James Newton Howard

With any movie at all the challenge lies in the storytelling.

— James Newton Howard

It's always a challenge to come up with a musical environment.

— James Newton Howard

Gamelan instruments are exotic and mysterious.

— James Newton Howard

Like most people, I hate public speaking.

— James Newton Howard

I absolutely loved 'The New World.'

— James Newton Howard

I started studying piano at the age of four.

— James Newton Howard

I really don't think about the Oscars.

— James Newton Howard

Music for cartoons is sillier, funnier.

— James Newton Howard

There's much more music now in movies than there used to be. Maybe sometimes there's too much music.

— James Newton Howard

I have so much regard for the art of conducting. It's easy to look not so good up there.

— James Newton Howard

I tend to avoid interviews, I don't have a publicist and fear of failure is still very much alive in my personal…

— James Newton Howard

I am delighted just to work on a good movie, no matter what the medium is.

— James Newton Howard

Immersion in a movie over months and months will give you what you just can't get in the same way over a…

— James Newton Howard

I loved working with Chris Nolan. I love working with Lawrence Kasdan. Dan Gilroy. Francis Lawrence I love.

— James Newton Howard

Any composer should be able to synthesize the primary feelings that the characters are going through in the movie.

— James Newton Howard

Every movie you score you hope is unlike anything you have done before. You are always trying to not sound like yourself.

— James Newton Howard

I work independently of the director, and to some extent, that's actually a big relief to them. When I come to them…

— James Newton Howard

One of my biggest goals in writing the music for 'Fantastic Beasts' was to create memorable melodies. J.K. Rowling's world has always…

— James Newton Howard

I like to pace myself at about two minutes of music a day. With 'Waterworld' it was closer to five minutes a…

— James Newton Howard

I hate bad reviews, so yeah, every now and then I think, 'Boy I hope everybody really likes this and thinks this…

— James Newton Howard

The first 'Hunger Games' movie was one of those rare films to combine epic storyline, memorable characters and challenging musical opportunities.

— James Newton Howard

As a film composer I deal with short bursts of musical ideas that are defined to a large extent by what's happening…

— James Newton Howard

It's easy for me to write a quasi-virtuosic orchestral score. What is harder is to do that and say, all right, that…

— James Newton Howard

Something different happened to me when I started to write music to images. It was a feeling of excitement and connection and…

— James Newton Howard

I joined Elton John's band in '75. He not only allowed me to play the electronic keyboard on his albums, he also…

— James Newton Howard

The thing about 'Fantastic Beasts' is that it's in the wizarding world, in J.K. Rowling's world, but it's not a Harry Potter…

— James Newton Howard

I know that the classical world has resisted film composers throwing their hat into the classical concert music ring. And you know…

— James Newton Howard

Jerry Goldsmith, I have to say, is my single favorite composer of all time. He was one of the most innovative guys…

— James Newton Howard

Composing is a natural fit. As far as the creative process goes, I'd rather do this than anything else, by far. Something…

— James Newton Howard

I try and write a fair amount in the beginning without the movie. And then when I do get the movie I…

— James Newton Howard

Tchaikovsky was one of the great melody writers of all time.

— James Newton Howard

I just go from one movie to the next and try not to get fired.

— James Newton Howard

I never like to conduct, quite honestly, because you have to be a bit of a dictator and it's exhausting.

— James Newton Howard

There's a sadness about love, a melancholy and a sadness about beauty. It's just part of the human experience of living on…

— James Newton Howard

I think to do anything out of one's comfort zone, there has to be some aspect of it that feels inspiring and…

— James Newton Howard

Music has been of central importance to Disney movies for as long as I can remember. To contribute to that legacy, is…

— James Newton Howard

Music can help uncover that tone that's in the fabric of the movie. Sometimes it's very plain to see, sometimes it's not.

— James Newton Howard

I believe very strongly in having melodic hooks, whether they're short or intricate, that you really remember in a movie.

— James Newton Howard

Well, the first two movies of any size that I did were a movie called 'Everybody's All American' that Taylor Hackford directed…

— James Newton Howard

One day I was watching some pundits screaming at each other on a news show. It suddenly reminded me of this painting…

— James Newton Howard