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Howard Shore

Sound

Born October 18, 1946 · Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Also known as Howard Leslie Shore

Biography

Howard Leslie Shore (born October 18, 1946) is a Canadian composer, conductor and orchestrator noted for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. He won three Academy Awards for his work on The Lord of the Rings, one for the song "Into the West", an award he shared with Eurythmics lead vocalist Annie Lennox and writer/producer Fran Walsh, who wrote the lyrics. He consistently collaborates with director David Cronenberg, having scored all but one of his films since 1979, and collaborated with Martin Scorsese on six of his films. Shore has also composed concert works including one opera, The Fly, based on the plot of Cronenberg's 1986 film, which premiered at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on July 2, 2008; a short piece named Fanfare for the Wanamaker Organ and the Philadelphia Orchestra; and a short overture for the Swiss 21st Century Symphony Orchestra. Shore has also composed for television, including serving as the original musical director for the American sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live from 1975 to 1980. In addition to his three Oscars, Shore has won three Golden Globe Awards, four Grammy Awards, three Genie Awards, and nine Canadian Screen Awards. Description above from the Wikipedia article Howard Shore, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Awards & recognition

  • Officer of the Order of Canada · 2016
  • Cannes Soundtrack Award · 2014
  • Governor General's Performing Arts Award · 2011
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Original Score · 2005
  • Grammy AwardBest Score Soundtrack for Visual Media · 2005
Show all 20 awards →
  • Grammy AwardBest Song Written for Visual Media · 2005
  • Academy AwardBest Original Song · 2004
  • Academy AwardBest Original Score · 2004
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Original Song · 2004
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Original Score · 2004
  • Grammy AwardBest Score Soundtrack for Visual Media · 2004
  • Grammy AwardBest Score Soundtrack for Visual Media · 2003
  • Saturn Awards · 2003
  • Academy AwardBest Original Score · 2002
  • Broadcast Film Critics Association AwardBest Composer · 2001
  • Saturn Awards · 1994
  • Officer of Arts and Letters
  • Academy AwardBest Original Score · 2012 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Original Score · 2004 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Original Score · 2002 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003as Drinking Rohan Soldier (uncredited)

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002Original Music Composer

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001Original Music Composer

Seven

1995Original Music Composer

The Silence of the Lambs

1991Conductor, Music Producer, Original Music Composer

The Departed

2006Original Music Composer

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

2025as Self - SNL Musical Director 1975 - 1980

Spotlight

2015Original Music Composer

Philadelphia

1993Original Music Composer

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

2013Original Music Composer

The Game

1997Original Music Composer

Ed Wood

1994Conductor, Orchestrator, Original Music Composer

After Hours

1985Original Music Composer

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

2012Conductor, Orchestrator, Original Music Composer

The Fly

1986Conductor, Original Music Composer

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

2014Original Music Composer

Eastern Promises

2007Original Music Composer

Gangs of New York

2002Original Music Composer

Lorne

2026as Self

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

2022Main Title Theme Composer

Hugo

2011Original Music Composer

Doubt

2008Original Music Composer

A History of Violence

2005Original Music Composer

The Aviator

2004Original Music Composer

Mrs. Doubtfire

1993Orchestrator, Original Music Composer

Big

1988Original Music Composer

Places in the Heart

1984Additional Music

Videodrome

1983Original Music Composer

Score

2016as Self

High Fidelity

2000Conductor, Music Arranger, Original Music Composer

Dead Ringers

1988Original Music Composer

Pieces of a Woman

2020Original Music Composer

Dogma

1999Original Music Composer

That Thing You Do!

1996Original Music Composer

Nobody's Fool

1994Original Music Composer

Saturday Night Live

1975as Shelley (uncredited)

The Pale Blue Eye

2022Original Music Composer

Denial

2016Original Music Composer

Panic Room

2002Original Music Composer

eXistenZ

1999Original Music Composer

Cop Land

1997Original Music Composer

Looking for Richard

1996Original Music Composer

The Song of Names

2019Original Music Composer

The Score

2001Conductor, Orchestrator, Original Music Composer

The Client

1994Original Music Composer

Scanners

1981Original Music Composer

The Brood

1979Original Music Composer

Spider

2002Original Music Composer

M. Butterfly

1993Original Music Composer

Heaven

1987Original Music Composer