William Goldstein

Last updated

William Goldstein
Composer William Goldstein.jpg
Born (1942-02-25) February 25, 1942 (age 83)
Occupations
  • Musician
  • composer
  • pianist
  • record producer
  • opinion journalist
Years active1975–present
Musical career
Origin Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres
Instruments
Labels
Website www.williamgoldstein.com

William Goldstein (born February 25, 1942) is an American composer, recording artist, arts philosopher and improvisational pianist. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Goldstein has received three Emmy nominations and one Grammy nomination for his scores Fame , Hello Again , and Shocker . He has been signed as a recording artist to Motown Records and CBS Masterworks. [4] [5] Goldstein has written arts commentary for public media including The New York Times , Los Angeles Times , and CBS News. [6] [7] [8] [9]

Biography

Early life and career

Raised in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, Goldstein graduated from Lakewood High School. [10] Goldstein is Jewish.

While in high school, Goldstein learned to play trumpet to join the high school band. Upon graduating, he continued on a joint program with Trenton State College in New Jersey for music education and the Juilliard School once a week to study trumpet. [11] During the draft years of the Vietnam War, he became composer in residence for the United States Army Band.

Career

Goldstein was signed to Columbia Picture Screen Gems. He was discovered by Berry Gordy, who brought Goldstein to Los Angeles, as a Motown recording artist, composer and producer. [12] [13] [14] Goldstein has composed soundtracks for film and television, notably the television series Fame and The Twilight Zone . [15] [16] [17]

Goldstein also composed the soundtrack for the computer game King's Quest IV. [18] It was the first computer game to have its soundtrack written for the Roland MT-32.

Instant Composition

Goldstein composes in real time, reviving the art of “instant composition”. He creates ballets with dancers of international renown, improvising complete scores to films that he is seeing for the first time; [19] [20] In 2011, Goldstein was invited by the Transatlantyk International Film and Music Festival in Poznan, Poland, to give Master Classes on the "Art of Instant Composition". Goldstein records as a solo composer and collaboratively.

Educator and masterclasses

As an educator and performer of live composition, Goldstein teaches masterclasses and travels internationally. [21]

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

References

  1. McClendon, Lamarco (August 5, 2016). "Motown Recording Artist Revives Lost Art of 'Instant Composition'". Variety. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  2. "William Goldstein On the Art of Instant Composition". BMI.com. September 8, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  3. Hankewitz, Sten (November 21, 2022). "American composer to create music for an Estonian documentary in real time". Estonian World. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  4. "William Goldstein". Television Academy. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  5. "Recording Academy Grammy Awards". www.grammy.com. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  6. Goldstein, William (October 16, 2005). "Opinion | Final Stages". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  7. "Opinion: Academy Awards: It's about art, not political correctness". Los Angeles Times. February 21, 2012. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  8. Goldstein, William (January 26, 2016). "Op-Ed: I'd like to thank the Academy...for capitulating to the PC police". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  9. "Academy reforms spark backlash". www.cbsnews.com. January 28, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  10. "Success is habit forming to Goldstein", Asbury Park Press , October 22, 1980. Accessed February 11, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Success is getting to be a habit with William Goldstein, a film composer and arranger who grew up in Lakewood.... Goldstein was graduated from Lakewood High School, Trenton State College, the Manhattan School of Music and Juilliard School of Music."
  11. "William Goldstein On the Art of Instant Composition". BMI.com. September 8, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  12. McClendon, Lamarco (August 5, 2016). "Motown Recording Artist Revives Lost Art of 'Instant Composition'". Variety. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  13. "William Goldstein | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  14. "William Goldstein Albums and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  15. "William Goldstein | Movies and Filmography". AllMovie. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  16. "AFI|Catalog". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  17. "William Goldstein Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  18. "William Goldstein - King's Quest IV" . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  19. Rabinowitz, Chloe (September 20, 2021). "COLLABORATIVE COMPOSITION: CREATED IN THE MOMENT Album Showcases William Goldstein & Guest Soloists". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  20. McClendon, Lamarco (August 5, 2016). "Motown Recording Artist Revives Lost Art of 'Instant Composition'". Variety. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  21. "A Dream Deferred, But Still Realized". Teachers College - Columbia University. Retrieved February 10, 2023.