The inaugural Middleburg Film Festival in Middleburg, VA honored Mark Isham as the recipient of their first Distinguished Film Composer Award. Isham was bestowed the honor at the Salamander Resort on Friday, October 25.
In addition, Isham's music for the Warner Bros. film 42 is nominated in the Feature Film Score category at the sixth annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards which will take place Thursday, November 21, 2013 at The Fonda Theater in Hollywood, CA.
The Middleburg Film Festival awards ceremony included a special concert by the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra performing a selection of Isham's most memorable scores including his Oscar-nominated music from A River Runs Through It, as well as pieces from Dolphin Tale and 42. In attendance was President and CEO of The Jackie Robinson Foundation, Della Britton Baeza. Also featured during the awards ceremony was a conversation with Isham moderated by the Washington Post's Ann Hornaday.
Isham exclaimed in his acceptance speech at the festival, "I am honored to receive the Distinguished Film Composer Award at the first Middleburg Film Festival. I would like to thank Susan Koch and Sheila Johnson for inviting me to this festival. Sheila has created a wonderful festival and a gorgeous resort. I would like to thank Jan Wagner and the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra for the incredible job performing some of my scores and Ann Hornaday for interviewing me here tonight and thank you Reggie Van Lee of the Washington Performing Arts Society for presenting me with this award."
Said Middleburg Film Festival Founder and Board Chair Sheila C. Johnson, "A musical score has the capacity to elevate a scene, stir emotions and transform a film. Mark's talents lie in his ability to compose music that is organic, seemingly simple in form, yet profound in impact. It is no wonder that renowned directors such as Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood and Paul Haggis have enlisted Mark for their most important projects. We at the Middleburg Film Festival are privileged to have such a remarkable artist for our inaugural award."
Mark Isham has written critically-acclaimed scores for over 100 films including Homefront, being released on November 27, as well as 42, Dolphin Tale, Warrior, The Black Dahlia, Miracle, A River Runs Through It and Nell. Isham also composes the music for ABC's Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland and TNT's upcoming 1940s gangster series Mob City. Isham's solo career as a musician earned him a Grammy award for his self-titled album Mark Isham and Grammy nominations for his albums Castalia and Tibet as well as for his scores Men of Honor and A River Runs Through It. His accolades include an Academy Award nomination, an Emmy award, a Golden Globe nomination and the Henry Mancini Award for Career Achievement.