THOMAS NEWMAN (Music) moves effortlessly from dramas such as The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Horse Whisperer and Erin Brockovich to sharp satire (The Player) to period classics (Little Women), building on an amazing family tradition of music in Hollywood. Newman has received four Oscar nominations for his film work. He was the only double nominee in 1994's Oscar race, receiving nominations for both Little Women and The Shawshank Redemption, and the following year for his score for Diane Keaton's off-beat comedy Unstrung Heroes.

In 1999, Newman scored two outstanding films: The Green Mile, his second collaboration with director Frank Darabont, and the critically-acclaimed American Beauty, starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening, for which he received his fourth Oscar nomination.

Since the beginning of film scoring, the Newman name has been an integral part of its evolution. Thomas Newman is the youngest son of the legendary Alfred Newman, a nine-time Oscar winner and 45-time nominee, who as musical director of 20th Century Fox from the mid-30s to the early '60s was responsible for overseeing or writing all the music created for over 200 Fox films. Alfred's brother Lionel succeeded him as Fox music director, winning an Oscar for Hello, Dolly! and overseeing the studio's scoring into the 1980's. Thomas Newman's cousin, Randy Newman, has also achieved fame in both pop and film scoring (The Natural), and brother David is also a busy film composer (The War Of the Roses).

Newman studied composition and orchestration at USC with professors Frederick Lesemann and noted film composer David Raksin, and privately with composer George Tremblay. Newman completed his academic work at Yale, studying with Jacob Druckman, Bruce MacCombie and Robert Moore.

Newman's reputation for originality and for intensifying mood and character grew rapidly with such films as Ron Howard's comedy Gung Ho; Desperately Seeking Susan; The Lost Boys; the Academy Award nominated Scent Of A Woman; The Rapture; the acclaimed cable movie Citizen Cohn and over 20 other major titles.

Newman's recent film scores include The Road to Perdition, The Salton Sea, Erin Brockovich, Pay It Forward, Meet Joe Black, Up Close And Personal, Phenomenon, American Buffalo (the film version of David Mamet's award-winning play), The People Vs. Larry Flynt and Oscar & Lucinda.