Composer's Details

Name:
David Newman
Born:
11.3. 1954

Biography

David Louis Newman was born March 11th, 1954 in Los Angeles, California, the son of Mississippi-born Martha Louise Montgomery and Hollywood composer Alfred Newman. He is the brother of the Hollywood composer Thomas Newman and a cousin of composer Randy Newman. An accomplished violinist, and successful concert conductor, Newman was educated at the University of Southern California.

Newman frequently collaborates with actor/director Danny DeVito, scoring Throw Momma from the Train (1987), The War of the Roses (1989), Other People's Money (1991), Hoffa (1992), Matilda (1996) and Death to Smoochy (2002). Newman has also scored the comedies The Flintstones (1994), The Mighty Ducks (1992), The Nutty Professor (1996), and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989).

His other scores include Critters, The Phantom, The Brave Little Toaster, Anastasia, Malone, Ice Age, Serenity, and R.O.T.O.R.. He received an Academy Award nomination for the score to the animated film Anastasia.

In 1997, David Newman began a four year stint as the music director for the Sundance Institute, and he has conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra on several occasions. That year, he also re-recorded the Twentieth Century Fox Fanfare, composed by his father Alfred Newman.

David Newman was elected president of The Film Music Society in February 2007.