Alamo composer gets award!

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) honored the composers and songwriters of the top box office film music and the most performed television music of 2008 at its 24th annual Film and Television Music Awards gala, held May 11th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

A highlight of the event was the presentation of ASCAP's Henry Mancini Award to composer Carter Burwell in recognition of his outstanding achievements and contributions to the world of film music. Burwell has scored many of the most emblematic films of the past 25 years, working with such innovative directors as Todd Haynes ("Velvet Goldmine"), David Mamet ("The Spanish Prisoner"), Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich," "Adaptation"), John Lee Hancock ("The Alamo," "The Rookie"), and, especially Joel and Ethan Coen, the team he has been most identified with since "Blood Simple" in 1984, the first feature film for all three.

To mark this special occasion, the Coen Brothers, Jonze and Hancock sent congratulatory video messages, and directors Bill Condon ("Gods and Monsters," 'Kinsey") and Catherine Hardwicke ("Twilight") co-presented the award to Burwell along with ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams and ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento. Burwell also received an award in the Top Box Office Films category for his score to Hardwicke's vampire romance "Twilight."

Previous ASCAP Henry Mancini Award recipients include John Debney, Mark Isham, Quincy Jones, Michel Legrand, Randy Newman, James Newton Howard, Johnny Mandel, Marc Shaiman, Howard Shore, Alan Silvestri and Hans Zimmer, among others.

ASCAP Board members Richard Bellis, Bruce Broughton and Dan Foliart, and ASCAP executives Randall Grimmett, Nancy Knutsen, Shawn LeMone, Sue Devine, and Mike Todd presented awards to the composers and songwriters of the most performed film and television music of 2008.

ASCAP composers and songwriters whose combined works earned the highest number of performance credits on network, local, and cable television in the category of themes and dramatic underscore for the 2008 survey year were Joel Beckerman, Jeff Cardoni, Matthew Gerrard, John Keane, Jeff Lippencott, Robbie Nevil, David Vanacore, Mark T Williams, and Adam Zelkind.

Two huge Disney films – "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" and "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" – were filled with music written by ASCAP composers and songwriters. Honorees for "High School Musical" included David Lawrence who provided the score, and Adam Anders, Nikki Hassman, Theodore Thomas, Theron Thomas, andTimothy Thomas who contributed songs for the third installment of the successful film franchise. Those honored for "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus" were Michael Bradford, Scott Cutler, Tamara Dunn, Ken Hauptman, Jay Landers, Jeannie Lurie, Holly Mathis, Steve Robson, and Matthew Wilder. And, those receiving awards for their musical contributions to both films were Antonina Armato, Andrew Dodd, Matthew Gerrard, Jamie Houston, Robbie Nevil, and Adam Watts.

Also honored in the Top Box Office Films category were John Powell for his scores to "Bolt," "Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!," "Hancock," "Jumper," and "Kung Fu Panda;" past ASCAP Henry Mancini Award honorees Hans Zimmer ("The Dark Knight," "Kung Fu Panda," "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa"); James Newton Howard ("The Dark Knight," "The Happening"); and John Debney ("The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor"); as well as Craig Armstrong ("The Incredible Hulk"); Jon Brion ("Step Brothers"); Ramin Djawadi ("Iron Man"); Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens ("Gran Torino"); Mark Everett ("Yes Man"); Michael Giacchino ("Cloverfield"); James Horner("The Spiderwick Chronicles"); Angelo Milli ("Seven Pounds"); Atli Örvarsson ("Vantage Point"); Heitor Pereira ("Beverly Hills Chihuahua"); Jason Segel ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall"); and Brian Tyler ("Eagle Eye").

The night's winning composers and songwriters who wrote the themes and underscore for the highest rated television series in 2008 were: J.J. Abrams and Michael Giacchino ("Lost"); John Adair ("The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," "The Wizards of Waverly Place"); Will Anderson ("The Moment of Truth"); Lee Aronsohn and Grant Geissman ("Two and a Half Men"); Paul Bessenbacher ("The Suite Life of Zack and Cody"); Kenneth Burgomaster, Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil("Hannah Montana"); Sean Callery ("Medium," "Bones"); David Carbonara, Edwin Hayes and Ramble Krohn("Mad Men"); Jeff Cardoni ("CSI: Miami"); Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie ("Flight of the Conchords"); Adam Cohen, Steve Franks and John Robert Wood ("Psych"); John E. Davis, Marc "Doc" Dauer and Liz Phair ("90210"); Catherine Dennis, Julian Gingell and Barry Stone ("American Idol"); John Dickson ("Burn Notice"); Marc Fantini, Steffan Fantini and Scott Gordon ("Army Wives," "Criminal Minds"); Matthew Hawkins, Maurice "M.O" Jackson and Neil Martin ("NCIS"); Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek ("Without a Trace"); Paul Hepker ("Deadliest Catch"); Ken Jordan ("Bones"); John Keane ("CSI"); Russ Landau ("Survivor: Gabon," "Survivor: Micronesia"); Brian Lapin ("Gossip Girl"); Michael Levine, Franz Vonlichten and Helmut Vonlichten ("Cold Case"); Jeff Lippencott and Mark T. Williams ("The Apprentice 7"); Steven Mazur, Tom Polce and Derek Schanche ("Rules of Engagement"); Bear McCreary ("Eureka"); Daniel McGrath and Josh Phillips("Dancing With The Stars"); Trevor Morris ("The Tudors"); Blake Neely ("Brothers & Sisters," "The Mentalist"); John Nordstrom ("One Tree Hill"); Wayne Rodrigues("The Hills"); Jeff Rona ("Brotherhood"); Elvin Ross ("House of Payne"); Erik "Everlast" Schrody("Saving Grace"); Brandon Thompson ("Ghost Hunters"); David Vanacore ("Ghost Hunters, " "The Apprentice 7," "Survivor: Gabon," "Survivor: Micronesia"); and Adam Zelkind ("Rock of Love 2").

In addition to the presenters and honorees in attendance, other notable guests included screenwriter/producer/director Brian Helgeland ("LA Confidential," "Mystic River"); television and film producer Mark Gordon ("Grey's Anatomy," "Saving Private Ryan"); Ginny Mancini; Alan Bergman; ASCAP Board Members Marilyn Bergman; Dean Kay (Lichelle Music Company) and David Renzer (Universal Music Publishing Group); and Neil Portnow (The Recording Academy).