Times sure have changed for film composers. Well into the 1980s, they were looked down upon by composers of symphonic concert music, and by many classical music critics, as purveyors of facile backdrops for popular entertainment. But now, John Williams regularly conducts his film music with major orchestras, and Ennio Morricone and Howard Shore draw large crowds at concerts of their film works. Vintage scores by Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman and others are regarded as classics. And conservatories everywhere offer degree programs in film scoring, to which students flock.
The Royal College of Music, in London, has an expansive film music program, and is offering a new scholarship, named after the prolific composer John Barry, who was renowned for his scores for “The Lion in Winter,” “Out of Africa,” “Dances With Wolves” and several James Bond films, including “Goldfinger” and “From Russia With Love,” and who died in 2011. On Monday, the college announced that Mitchell Tanner, a 22-year-old composer of sweeping, lyrical scores (judging from the examples on his website) is the first recipient of the scholarship.
The John Barry Scholarship for Film Composition, which was established by Laurie Barry, the composer’s widow, will cover Mr. Tanner’s tuition fees for the two-year Master’s degree program, as well as living expenses. Mr. Tanner, who completed his undergraduate studies at the University of East Anglia, had until now been earning his tuition money by working odd jobs, including – in the footsteps of Philip Glass – driving a taxi.
“I grew up listening to the masterful scores of John Barry, and he has been a hero of mine ever since I was a child,” Mr. Tanner said in a statement. “This will make such a difference to my life, and with the support of this scholarship and John Barry’s family, it will bring me one step closer to achieving my dream of a career composing music for film.”