Craig Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Craig Armstrong, OBE
(born 29 April 1959) is a Scottish
composer
of modern orchestra
l music, electronica
and film score
s.
Armstrong's score for William Shakespeare
’s Romeo + Juliet earned him a BAFTA for Achievement in Film Music and an Ivor Novello
. His composition for Baz Luhrmann
’s musical Moulin Rouge!
earned him the 2001 American Film Institute
’s composer of the Year award, a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
and a BAFTA. Armstrong was awarded a Grammy Award
for Best Original Score in 2004 for the biopic Ray
. His other feature film scoring credits include Love Actually
, Oliver Stone
's World Trade Center
, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and The Incredible Hulk
.
, violin
(with Cornelius Cardew
) and piano
at the Royal Academy of Music
from 1977 to 1981, where he was awarded the Charles Lucas prize and the Harvey Lohr scholarship
for composition. He was also awarded the FTCL Fellowship in composition, and won the GLAA Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 1982. Upon completing his studies, Armstrong served as music and dance specialist at the Strathclyde Regional Council in 1984. Between 1994–2002 he was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company
to write music for Broken Heart
and The Tempest
, both directed by Michael Boyd
. In 2001 Armstrong received a BAFTA, Golden Globe, American Film Institute
Award, World Soundtrack Award and Golden Satellite Award for Moulin Rouge!
. In 2002 he wrote the meditative piece Visconti, commissioned by Barbican Centre
Elektronika festival for the London Sinfonietta
. In 2004 Armstrong collaborated with visual artists Dalziel + Scullion
on One Minute to celebrate the opening of Perth's Horsecross Hall. In 2005 he received a Grammy Award
for Best Score Soundtrack album for Ray
, directed by Taylor Hackford. In 2008 his first classical release, Memory Takes My Hand, featuring a violin concerto for Clio Gould
, was released on EMI Classics
. Armstrong has had many collaborations including recording and performing the album Dolls with the Berlin laptop artist, AGF and Vladislav Delay. He has worked with a wide variety of artists, including U2
, Madonna
, Luciano Pavarotti
, and Massive Attack
.
Armstrong has written several classical commissions for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
, the London Sinfonietta
, the Hebrides Ensemble and the Scottish Ensemble
. In 2006 Armstrong collaborated with the visual artists Dalziel + Scullion
for the reopening of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow with a joint exhibition called Once. In 2007 Armstrong’s first opera was premiered as part of the Scottish Opera ‘5:15 - Opera’s made in Scotland’, a 15min opera with a libretto by Ian Rankin
.
’s label Melankolic, followed by Piano Works
on Sanctuary in 2004 and Film Works on Universal in 2005. In 2007 Armstrong recorded his first classical record for EMI Classics
with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
. It was released in 2008 and includes a violin concerto ‘Immer’ for Clio Gould
. In 2008 Armstrong released on EMI Classics his first classical album, Memory Takes My Hand, featuring a violin concerto for Clio Gould.
Rosebud was released from a new co written and co produced project of Craig Armstrong and Scott Fraser - Winona.
September 2009: "Without You (Deal Soul Brothers Remix)" - Format: 12" Vinyl single
’s Romeo + Juliet (with Baz Luhrmann) earned him a BAFTA for Achievement in Film Music and an Ivor Novello
. Armstrong's score for Baz Luhrmann
’s groundbreaking musical Moulin Rouge!
earned him AFI’s Composer of the Year award, a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
of the Year and a BAFTA for Achievement in Film Music. His score for Phillip Noyce’s The Quiet American
garnered him the Ivor Novello Award for Best Original Film Score. His other feature film scoring credits include the Oliver Stone
drama World Trade Center
, the Oscar-winning bio-pic Ray
for which Armstrong was awarded a Grammy Award
for Best Original Score and the worldwide ensemble comedy smash Love Actually
. His scores can also be heard in The Magdalene Sisters
, Kiss of the Dragon
, The Bone Collector
, The Clearing
, Best Laid Plans
, Orphans, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and most recently Louis Leterrier’s Incredible Hulk.
. The composition is frequently used on TV, film trailers, and in sports, since it is a rising crescendo
type of music with an epic choir. It appears on the BBC
television programme Top Gear
as the music which usually plays at the end of the "epic challenges". Armstrong lists the songs Top Gear has used on his web site. "Escape" has been used in the trailer for a number of action films, including Spider-Man 2
and Daredevil
. The piece is also used as entrance music by various sports teams, including the professional wrestling
stable Team Vision, Premier League football team Aston Villa
when playing at their home ground Villa Park
, fellow Premier League team Wigan Athletic when at the DW Stadium, the England rugby union team
as they enter Twickenham stadium
, and Premiership rugby union team Leeds Carnegie before home games.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 29 April 1959) is a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of modern orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l music, electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
and film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...
s.
Armstrong's score for William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
’s Romeo + Juliet earned him a BAFTA for Achievement in Film Music and an Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello
David Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
. His composition for Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
’s musical Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
earned him the 2001 American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
’s composer of the Year award, a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
The Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score is one of several categories presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association , an organization of journalists who cover the United States film industry, but are affiliated with publications outside North America, since its institution in 1947...
and a BAFTA. Armstrong was awarded a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Original Score in 2004 for the biopic Ray
Ray (film)
Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to...
. His other feature film scoring credits include Love Actually
Love Actually
Love Actually is a 2003 British romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress...
, Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
's World Trade Center
World Trade Center (film)
World Trade Center is a 2006 American disaster-drama film directed by Oliver Stone and based on the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center. It stars Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. The film was shot from October 19, 2005 - February 10, 2006...
, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk (film)
The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 superhero action film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk. It is directed by Louis Leterrier and stars Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner. It is the second film to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
.
Career
Armstrong studied musical compositionMusical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
(with Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew
Cornelius Cardew was an English experimental music composer, and founder of the Scratch Orchestra, an experimental performing ensemble. He later rejected the avant-garde in favour of a politically motivated "people's liberation music".-Biography:Cardew was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire...
) and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
from 1977 to 1981, where he was awarded the Charles Lucas prize and the Harvey Lohr scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
for composition. He was also awarded the FTCL Fellowship in composition, and won the GLAA Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 1982. Upon completing his studies, Armstrong served as music and dance specialist at the Strathclyde Regional Council in 1984. Between 1994–2002 he was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
to write music for Broken Heart
Broken Heart
Broken Heart or Broken Hearted may refer to:* Broken heart, when a human being suffers from an emotional or physical loss* Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or broken heart syndrome, a condition in which heart muscles are temporarily weakened...
and The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
, both directed by Michael Boyd
Michael Boyd
Michael Boyd is a British theatre director, and current artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has regularly collaborated with stage designer Tom Piper since they first worked together on a pantomime for the Tron Theatre in Glasgow.-Early years:Boyd was born in Belfast, Northern...
. In 2001 Armstrong received a BAFTA, Golden Globe, American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
Award, World Soundtrack Award and Golden Satellite Award for Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
. In 2002 he wrote the meditative piece Visconti, commissioned by Barbican Centre
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
Elektronika festival for the London Sinfonietta
London Sinfonietta
The London Sinfonietta is an English chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble specialises in contemporary music and works across a wide range of genres, performing modern classics alongside world premieres, and includes music by electronica artists as well as folk and...
. In 2004 Armstrong collaborated with visual artists Dalziel + Scullion
Dalziel + Scullion
Dalziel + Scullion are Scottish based artists Matthew Dalziel and Louise Scullion who have worked in collaboration since 1993; their studio creates artworks in photography, video, sound and sculpture that explore new artistic languages surrounding the subject of ecology. Dalziel + Scullion...
on One Minute to celebrate the opening of Perth's Horsecross Hall. In 2005 he received a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Score Soundtrack album for Ray
Ray (film)
Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to...
, directed by Taylor Hackford. In 2008 his first classical release, Memory Takes My Hand, featuring a violin concerto for Clio Gould
Clio Gould
Clio Gould, is an English violinist, professor, director of the Royal Academy Soloists and leader of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.Gould has appeared as soloist with a number of orchestras, including the London Sinfonietta, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the...
, was released on EMI Classics
EMI Classics
EMI Classics is a record label of EMI, formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases....
. Armstrong has had many collaborations including recording and performing the album Dolls with the Berlin laptop artist, AGF and Vladislav Delay. He has worked with a wide variety of artists, including U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Luciano Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti
right|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
, and Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
.
Armstrong has written several classical commissions for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is Scotland's national symphony orchestra. Based in Glasgow, the 89-member professional orchestra also regularly performs in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, and abroad. Formed in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra, the company has performed full-time since 1950,...
, the London Sinfonietta
London Sinfonietta
The London Sinfonietta is an English chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble specialises in contemporary music and works across a wide range of genres, performing modern classics alongside world premieres, and includes music by electronica artists as well as folk and...
, the Hebrides Ensemble and the Scottish Ensemble
Scottish Ensemble
The Scottish Ensemble is one of Scotland's finest string ensembles, formed from some of the most highly respected string players in Europe. Playing standing in a semicircle and without a conductor, it is led from the violin by Artistic Director, Jonathan Morton.Originally formed in 1969 as the...
. In 2006 Armstrong collaborated with the visual artists Dalziel + Scullion
Dalziel + Scullion
Dalziel + Scullion are Scottish based artists Matthew Dalziel and Louise Scullion who have worked in collaboration since 1993; their studio creates artworks in photography, video, sound and sculpture that explore new artistic languages surrounding the subject of ecology. Dalziel + Scullion...
for the reopening of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow with a joint exhibition called Once. In 2007 Armstrong’s first opera was premiered as part of the Scottish Opera ‘5:15 - Opera’s made in Scotland’, a 15min opera with a libretto by Ian Rankin
Ian Rankin
Ian Rankin, OBE, DL , is a Scottish crime writer. His best known books are the Inspector Rebus novels. He has also written several pieces of literary criticism.-Background:He attended Beath High School, Cowdenbeath...
.
Honours
Armstrong was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.Key works
- 1994: Slow Movement (strings)
- 1998: 20 Movements (orchestra)
- 1999: If Time Must Pass (violin, strings)
- 1999: Escape (orchestra, vocal).
- 2000: When Morning Turns to Light (mezzo-soprano, orchestra)
- 2002: Northern Sounds ... Islands (orchestra)
- 2005: One Minute (orchestra)
- 2007: Immer (violin concerto no. 1) (violin, orchestra)
Recordings
Over the last decade Armstrong has released two solo records on Massive AttackMassive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
’s label Melankolic, followed by Piano Works
Piano Works
The third album of Craig Armstrong, containing solo piano pieces from different soundtracks played by himself.-Track listing:# "In My Own Words"# "Heatmiser 2"# "Hidden"# "Gentle Piece"# "Weather Storm"# "Diffuse"# "Leaving Paris"# "Fugue"...
on Sanctuary in 2004 and Film Works on Universal in 2005. In 2007 Armstrong recorded his first classical record for EMI Classics
EMI Classics
EMI Classics is a record label of EMI, formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases....
with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
. It was released in 2008 and includes a violin concerto ‘Immer’ for Clio Gould
Clio Gould
Clio Gould, is an English violinist, professor, director of the Royal Academy Soloists and leader of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.Gould has appeared as soloist with a number of orchestras, including the London Sinfonietta, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the...
. In 2008 Armstrong released on EMI Classics his first classical album, Memory Takes My Hand, featuring a violin concerto for Clio Gould.
Rosebud was released from a new co written and co produced project of Craig Armstrong and Scott Fraser - Winona.
September 2009: "Without You (Deal Soul Brothers Remix)" - Format: 12" Vinyl single
- 1998: The Space Between UsThe Space Between UsThe Space Between Us is the debut solo album by Craig Armstrong, originally released in 1998 on Melankolic Records. Elizabeth Fraser of The Cocteau Twins contributes vocals to the track "This Love", and The Blue Nile's Paul Buchanan appears on "Let's go out Tonight"...
- 2002: As If to NothingAs If to NothingAs If to Nothing is the second independent album by Scottish composer Craig Armstrong, featuring collaborations with Bono of U2, Mogwai, Photek, Evan Dando, King Crimson, and former Big Dish vocalist Steven Lindsay...
- 2004: Piano WorksPiano WorksThe third album of Craig Armstrong, containing solo piano pieces from different soundtracks played by himself.-Track listing:# "In My Own Words"# "Heatmiser 2"# "Hidden"# "Gentle Piece"# "Weather Storm"# "Diffuse"# "Leaving Paris"# "Fugue"...
- 2005: Film Works 1995–2005
- 2005: The Dolls by the Dolls (Armstrong with Antye GreieAntye GreieAntye Greie aka AGF is a vocalist, musician, producer, and artist. She was born and raised in East Germany and developed an early interest for music and poetry and philosophy...
and Vladislav DelayVladislav DelayVladislav Delay is one of the pseudonyms of Sasu Ripatti , a Finnish electronic musician. He has also recorded as Luomo, Sistol, Uusitalo and Conoco.-Background:...
) - 2008: Memory Takes My Hand
Film scores
His score to William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
’s Romeo + Juliet (with Baz Luhrmann) earned him a BAFTA for Achievement in Film Music and an Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello
David Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
. Armstrong's score for Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
’s groundbreaking musical Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
earned him AFI’s Composer of the Year award, a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score
The Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score is one of several categories presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association , an organization of journalists who cover the United States film industry, but are affiliated with publications outside North America, since its institution in 1947...
of the Year and a BAFTA for Achievement in Film Music. His score for Phillip Noyce’s The Quiet American
The Quiet American
The Quiet American is an anti-war novel by British author Graham Greene, first published in United Kingdom in 1955 and in the United States in 1956. It was adapted into films in 1958 and 2002. The book draws on Greene's experiences as a war correspondent for The Times and Le Figaro in French...
garnered him the Ivor Novello Award for Best Original Film Score. His other feature film scoring credits include the Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
drama World Trade Center
World Trade Center (film)
World Trade Center is a 2006 American disaster-drama film directed by Oliver Stone and based on the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center. It stars Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. The film was shot from October 19, 2005 - February 10, 2006...
, the Oscar-winning bio-pic Ray
Ray (film)
Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to...
for which Armstrong was awarded a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Original Score and the worldwide ensemble comedy smash Love Actually
Love Actually
Love Actually is a 2003 British romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress...
. His scores can also be heard in The Magdalene Sisters
The Magdalene Sisters
The Magdalene Sisters is a 2002 film written and directed by Peter Mullan about teenage girls who were sent to Magdalene Asylums, otherwise known as the 'Magdalene Laundries': homes for women who were labeled as "fallen" by their families or society...
, Kiss of the Dragon
Kiss of the Dragon
Kiss of the Dragon is a 2001 martial arts action film, directed by Chris Nahon, co-written and produced by Luc Besson, and starring Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, and Tchéky Karyo....
, The Bone Collector
The Bone Collector
The Bone Collector is a 1999 thriller film starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, directed by Phillip Noyce and produced by Martin Bregman....
, The Clearing
The Clearing
The Clearing is a 2004 American drama film and the directorial debut of Pieter Jan Brugge, who has worked as a film producer. The film is loosely based on the real-life kidnapping of Gerrit Jan Heijn that took place in the Netherlands in 1987...
, Best Laid Plans
Best Laid Plans
Best Laid Plans is a 1999 American crime film directed by Mike Barker.-Plot:Bryce is a successful man who returns to his tiny hometown for a visit. While there, he runs into his old friend Nick . The two decide to go out for the night. When they enter a bar, Bryce encounters Lissa , a blonde...
, Orphans, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and most recently Louis Leterrier’s Incredible Hulk.
Escape
One of the most popular tracks composed by Armstrong is "Escape" from Plunkett & MacleanePlunkett & Macleane
Plunkett & Macleane is a 1999 British historical action comedy film directed by Jake Scott, and starring Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Liv Tyler. It follows the story of Captain James Macleane , and Will Plunkett , two men in eighteenth century Britain who are both struggling to survive...
. The composition is frequently used on TV, film trailers, and in sports, since it is a rising crescendo
Crescendo
-In music:*Crescendo, a passage of music during which the volume gradually increases, see Dynamics * Crescendo , a Liverpool-based electronic pop band* "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue", one of Duke Ellington's longer-form compositions...
type of music with an epic choir. It appears on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television programme Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
as the music which usually plays at the end of the "epic challenges". Armstrong lists the songs Top Gear has used on his web site. "Escape" has been used in the trailer for a number of action films, including Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
and Daredevil
Daredevil (film)
Daredevil is a 2003 American superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the film stars Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice in the courtroom and out of the courtroom as the masked vigilante Daredevil...
. The piece is also used as entrance music by various sports teams, including the professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable Team Vision, Premier League football team Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
when playing at their home ground Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
, fellow Premier League team Wigan Athletic when at the DW Stadium, the England rugby union team
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
as they enter Twickenham stadium
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
, and Premiership rugby union team Leeds Carnegie before home games.
List
- 1996: Romeo + Juliet - BAFTA and Ivor NovelloIvor NovelloDavid Ivor Davies , better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Born into a musical family, his first successes were as a songwriter...
awards. - 1997: Orphans
- 1998: The Negotiator - Opening credit track ("Rise")
- 1999: Plunkett & MacleanePlunkett & MacleanePlunkett & Macleane is a 1999 British historical action comedy film directed by Jake Scott, and starring Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller and Liv Tyler. It follows the story of Captain James Macleane , and Will Plunkett , two men in eighteenth century Britain who are both struggling to survive...
- 1999: Best Laid PlansBest Laid PlansBest Laid Plans is a 1999 American crime film directed by Mike Barker.-Plot:Bryce is a successful man who returns to his tiny hometown for a visit. While there, he runs into his old friend Nick . The two decide to go out for the night. When they enter a bar, Bryce encounters Lissa , a blonde...
- 1999: Cruel IntentionsCruel IntentionsCruel Intentions is a 1999 American drama film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film is an adaptation of the 18th-century French epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Laclos and is set among wealthy teenagers living in modern New York...
- 1999: The Bone CollectorThe Bone CollectorThe Bone Collector is a 1999 thriller film starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie, directed by Phillip Noyce and produced by Martin Bregman....
- 2000: Romeo Must DieRomeo Must DieRomeo Must Die is a 2000 martial arts film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak. Starring Jet Li, Aaliyah, Anthony Anderson, Delroy Lindo, Isaiah Washington, Russell Wong, and features action and fight choreography by Corey Yuen...
- 2001: Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge!Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
- Golden Globe Award for Best Original ScoreGolden Globe Award for Best Original ScoreThe Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score is one of several categories presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association , an organization of journalists who cover the United States film industry, but are affiliated with publications outside North America, since its institution in 1947... - 2001: Kiss of the DragonKiss of the DragonKiss of the Dragon is a 2001 martial arts action film, directed by Chris Nahon, co-written and produced by Luc Besson, and starring Jet Li, Bridget Fonda, and Tchéky Karyo....
- 2002: The Magdalene SistersThe Magdalene SistersThe Magdalene Sisters is a 2002 film written and directed by Peter Mullan about teenage girls who were sent to Magdalene Asylums, otherwise known as the 'Magdalene Laundries': homes for women who were labeled as "fallen" by their families or society...
- 2002: The Quiet AmericanThe Quiet American (2002 film)The Quiet American is a 2002 film adaptation of Graham Greene's bestselling novel of the same name. It was directed by Phillip Noyce and starred Michael Caine, George Henry Hsu, Brendan Fraser, and Do Thi Hai Yen....
- 2003: Love ActuallyLove ActuallyLove Actually is a 2003 British romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress...
- 2004: The ClearingThe ClearingThe Clearing is a 2004 American drama film and the directorial debut of Pieter Jan Brugge, who has worked as a film producer. The film is loosely based on the real-life kidnapping of Gerrit Jan Heijn that took place in the Netherlands in 1987...
- 2004: RayRay (film)Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to...
- Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Original Score - 2004: Layer Cake - Track ("Ruthless Gravity")
- 2005: Fever PitchFever Pitch (2005 film)Fever Pitch, which was released as The Perfect Catch outside of the United States and Canada, is a 2005 Farrelly brothers romantic comedy film. It is a remake of a 1997 British film of the same name. Both films are loosely based on the Nick Hornby book of the same name, a best-selling memoir in...
- 2005: Must Love DogsMust Love DogsMust Love Dogs is a 2005 romantic comedy film based on the book written by Claire Cook. It is the third film directed and written by Gary David Goldberg. The film, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, was produced on a budget of $30 million...
- 2006: World Trade CenterWorld Trade Center (film)World Trade Center is a 2006 American disaster-drama film directed by Oliver Stone and based on the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center. It stars Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Shannon. The film was shot from October 19, 2005 - February 10, 2006...
- 2007: Elizabeth: The Golden Age (with A. R. RahmanA. R. RahmanAllah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
) - 2008: The Incredible HulkThe Incredible Hulk (film)The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 superhero action film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk. It is directed by Louis Leterrier and stars Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner. It is the second film to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
- 2010: Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
- 2011: In TimeIn Time (film)In Time, previously titled Now and I'm.mortal, is a 2011 dystopian science fiction-thriller film starring Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Galecki, and Vincent Kartheiser...