Christopher Young

One of the foremost talents in film music today, Golden Globe-nominated composer Christopher Young has scored an impressive number of features in virtually every genre, all with strikingly original music. The spine-tingling "Hellraiser" showcases the composer's seminal upbringing in horror; the new-techno sound of "Swordfish" displays his versatility; the resonant, genuine Celtic sounds of "The Shipping News" display his attention to detail; to the heart-pounding rhythms of "Spider-Man 3" are all evidence of his willingness to experiment. These scores are among the nearly 100 films that embody the work of this prolific composer.

Born in Red Bank, New Jersey (birthplace of Count Basie), Young graduated from Massachusetts Hampshire college with a BA in music, and did post-graduate work at North Texas State University before moving to Los Angeles in 1980., At the time, Young was a jazz drummer, a precursor to some of the edgier scores he would later complete. Soon, an introduction to esteemed composer Bernard Herrmann's movie scores ("Vertigo," "Citizen Kane") opened up a new world for Young, who was unfamiliar with film scoring. "Here was someone doing everything I wanted to do. I fell in love with the music before I realized that it was written for movies," said Young.

He proceeded to take classes at the UCLA Film School, where he studied with famed film composer David Raksin ("Laura"). His first music that he wrote for class received a negative response from Raksin. The young student was devastated and nearly quit. Raksin would become his greatest mentor. Young met a number of college filmmakers with whom he would later work in the business. One of these filmmakers wrote and directed the student film, "The Dorm that Dripped Blood," which Young scored. It because a New Image studio release, providing Young with an early foray into... ( Continue Reading )