Trevor Jones (composer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Trevor Jones
Background information
Birth name	Trevor Alfred Charles Jones
Born	(1949-03-23) 23 March 1949 (age 76) Cape Town, South Africa
Genres	Film score
Occupation(s)	Composer, conductor
Years active	1967–present

Trevor Alfred Charles Jones (born March 23, 1949) is a talented composer from South Africa. He creates music for movies and TV shows, mostly working in the United Kingdom.

He is famous for his music in many popular films from the 1980s and 1990s. These include Excalibur, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and The Last of the Mohicans. Trevor Jones has worked with well-known directors like Jim Henson and Michael Mann.

Trevor Jones has been nominated for several important awards. He received three BAFTA Awards nominations for his music in Mississippi Burning, The Last of the Mohicans, and Brassed Off. He was also nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award for the TV miniseries Merlin.

Since 2006, Jones has been a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in Britain. In 1999, he became the first head of the music department at the National Film and Television School.

Early Life and Music Training

Trevor Jones was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1949. He was one of three children in his family. When he was young, his family had to move to a different area called District Six.

From a very young age, Trevor knew he wanted to compose music for films. By age 10, he was accepted into the South African College of Music with a special scholarship. In 1967, he received another scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. After that, he worked for the BBC for five years, reviewing music for radio and TV.

In 1974, Jones earned a master's degree in Film and Media Music from the University of York. He then spent three years at the National Film and Television School. There, he learned about filmmaking, sound, and music. During this time, he wrote music for 22 student films. One of these films, The Dollar Bottom (1981), even won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

Creating Music for Movies

Trevor Jones's talent soon caught the eye of director John Boorman. Boorman was making his epic film about King Arthur, Excalibur (1981). The movie used a lot of classical music, but Boorman needed original music too. Since the film had a small budget, he hired the promising young Trevor Jones.

Excalibur helped Jones get noticed by Jim Henson, who was creating The Dark Crystal (1982). Henson wanted a young composer who was open to new ideas. Jones created a huge, detailed score for The Dark Crystal. It featured the London Symphony Orchestra and also used new electronic instruments like the Fairlight and Synclavier synthesizers. He also used old instruments like the crumhorn and recorder.

After Excalibur, Jones composed music for horror films like The Sender (1982) and the adventure film Savage Islands (1983). In 1985, he wrote one of his best scores for the TV show The Last Place on Earth.

Jones worked with Jim Henson again for the 1986 fantasy musical Labyrinth. For this movie, David Bowie wrote and sang the songs, including the hit "Underground." Trevor Jones created the background music that made the story come alive.

Jones noticed that his complex music for The Dark Crystal didn't get much attention. So, he started to change his style. In the mid-1980s, his music became more electronic. He focused on creating moods with synthesizers rather than strong, memorable tunes. You can hear this in his scores for Angel Heart (1987), Mississippi Burning (1988), and Sea of Love (1989).

Trevor Jones returned to using a large orchestra for the 1990 film Arachnophobia. He also created a fun, light-hearted score for Blame it on the Bellboy in 1992.

His most famous success came in 1992 with his music for The Last of the Mohicans. This soaring, emotional music was created under difficult conditions. The director, Michael Mann, first wanted an electronic score. But later, they decided an orchestral score would be better for the historical film. Jones had to quickly change his music for an orchestra. The film was also being edited a lot, so the music had to be rewritten many times to fit the new timings. Finally, another composer, Randy Edelman, helped with some smaller scenes. Jones and Edelman both received credit for the music.

In the 1990s, Jones also composed for television. He created orchestral scores for several Hallmark productions, including Gulliver's Travels, Merlin, and Cleopatra. He also made a fun, jazzy score for Richard III (1995). In 1997, Jones worked with director Ridley Scott on G.I. Jane, creating a mix of electronic, orchestral, and rock music.

Personal Life

Trevor Jones is married to Victoria Seale, and they have four children. His uncle, Norman Florence, along with his aunt Rhoda Florence and cousin Peter Florence, started the Hay Festival in 1988. Trevor Jones has attended this festival almost every year since it began.

Film and TV Projects

Trevor Jones has composed music for many films and television shows throughout his career. Here are some of his notable works:

Movies

• 1981: Excalibur
• 1982: The Dark Crystal
• 1985: Runaway Train
• 1986: Labyrinth
• 1988: Mississippi Burning
• 1989: Sea of Love
• 1990: Arachnophobia
• 1992: The Last of the Mohicans
• 1993: Cliffhanger
• 1993: In the Name of the Father
• 1995: Richard III
• 1996: Brassed Off
• 1997: G.I. Jane
• 1998: Dark City
• 1999: Notting Hill
• 2003: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
• 2004: Around the World in 80 Days

TV Shows and Miniseries

• 1985: The Last Place on Earth (Miniseries)
• 1996: Gulliver's Travels (Miniseries)
• 1998: Merlin (Miniseries)
• 1999: Cleopatra (Miniseries)
• 2002: Dinotopia (Miniseries)
• 2012: Labyrinth (Miniseries)

Video Games

• 2005: Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects

See also

In Spanish: Trevor Jones para niños