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Alan Howarth (composer)

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Alan Howarth (born 1948) is an American composer and sound designer who has worked on soundtracks for Hollywood films including the Star Trek and Halloween series, and is known for his collaborations with film director and composer John Carpenter.

Childhood and early career

Alan Howarth grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. Playing music in local rock bands, he opened for national touring acts including The Who and Cream.[citation needed] He then began to create original music in bands Braino and Pi Corp, using synthesizers. From 1976 he provided synthesizer support for fusion jazz band Weather Report,[citation needed] which relocated him to Los Angeles. Howarth caught his big break in 1980 when his music was used for a Star Trek movie trailer. After that he worked on the next five Star Trek films.[1]

Films

Howarth's collaborations with John Carpenter include: Escape from New York, Halloween II, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Christine, Big Trouble in Little China, Prince of Darkness and They Live.

His music has been featured in films like The Osterman Weekend, The Lost Empire, Retribution, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The Dentist and The Dentist 2, Boo, Evilution, Basement Jack, Hansel and Gretel, Zombie Night, and Brutal.

His award-winning sound designs have appeared in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Poltergeist, Back to the Future Part II, Back to the Future Part III, The Little Mermaid and Total Recall. His team received Academy Award awards for Best Sound Effects for The Hunt for Red October and Bram Stoker's Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola.[citation needed] He has also created some sound effects for Sound Ideas's award-winning "Series 6000: The General" royalty-free sound effects library.

Live performance

Howarth performs his film scores in live concert to excerpts from the films, and has performed in Geneva, Kraków, St. Petersburg, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London and Paris.[1]

Sound technology

Howarth pioneered immersive multi-channel surround sound systems with Steven Taylor's "Dimension Audio" that included the early prototype theatrical 48.4 systems that are now known as Dolby Atmos and DTS sound immersion. His current research has resulted in founding of RA Music, which holds several worldwide patents[citation needed] for the conversion of standard musical recordings into tunings of the Natural Frequency Spectrum as defined by nature, science and ancient architecture.[clarification needed]

[2][3][4] [5] [6] [7]

Filmography

Year Title Role(s) Notes
1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture Sound effects creator
1980 The Final Countdown Special sound effects, composer
Galaxina Special sound effects
Battle Beyond the Stars
1981 Student Bodies Electronic music producer, electronic music recording
Escape From New York Sound effects, music composer With John Carpenter
Halloween II Music composer
Raiders of the Lost Ark Special sound effects Uncredited
1982 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Poltergeist
National Lampoon's Class Reunion
Flying High II: The Sequel
The Thing Special sound effects, additional music With John Carpenter
Halloween III: Season of the Witch Music composer
1983 Christine
The Osterman Weekend Electronic sound designer
Twilight Zone: The Movie Special sound effects
1984 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Gremlins Uncredited
Buckaroo Banzai Special synthesized sound effects
Exterminator 2 Sound effects creator
Hyperspace Synthesized sound effects
The Lost Empire Music composer
1985 Head Office With James Newton Howard
Runaway Train Electronic sound effects
My Science Project Special sound effects
1986 Wired to Kill
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Duet for One Electronic sound effects
Big Trouble in Little China Music composer With John Carpenter
1987 Prince of Darkness
Retribution
The Running Man Sound processing
1988 Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers Music composer
Brothers in Arms
They Live Music composer, synthesized sound effects With John Carpenter
Beetlejuice Special sound effects Uncredited
Norman's Awesome Experience Sound
Phantasm II Sound designer
1989 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Special sound effects
The Little Mermaid Processed sound effects
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers Music composer
1990 The Hunt for Red October Additional sound effects
Class of 1999 Electronic sound effects, sound effects editor
Back to the Future Part III Special sound effects Uncredited
Total Recall
RoboCop 2
DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp Processed sound effects
The Rescuers Down Under
Project Alien Special effects sound editor
1991 Final Approach Additional sound effects
Cool as Ice Additional sound design
Salmonberries Sound design
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Special sound effects
Grand Canyon Special sound effects editor
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe Music composer
1992 Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama
Honey, I Blew Up the Kid Special sound effects
Army of Darkness Sound designer, sound supervisor
Bram Stoker's Dracula Additional sound effects
The Waterdance Sound effects editor
Fortress
1994 The Mask
Stargate Processed sound effects
1995 Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Music composer
Tank Girl Special sound effects
1996 The Dentist Music composer, special sound effects
Mørkeleg Music composer
1998 The Dentist 2
1999 Her Married Lover
The Omega Code Music composer, special sound effects
She's All That Additional sound designer
2000 The Prince of Light Music composer, sound
Alone with a Stranger Music composer
2002 Britney, Baby, One More Time Sound designer
Star Trek: Incident at Beta 9 Sound effects
2003 The Sleep of Reason Supervising sound editor
2005 Boo Music composer
2007 Headless Horseman Music composer, sound designer
2008 The Spiderwick Chronicles Special sound designer
Evilution Music composer
2012 Brutal
Dead Shadows Sound designer, sound mixer
2019 Hoax Sound designer

References

  1. ^ DeSalvo, Kathy (19 September 1997). "SPANK! Adds Alan Howarth". SHOOT. 38 (38): 7.
  2. ^ "HYPER-REALITY: ALAN HOWARTH's Synthesized Scores and Specialized Sound Effects". alanhowarth.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  3. ^ "Interview with Alan Howarth by David Kempf".
  4. ^ "Feeling the Sounds of Alan Howarth". constructinghorror.com. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  5. ^ "Sci Fi Horror movie composer Alan Howarth Brutal interview - Without". youtube.com. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  6. ^ "Alan Howarth with Emeralds Interview". Natural Frequencies
  7. ^ "Alan Howarth Media Credits". Archived from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2013-10-12. Feature Film Composer and Sound Design Credits