Earlier this month, ASCAP and BMI - the two leading performing rights associations - held their annual awards ceremonies to honor the composers who had worked on the most successful films and highest rated television shows of 2008.

Held on May 12th at the Beverly Hills Hilton, the ASCAP Film & TV Music Awards was a black-tie gala which honored composer Carter Burwell with the Henry Mancini Award, the highest honor the organization bestows. On hand to celebrate with Burwell was Twlight director Catherine Hardwicke, and Gods and Monsters director Bill Condon. The Coen Brothers - with whom Burwell has had a lengthy and fruitful collaboration - did not attend, and sent a somewhat convoluted video message instead.

Most of the film winners were not in attendance at the ceremony, but many television composers did attend, including Sean Callery, David Vanacore, Bear McCreary, Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek, Trevor Morris, and others.

For a full list of ASCAP Film & TV Music Award winners, read the full press release here.

A little over a week later, on May 20th, BMI held their annual awards dinner, at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The turnout was a bit better than the ASCAP show, and many composers were on hand to celebrate David Newman receiving the Richard Kirk Award, and Mike Post\'s acceptance of the BMI Classic Contribution Award. A video tribute to Newman featured some of his long-time collaborators, including director Danny DeVito. When accepting the award, Newman was shy but gracious, and talked of the importance of young musicians following their dreams (Newman is the president of the American Youth Symphony).

For over 20 years, famed television composer Mike Post has been involved with BMI\'s Pete Carpenter Fellowship. Named for Post\'s long-time collaborator of such classic television series as "Magnum P.I.", "The A-Team", "The Rockford Files" and others, the fellowship gives young composers a chance to watch and work with Post on television music.

Many more composers were at the BMI awards to receive their awards, including television composers Kevin Kiner, Bill Brown, James Levine, Nathan Barr, Rolfe Kent, Jan Stevens, Charlie Clouser and more. For feature films, composers Trevor Rabin, Harry Gregson-Williams, Randy Edelman, Cliff Eidelman, John Ottman, Theodore Shapiro, Aaron Zigman, Lyle Workman and many others were also on hand to make the evening a smashing success.

For a full list of BMI Film & TV Music Award winners, read the full press release here.

Related Composers: Carter Burwell David Newman Mike Post