David Newman’s GalaxyQuest

On May 13, the ASA gathered at the Mayflower Club in North Hollywood, CA for a rare talk with veteran composer and conductor David Newman, as we talk with him about one of his most popular scores, 1999’s GalaxyQuest. David also touched on numerous stories about his experiences on the scoring stage, and the history of his illustrious musical family, including his legendary father Alfred Newman. This conversation was moderated by Reuven Herman and David Das.

David is one of today’s most accomplished creators of music for film. In his 25-year career, he has scored over 100 films, ranging from War of the Roses, Matilda, Bowfinger and Heathers, to the more recent The Spirit, and Serenity, Behaving Badly and Tarzan. Newman’s music has brought to life the critically acclaimed dramas Brokedown Palace and Hoffa; top-grossing comedies Norbit, Scooby-Doo, GalaxyQuest, The Nutty Professor, The Flintstones, Throw Mama From the Train; and award- winning animated films Ice Age, The Brave Little Toaster and Anastasia. The recipient of top honors from the music and motion picture industries, he holds an Academy Award® nomination for his score to the animated feature, Anastasia.

David is also a highly sought-after conductor and appears with leading orchestras throughout the world, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Boston Symphony, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chicago Symphony and the New York Philharmonic. He regularly conducts the annual movie night at the Hollywood Bowl.

Also an active composer for the concert hall, his works have been performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Indianapolis Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, and at the Ravinia Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, and Chicago’s Grant Park Music Festival. He also composed a violin-orchestra suite for Sarah Chang based on the songs from the Broadway hit, West Side Story. Newman has spent considerable time unearthing and restoring film music classics for the concert hall, and headed the Sundance Institute’s music preservation program in the late 1980s. During his tenure at Sundance he wrote an original score and conducted the Utah Symphony for the classic silent motion picture, Sunrise, which opened the Sundance Film Festival in 1989. As a tribute to his work in film music preservation, he was elected President of the Film Music Society in 2007, a nonprofit organization formed by entertainment industry professionals to preserve and restore motion picture and television music.