Alan Howarth (composer)

Alan Howarth (born 1948) is an American composer and sound designer who has worked on soundtracks for Hollywood films including the Star Trek and Halloween series, and is known for his collaborations with film director and composer John Carpenter.

Childhood and early career

Alan Howarth grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. Playing music in local rock bands, he opened for national touring acts including The Who and Cream. He then began to create original music in bands Braino and Pi Corp, using synthesizers. From 1976 he provided synthesizer support for fusion jazz band Weather Report, which relocated him to Los Angeles. Howarth caught his big break in 1980 when his music was used for a Star Trek movie trailer. After that he worked on the next five Star Trek films.[1]

Films

Howarth's collaborations with John Carpenter include: Escape from New York, Halloween II, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Christine, Big Trouble in Little China, Prince of Darkness and They Live.

His music has been featured in films like The Osterman Weekend, The Lost Empire, Retribution, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, The Dentist and The Dentist 2, Boo, Evilution, Basement Jack, Hansel and Gretel, Zombie Night, and Brutal.

His award-winning sound designs have appeared in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Poltergeist, Back to the Future Part II, Back to the Future Part III, The Little Mermaid and Total Recall. His team received Academy Award awards for Best Sound Effects for The Hunt for Red October and Bram Stoker's Dracula directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He has also created some sound effects for Sound Ideas's award-winning "Series 6000: The General" royalty-free sound effects library.

Live performance

Howarth performs his film scores in live concert to excerpts from the films, and has performed in Geneva, Kraków, St. Petersburg, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, London and Paris.

Sound technology

Howarth pioneered immersive multi-channel surround sound systems with Steven Taylor's "Dimension Audio" that included the early prototype theatrical 48.4 systems that are now known as Dolby Atmos and DTS sound immersion. His current research has resulted in founding of RA Music, which holds several worldwide patents for the conversion of standard musical recordings into tunings of the Natural Frequency Spectrum as defined by nature, science and ancient architecture.

[2][3][4] [5] [6] [7]

Filmography
Year Title Role(s) Notes
1979Star Trek: The Motion PictureSound effects creator
1980The Final CountdownSpecial sound effects, composer
GalaxinaSpecial sound effects
Battle Beyond the Stars
1981Student BodiesElectronic music producer, electronic music recording
Escape From New YorkSound effects, music composerWith John Carpenter
Halloween IIMusic composer
Raiders of the Lost ArkSpecial sound effectsUncredited
1982Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Poltergeist
National Lampoon's Class Reunion
Flying High II: The Sequel
The ThingSpecial sound effects, additional musicWith John Carpenter
Halloween III: Season of the WitchMusic composer
1983Christine
The Osterman WeekendElectronic sound designer
Twilight Zone: The MovieSpecial sound effects
1984Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
GremlinsUncredited
Buckaroo BanzaiSpecial synthesized sound effects
Exterminator 2Sound effects creator
HyperspaceSynthesized sound effects
The Lost EmpireMusic composer
1985Head OfficeWith James Newton Howard
Runaway TrainElectronic sound effects
My Science ProjectSpecial sound effects
1986Wired to Kill
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Duet for OneElectronic sound effects
Big Trouble in Little ChinaMusic composerWith John Carpenter
1987Prince of Darkness
Retribution
The Running ManSound processing
1988Halloween 4: The Return of Michael MyersMusic composer
Brothers in Arms
They LiveMusic composer, synthesized sound effectsWith John Carpenter
BeetlejuiceSpecial sound effectsUncredited
Norman's Awesome ExperienceSound
Phantasm IISound designer
1989Star Trek V: The Final FrontierSpecial sound effects
The Little MermaidProcessed sound effects
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael MyersMusic composer
1990The Hunt for Red OctoberAdditional sound effects
Class of 1999Electronic sound effects, sound effects editor
Back to the Future Part IIISpecial sound effectsUncredited
Total Recall
RoboCop 2
DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost LampProcessed sound effects
The Rescuers Down Under
Project AlienSpecial effects sound editor
1991Final ApproachAdditional sound effects
Cool as IceAdditional sound design
SalmonberriesSound design
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered CountrySpecial sound effects
Grand CanyonSpecial sound effects editor
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the UniverseMusic composer
1992Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama
Honey, I Blew Up the KidSpecial sound effects
Army of DarknessSound designer, sound supervisor
Bram Stoker's DraculaAdditional sound effects
The WaterdanceSound effects editor
Fortress
1994The Mask
StargateProcessed sound effects
1995Halloween: The Curse of Michael MyersMusic composer
Tank GirlSpecial sound effects
1996The DentistMusic composer, special sound effects
MørkelegMusic composer
1998The Dentist 2
1999Her Married Lover
The Omega CodeMusic composer, special sound effects
She's All ThatAdditional sound designer
2000The Prince of LightMusic composer, sound
Alone with a StrangerMusic composer
2002Britney, Baby, One More TimeSound designer
Star Trek: Incident at Beta 9Sound effects
2003The Sleep of ReasonSupervising sound editor
2005BooMusic composer
2007Headless HorsemanMusic composer, sound designer
2008The Spiderwick ChroniclesSpecial sound designer
EvilutionMusic composer
2012Brutal
Dead ShadowsSound designer, sound mixer
2019HoaxSound designer

References
  1. DeSalvo, Kathy (19 September 1997). "SPANK! Adds Alan Howarth". SHOOT. 38 (38): 7.
  2. "HYPER-REALITY: ALAN HOWARTH's Synthesized Scores and Specialized Sound Effects". alanhowarth.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  3. "Interview with Alan Howarth by David Kempf".
  4. "Feeling the Sounds of Alan Howarth". constructinghorror.com. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  5. "Sci Fi Horror movie composer Alan Howarth Brutal interview - Without". youtube.com. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  6. "Alan Howarth with Emeralds Interview". Natural Frequencies
  7. "Alan Howarth Media Credits". Archived from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2013-10-12. Feature Film Composer and Sound Design Credits
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