John Williams to Be Honored with a Special Recognition Award

Legendary composer John Williams, who composed the score for the first three Harry Potter movies, will be honored at the 34th annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards on May 9 with a special award bearing his name. The ceremony will recognize the work of composers of the highest-grossing films and TV series of the past year, as well those who have greatly influenced the world of music.

As the name suggests, the John Williams Award was created by BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) to pay tribute to the achievements of Williams, who has been composing scores for film and television for over 60 years. According to Doreen Ringer-Ross, BMI Vice President Creative-Film, TV, and Visual Media, Williams is being honored for his continued work and influence in the world of music after being awarded BMI’s highest award in 1999.

By continuing to create and add to his prolific body of work, he’s made a lasting impression on music lovers around the world, and an entire community of composers who[m] he continues to inspire. Because of this, and for all that he has given the world of music and beyond, we felt it was appropriate to honor John with this special award.

Williams is often considered to be one of the greatest composers by industry professionals and movie fans alike, making him one of the “most recognized and decorated living film composers in modern history.” His work on over 100 films has earned him a total of 51 Oscar nominations, the most recent of which was for his scoring of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The John Williams Award will be added to his collection of five Academy Awards, five Emmy Awards, 24 Grammy Awards, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. That’s a lot of awards!

Although Williams is not being honored solely for his work on the Potter series, there is no doubt that his work on the first three films continues to influence the wizarding (and Muggle) world. His Potter scores earned him one of four spots in a fan-voted top 100 film scores list, and one of his most iconic pieces of music, “Hedwig’s Theme,” not only became the iconic sound of Harry Potter but also continues to influence the sound of the Fantastic Beasts series.

Congratulations to John Williams for this special recognition award! Do you have a favorite John Williams score?