Ennio Morricone (1928-2020) graduated in trumpet and composition from the Conservatorio de Santa Cecilia in Rome. Throughout his career, he mastered a wide range of musical expressions, first as an orchestrator and conductor in the recording industry, then as a composer for theater, radio, television, and cinema. He composed over 450 film scores and over 100 absolute music works.

This course will focus on his musical soundtracks. He received an Honorary Academy Award in 2007 and won an Academy Award for Best Original Score in 2016. His filmography includes more than 70 award-winning films, including all of director Sergio Leone’s “spaghetti westerns” starring Clint Eastwood. Other award-winning film scores include Cinema Paradiso, The Battle of Algiers, Days of Heaven, Malena, and The Sicilian Clan.

We will be watching a film in every class, as well as listening to CDs and watching many performances on YouTube, with several of them highlighting Maestro Morricone directing his own orchestral performances. Thanks to the recent publication of the book Ennio Morricone in His Own Words, I will be able “interview” him about his life and mastery of the soundtrack.