William Ross
Quick Facts
Cancer
Biography
William Ross (born July 12, 1948) is an American composer, orchestrator, arranger, conductor and music director. Ross is the recipient of three Primetime Emmy Awards (in 2007 and 2009), one Daytime Emmy Award (in 1991), and has been nominated for one Annie Award (in 2008). He has been nominated twice for the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s).
Ross is the arranger for Andrea Bocelli's version of Amazing Grace performed during his concert "Andrea Bocelli: Music For Hope - Live From Duomo di Milano", broadcast live on YouTube to over 25 million viewers on April 12, 2020.
Ross has worked with artists and musicians ranging from Hollywood composers John Williams, Alan Silvestri, John Powell, Michael Giacchino, Klaus Badelt, and Michael Kamen, to pop music artists including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Laura Pausini, Whitney Houston, Kenny G, Michael Jackson, David Foster, Quincy Jones, Babyface and Sting. He has also arranged the music for multiple Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies from 1998 to 2010.
Ross composed the soundtrack for films such as Tuck Everlasting, My Dog Skip, Young Black Stallion and Ladder 49.He adapted and conducted John Williams's themes for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. In 2008, he scored the CGI-film The Tale of Despereaux, from Universal Studios.
Ross is the Music Director for many shows and artists, including Barbra Streisand's 2006 US tour and 2007 European tour, as well as the 79th, 83rd, 85th and 86th Academy Awards. Ross regularly arranges and conducts the Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre, overseeing all music cues throughout the broadcast.
William Ross is credited on The Last Jedi soundtrack as an additional conductor. His work is featured on the Universal Orlando theme park ride Skull Island: Reign of Kong.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Hasty Heart | Martin M. Speer |
| 1991 | One Good Cop | Heywood Gould |
| 1992 | Death Becomes Her | Robert Zemeckis |
| 1993 | Look Who's Talking Now | Tom Ropelewski |
| 1994 | Thumbelina | Don Bluth Gary Goldman |
| Cops & Robbersons | Michael Ritchie | |
| The Little Rascals | Penelope Spheeris | |
| 1995 | The Amazing Panda Adventure | Christopher Cain |
| 1996 | Black Sheep | Penelope Spheeris |
| House Arrest (Lyrics) | Harry Winer | |
| Tin Cup | Ron Shelton | |
| My Fellow Americans | Peter Segal | |
| The Evening Star | Robert Harling | |
| 1997 | A Smile Like Yours | Keith Samples |
| 1998 | T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous | Brett Leonard |
| 1999 | Stuart Little | Rob Minkoff |
| 2000 | My Dog Skip | Jay Russell |
| 2001 | Her Majesty | Mark J. Gordon |
| 2002 | Stuart Little 2 | Rob Minkoff |
| Tuck Everlasting | Jay Russell | |
| Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | Chris Columbus | |
| 2003 | Young Black Stallion | Simon Wincer |
| 2004 | Ladder 49 | Jay Russell |
| 2005 | The Game of Their Lives | David Anspaugh |
| 2006 | Driftwood | Tim Sullivan |
| 2007 | September Dawn | Christopher Cain |
| 2008 | The Tale of Despereaux | Sam Fell Robert Stevenhagen |
| 2009 | The Mighty Macs | Tim Chambers |
| 2011 | Balls to the Wall | Penelope Spheeris |
| A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas | Todd Strauss-Schulson | |
| 2012 | Touchback | Don Handfield |
| Steel Magnolias | Kenny Leon | |
| 2013 | Alone yet Not Alone | Ray Bengston George D. Escobar |
| 2014 | 50 to 1 | Jim Wilson |
| In My Dreams | Kenny Leon | |
| One Christmas Eve | Jay Russell | |
| 2015 | Away and Back | Jeff Bleckner |
| 2018 | Destination Wedding | Victor Levin |
Awards
Emmy Awards
| Year | Nominated Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Away and Back | Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or a Special (Original Dramatic Score) | Nominated |
| 2014 | Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn | Outstanding Music Direction | Nominated |
| The Oscars | Outstanding Music Direction | Nominated | |
| 2013 | The Oscars | Outstanding Music Direction | Nominated |
| 2011 | 83rd Annual Academy Awards | Outstanding Music Direction | Nominated |
| 2009 | 81st Annual Academy Awards: Hugh Jackman Opening Number | Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics | Won |
| Streisand: The Concert | Outstanding Music Direction | Won | |
| 2007 | 79th Annual Academy Awards | Outstanding Music Direction | Won |
| 1991 | Tiny Toon Adventures: Fields of Honey | Outstanding Music Direction and Composition | Won |
Grammy Awards
| Year | Title | Artist | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Windmills Of Your Mind | Sting | Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) | Nominated |
| 2000 | The Prayer | Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli | Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) | Nominated |
BMI Film & TV Awards
| Year | Nominated Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Ladder 49 | BMI Film Music Award | Won |
| 1995 | The Little Rascals | BMI Film Music Award | Won |
Online Film & Television Association Awards
| Year | Nominated Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | The Oscars | Best Music in a Non-Series | Nominated |
| 2001 | Life with Judy Garland | Best Music in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | Nominated |
| Best New Theme Song in a Motion Picture of Miniseries | Nominated |
International Film Music Critics Awards
Ross was nominated in 2012 for "Best Original Score for a Comedy Film" at the IFMCA Awards for his scoring work on "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas".
Annie Awards
Ross was nominated in 2009 for "Best Music in an Animated Feature Production" at the Annie Awards for his scoring work on "The Tale of Despereaux".
Gemini Awards
Ross was nominated in 1993 for "Best Original Music Score for a Program or Mini-Series" at the Gemini Awards for his scoring work on "Golden Fiddles".