Howard Shore is a Canadian composer, conductor and orchestrator noted for his film scores.Handy, Bruce 'Lord of the Rings' Composer Howard Shore Talks Hobbits, His Start on 'SNL' and Working With Martin Scorsese Billboard. February 25, 2015
He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores 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, with one being 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 is also a consistent collaborator with director David Cronenberg, having scored all but one of his films since 1979.
Filmography Film 1970s Year TitleDirector Other notes1978I Miss You, Hugs and KissesMurray Markowitz1979The BroodDavid Cronenberg1st of 18 collaborations with Cronenberg Nominated- Genie Award for Best Music Score
1980s Year TitleDirector Other notes1981ScannersDavid Cronenberg1983Videodrome1984Nothing Lasts ForeverTom Schiller1st American film1984Places in the HeartRobert BentonMusic producer1985After HoursMartin Scorsese1st of 6 collaborations with Scorsese1986Fire with FireDuncan GibbinsThe FlyDavid Cronenberg1987HeavenDiane KeatonDocumentary filmNadineRobert Benton1988MovingAlan MetterBigPenny MarshallDead RingersDavid CronenbergGenie Award for Best Music Score1989Signs of LifeJohn David ColesAn Innocent ManPeter YatesThe Lemon SistersJoyce ChopraShe-DevilSusan Seidelman
1990s Year TitleDirector Other notes1990Postcards from the EdgeMike NicholsComposed with Carly SimonThe Local StigmaticDavid WheelerMade in MilanMartin ScorseseShort filmQuick ChangeHoward FranklinBill MurrayComposed with Randy Edelman1991A Kiss Before DyingJames DeardenThe Silence of the LambsJonathan DemmeNominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film MusicNaked LunchDavid CronenbergNominated- Genie Award for Best Music Score1992Prelude to a KissNorman RenéSingle White FemaleBarbet Schroeder1993SliverPhillip NoyceGuilty as SinSidney LumetM. ButterflyDavid CronenbergMrs. DoubtfireChris ColumbusPhiladelphiaJonathan Demme1994The ClientJoel SchumacherEd WoodTim BurtonNominated- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaNobody's FoolRobert Benton1995SevenDavid FincherMoonlight and ValentinoDavid AnspaughWhite Man's BurdenDesmond Nakano1996Looking for RichardAl PacinoDocumentary filmBefore and AfterBarbet SchroederThe Truth About Cats & DogsMichael LehmannRansomRon HowardUnused scoreReplaced by James HornerCrashDavid CronenbergStripteaseAndrew BergmanThat Thing You Do!Tom Hanks1997Cop LandJames MangoldThe GameDavid Fincher1999GloriaSidney LumeteXistenZDavid CronenbergAnalyze ThisHarold RamisDogmaKevin Smith
2000s Year TitleDirector Other notes2000High FidelityStephen FrearsThe YardsJames GrayEsther KahnArnaud DesplechinThe CellTarsem SinghCameraDavid CronenbergShort film2001The ScoreFrank OzThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingPeter Jackson1st of multiple collaborations with Jackson Academy Award for Best Original ScoreGrammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaCritics' Choice Movie Award for Best ScoreNominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film MusicNominated- Golden Globe Award for Best Original ScoreNominated- AFI Award for Composer of the Year2002Panic RoomDavid FincherSpiderDavid CronenbergGeorges Delerue AwardThe Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersPeter JacksonGrammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaNominated- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best ScoreGangs of New YorkMartin ScorseseNominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film Music2003The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingPeter JacksonAcademy Award for Best Original ScoreAcademy Award for Best Original Song (for "Into the West"; with Annie Lennox & Fran Walsh)Golden Globe Award for Best Original ScoreGolden Globe Award for Best Original Song (for "Into the West"; with Annie Lennox & Fran Walsh)Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaGrammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media (for "Into the West"; with Annie Lennox & Fran Walsh)Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best ScoreNominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film MusicNominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score2004The AviatorMartin ScorseseGolden Globe Award for Best Original ScoreCritics' Choice Movie Award for Best ScoreNominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film MusicNominated- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaNominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score2005A History of ViolenceDavid CronenbergKing KongPeter JacksonUnused scoreReplaced by James Newton Howard2006The DepartedMartin ScorseseNominated- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaNominated- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Score2007The Last MimzyRobert ShayeTo Each His Own CinemaDavid CronenbergSegment: "At the Suicide of the Last Jew in the World in the Last Cinema in the World"Eastern PromisesGenie Award for Best Achievement in Music - Original ScoreNominated- Golden Globe Award for Best Original ScoreNominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score2008The Betrayal – NerakhoonEllen KurasThavisouk PhrasavathDocumentary filmDoubtJohn Patrick Shanley
2010s Year TitleDirector Other notes2010Edge of DarknessMartin CampbellThe Twilight Saga: EclipseDavid SladeTwilight themes by Carter Burwell & Alexandre Desplat Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Song (for "Eclipse (All Yours)"; with Metric)2011A Dangerous MethodDavid CronenbergGenie Award for Best Achievement in Music - Original ScoreHugoMartin ScorseseNominated- Academy Award for Best Original ScoreNominated- BAFTA Award for Best Film MusicNominated- Golden Globe Award for Best Original ScoreNominated- Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual MediaNominated- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Score2012CosmopolisDavid CronenbergCanadian Screen Award for Best Original ScoreCanadian Screen Award for Best Original Song (for "Long to Live"; with Emily Haines & James Shaw)The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyPeter Jackson2013Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains IndianArnaud DesplechinThe Hobbit: The Desolation of SmaugPeter Jackson2014Maps to the StarsDavid CronenbergCannes Soundtrack AwardCanadian Screen Award for Best Original ScoreRosewaterJon StewartThe Hobbit: The Battle of the Five ArmiesPeter Jackson2015SpotlightTom McCarthyNominated- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best ScoreNominated- Satellite Award for Best Original Score2016DenialMick Jackson2018The Catcher Was a SpyBen Lewin2019The Song of NamesFrançois Girard
2020s Year TitleDirector Other notes2020Le prince oubliéMichel Hazanavicius Pieces of a Woman Kornél Mundruczó Funny Boy Deepa Mehta2022 Crimes of the Future David Cronenberg 18th collaboration with Cronenberg The Pale Blue Eye Scott Cooper 2025 The Shrouds David Cronenberg 19th collaboration with Cronenberg
Television films and series The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour (1970, musical director) Saturday Night Live (1975–80, musical director) Steve Martin's Best Show Ever (1981) The New Show (1984) Big Shots in America (1985) Scales of Justice (1990–91) Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993–2009, theme music) Nova (1997) POV (2009) The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009–10, theme music) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022, theme music)
Video games
Soul of the Ultimate Nation (2007) Honor of Kings (2015)
Selected concert music works Fanfare, organ (2008) The Fly, opera (2008) Ruin and Memory, piano concerto (2010) Mythic Gardens, cello concerto (2012) A Palace Upon the Ruins, song cycle (2014) The Forest, guitar concerto (2016) L'Aube (The Dawn), song cycle (2017)
References