

The closest I got was watching Jerry from the front rows at that pre concert talk at the Barbican in 2003.

I got the impression he was fed up with all the questions being asked, and wanted a brandy.

[Incanus 5,722]

You guys have been lucky with opporturnities of meeting these composers. No such luck for me unfortunately. I have not come even close to any of the famous composers (or should I say they have not come anywhere close to me).

[Corellian2019 386]

Props to everyone who's been lucky to meet or even see these famous composers.

Elliot Goldenthal: initially, he looked a bit aloof and detached, but as our conversation went on, he really opened himself and was very involved. He's a very clever and thoughtful musician.

Nice! I hope to interview him sometime in the years to come. I chuckled at the "aloof and detached" detail.

He has a bit of a "New York guy" air, but he's very nice.

Couldn't expect anything less from a Brooklyn native.

[Omen II 1,235]

Although I've been lucky enough to see plenty of film composers at concerts and such, I've only spoken to two - Howard Shore and Debbie Wiseman. I met Howard Shore briefly at the Royal College of Music and talked to him a bit about New Zealand. He struck me as quite a bookish man but was very polite and pleasant, even though he was obviously knackered out (it was quite late and he was giving a concert the next day). Debbie Wiseman was very charming and friendly and autographed one of my CDs for me.

I almost spoke to Zbigniew Preisner once too but I chickened out because he was talking to someone else and I didn't want to interrupt (and besides, he looked like a right hard bastard! )

I've also seen (but not met) John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Ennio Morricone, Elmer Bernstein, James Bernard, Patrick Doyle, John Cameron, David Arnold, Andre Previn, Harry Rabinowitz, Joel McNeely, Trevor Jones, Lalo Schifrin, Philip Glass...

[Neimoidian 14]

I almost spoke to Zbigniew Preisner once too but I chickened out because he was talking to someone else and I didn't want to interrupt (and besides, he looked like a right hard bastard! )

He often acts like it...

[Taikomochi 1,136]

I'd be more interested to know if any of these composers remember any of you.

[Maglorfin 196]

Haha, good one

[Koray Savas 2,251]

The HZ-JNH signing was a two-parter. They were first in NYC then in LA I believe. At the time, my brother's friend was doing PA work in LA and went to the signing. He asked Zimmer if he remembered the dude that had every single one of his scores and he said yes. It was only a day difference, but perhaps they do remember certain people. There were like 400 people at the NYC signing, and we were towards the front.

So the key is to make a lasting impression, like showing the composer every single one of their booklets!

[fommes 154]

The HZ-JNH signing was a two-parter. They were first in NYC then in LA I believe. At the time, my brother's friend was doing PA work in LA and went to the signing. He asked Zimmer if he remembered the dude that had every single one of his scores and he said yes. It was only a day difference, but perhaps they do remember certain people. There were like 400 people at the NYC signing, and we were towards the front.

So the key is to make a lasting impression, like showing the composer every single one of their booklets!

Yeah I did that to David Arnold once. Poor fellow, he didn't know what hit him.

[Maglorfin 196]

Haha, that's funny, 'cause so did I! He said something like, "Whoa, you gotta whole collection here!"

[Neimoidian 14]

Haha, that's funny, 'cause so did I! He said something like, "Whoa, you gotta whole collection here!"

And I gave him only two, since I didn't want to bother him too much...

[Ollie 1,059]

I once heard a story that someone had brought all of his Miklos Rozsa records to a concert to have the Maestro sign afterwards.

Supposedly Rozsa took them all and proceeded to sign them at his own slow pace while he talked the other fans who had gathered backstage.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I was wondering if there was any composer nice enough to do that. It obviously wasn't possible at the HZ-JNH signing cause the security throws you outta there once you get it signed and share a few words. We were able to squeeze in some other than just TDK. I'll never forget the look on Hans' face when my brother showed him a stack of all the booklets. He had a "oh wow this guy is crazy look" and proceeded to sign TDK booklet

[Ollie 1,059]

It wasn't that Rozsa was being nice, it was more about having to make a guy sit there for about 2-3 hours while he greated all the other fans and signed their stuff as well.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Hey I'd wait for John Williams to sign all my CDs.