Jóhann Jóhannsson

Jóhann Jóhannsson is composer originally from Iceland. His varied and eclectic output includes commissioned works for Bang on a Can, Theatre of Voices and the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, as well as a collaboration with the New York-based experimental filmmaker Bill Morrison on the film The Miners' Hymns.

Jóhannsson was awarded a Golden Globe® for Best Film Score for The Theory of Everything, directed by James Marsh. His music for the film also earned Jóhannsson an Oscar® nomination as well as BAFTA, Grammy and Critics Choice Award nominations for best original score. The Theory of Everything focuses on the life of famed physicist Stephen Hawking and stars Eddie Redmayne, who won an Oscar® for his leading role as Stephen Hawking, and Felicity Jones. Jóhannsson's other more recent film scores include Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners, Lou Ye's Blind Massage and So Yong Kim's For Ellen.

Jóhannsson received Oscar®, BAFTA and Critics' Choice nominations for his work on Denis Villeneuve's critically-acclaimed film Sicario, starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro.

Jóhannsson started studying piano and trombone when he was 11 but stopped formal musical studies in high school, feeling hampered by the constraints of academic music. After studying literature and languages at university, he spent 10 years playing in indie rock bands, concentrating on multi-layered feedback-drenched guitar compositions.

Writing music for plays, dance and theatrical performances led to work on film soundtracks. Jóhannsson scored more than a dozen movies, including The Good Life (Eva Mulvad, DK 2010), Varmints (Marc Craste, UK 2008) and For Ellen (So Yong Kim, US 2012) before his work with director Denis Villeneuve on Prisoners and Josh C. Waller on McCanick. His music has also found a home in art house films across the globe, from Lou Ye's Mystery (CN 2011) to János Szász's recent prize winning drama Le Grand Cahier (HU 2013).

Jóhannsson has collaborated with pop artists such as Marc Almond, Barry Adamson, Finnish electro band Pan Sonic, The Hafler Trio, English avant garde composer Andrew M. McKenzie, CAN drummer Jaki Liebezeit, Stephen O'Malley of the dark metal band Sunn O))) and many others.

Paramount Pictures