Music building renamed in honor of legendary JAWS composer John Williams
2024 is off to an incredible start for JAWS alumni. Sony felt their music building was gonna need a bigger name, so who bigger in the world if film music than the maestro himself, John Williams.
On 18th January, the newly renamed John Williams Music Building on the historic Culver City lot was dedicated in honor of the legendary composer by Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra and SPE Motion Picture Group Chairman and CEO Tom Rothman. The dedication ceremony, attended by Williams, collaborators, friends, family, and industry leaders, featured speeches from Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams celebrating the composer's remarkable career.
John Williams, with a prolific career spanning over six decades, stands as one of the world's most accomplished composers for film, television, and the concert stage. He has composed music for over a hundred critically acclaimed films, making an indelible mark on cinematic history. With 53 Academy Award nominations, Williams currently holds the record for the most nominated individual in Oscars history. His extensive portfolio includes iconic works such as Jaws, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Harry Potter.
John Wiliams has scored numerous blockbusters, many for Steven Spielberg (Image credit unknown)
Tony Vinciquerra, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures, expressed great pride in dedicating the building to John Williams, acknowledging the profound impact of his musical genius on Hollywood and the global audience. During the ceremony, John Williams reflected on his long association with the studio, dating back to 1940, and shared his hope and challenge for the next 100 years – to continue creating good music.
John Wiliams with frequent collaborator, JAWS director Steven Spielberg
Williams has a longstanding history with SPE's Columbia Pictures, having recorded over 30 scores in the studio's sound recording building. Notable collaborations include Academy Award-winning films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Memoirs of a Geisha. The dedication ceremony saw Spielberg and Abrams praising Williams for his unparalleled contributions to their films, emphasizing his transformative influence on the cinematic experience.
Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures' Motion Picture Group, fittingly noted the timing of the dedication, aligning with the 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures. He added Williams to the illustrious list of names gracing the historic lot, highlighting the composer's role in creating joy in the very building dedicated to his name.
The John Williams Music Building is home to the Cary Grant Theater, ADR and Foley stages, and the renowned Barbra Streisand Scoring Stage – one of the world's largest motion picture scoring venues. Throughout its history, this stage has hosted the creation of iconic film scores, featuring the work of legendary composers such as Max Steiner, Hans Zimmer, and, of course, John Williams.
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