

“Because of John Williams’ music, I was able to connect with and understand certain emotions growing up in my professional career I often look back on those times.

It’s pure magic how his music becomes so instantly relatable and therefore also finds life outside the films and cinemas. In fact, I don’t know any other composer whose music has reached so many people across all ages in every corner of the world. “John Williams is the most successful and influential film composer of all time. Those fantasies stayed with me for a long time. The Jaws I created in my head was way scarier than what was happening on screen. That intense music had an extreme effect on me. Not being able to see what was happening on the screen, I just listened to the sound. During the more visceral scary parts of the movie, my dad would cover my eyes. I must have been around seven when I begged my parents to let me watch Jaws with them.
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“The first time I heard John Williams, I was at home by the TV in our living room. Just imagine what the 10-year-old reading the liner notes in my New Jersey bedroom would think! Working on those projects and being able to include Williams’ homages here and there was a dream come true. John, your music will be forever etched in the history of film music and beyond. Here’s to 90 more years!” “I have had the honor and privilege of working on video games and films that followed John’s iconic work. It was there that I began to understand how the use of different instruments and thematic material helped to define the characters and emotions in the story. Little did I know I was already getting an education from John Williams! However, it was the liner notes of Star Wars - there was an insert in the album - that really piqued my interest in film music. Once I started to get to know his work, I learned that I had been listening to his music much earlier than I thought - Gilligan’s Island and Lost in Space were staples in our house. “The first film that I saw of his was Close Encounters, quickly followed by Star Wars.

Listening to John’s music is not only a masterclass in film composing and storytelling, but John is an example of someone who has taken his talent and passion to transform other parts of the musical world, in particular his work in the classical arena that not only gave us pieces outside of film music, but his time at the Boston Pops has helped open the door for the acceptance of film music in the concert world, something for which I am very grateful. It is too difficult to put it into words how important his work has been to all of us in this business. “To say that John Williams has been an inspiration to myself or any contemporary film composer would be the greatest understatement. Michael Giacchino ( Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) It's therefore a privilege for me to donate my sketches, papers, and scores to Juilliard, to be made available to those students particularly interested in the intimate processes of film scoring.Celebrating the legendary composer’s 90 th birthday, spoke with those who followed Williams in writing scores for Star Wars - Michael Giacchino ( Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Ludwig Göransson ( The Mandalorian), John Powell ( Solo: A Star Wars Story), and Kevin Kiner ( Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch) - about his influence on film and their lives. Williams spoke of Juilliard in great acclaim, saying, "Since my earliest days as a fledgling piano student, I have looked up to the Juilliard School as the Mecca for the study of music in our country and beyond. Scholars, students, and fans of Williams will now be able to study the maestro's catalogue of works, and hopefully more will be inspired and influenced to help keep the world of film scoring relevant. His gift will be a unique resource for all of our musicians at the school, particularly composition students who can study first-hand John's breadth and versatility as a composer." His artistry, creativity, and endless imagination make him one of the most admired and respected musicians of our time.

John has been a wonderful friend and colleague for many years. Polisi said, "We are deeply grateful to John for his extraordinary generosity in bequeathing Juilliard his extensive library of both concert and film scores.
