David Newman Quotes

At the end of '69 I did a gig with Jean Luc Ponty here in L.A. He was an electric violinist.

Right now I just finished writing the music for a Rugrats feature film and the third week of September I go to London, and the Orchestra is going to perform the score.

I was an engineer for a long time. I was a sideman guitar player.

I want to write songs and play them for people - live.

I love doing concert music.

I have done songs here and there. But I have never scored a film. That is something I would like to do at some point.

I became a professional musician and played all kinds of music. I played bluegrass, I played classical music, and for many years, I played jazz.

When I do the music, I make the musicians listen to what's happening in the film. That way they treat the dialogue as if it was a singer.

I'm pretty proud of my film music in general.

My wife is a classically trained piano player, and she also orchestrates.

It is very gratifying to see the music from 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy find a new life on the concert stage as it is performed by different orchestras and choruses throughout the world.

I think of myself as a film composer.

Western classical music is participative. Look at the number of people who are involved in a symphony.

As a screen composer or film-music writer, I need something that I can work with in the body of the score. Like 'Charade,' 'Moon River,' 'Wine and Roses,' 'Dear Heart' - they were all just themes that grew out of the picture.

I don't believe in a composer who is only able to compose, who can't play or conduct, can only use a computer. If that trend continues there will be no more symphonies, no more oratorios.

I had no interest or intention of ever writing music. I was a professional violinist in my 20s. I was obsessed with conducting, and I was conducting as much as I could, and I was studying as much as I could. I went to USC; I got an undergrad degree in violin and a master's degree in conducting.

I played the piccolo in the 'Ides of March' and 'The Fantastic Mr. Fox' score.

I've been composing and performing for as long as I can remember.

Before I became an actress, I was a cellist. I've been playing since I was 14, was in a lot of bands, and acting was more of a hobby.

By the time I was about 15, I was out playing gigs and knew I was going to be a musician.

I have written symphonic poems and chamber music. It is my way of personal expression.

I got a classical piano training when I was little, and we also had music study lessons where we'd have to listen to a lot of classical music.

I wanted to be up there with all those names like Max Steiner.

Composing music for 'Mungaru Male 2' is a big responsibility and challenge.

Movie music allows me to work with players as creatively as I can.