James S. Levine

{{Short description|American composer and member of Remote Control Productions}} {{About|the composer|the conductor and pianist|James Levine}} {{BLP sources|date=May 2014}} {{Improve categories|date=December 2022}}

'''James Scott Levine''' (born 1974) is an American [[composer]] and member of [[Remote Control Productions (American company)|Remote Control Productions]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2014/music/news/remote-control-prods-music-factory-as-breeding-ground-1201173763/ |title=Remote Control Prods.: Hans Zimmer's Music Factory as a Breeding Ground |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=7 May 2014 |access-date=10 May 2014 |first=Burlingame |last=Jon}}</ref> He has won seven [[Broadcast Music, Inc.|BMI awards]] and seven [[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|ASCAP awards]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/creative-arts-emmys-2014-winners-and-nominees-1201284017/ |title=Creative Arts Emmys 2014 Winners and Nominees |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=14 August 2014 |access-date=7 June 2016 |first=Staff |last=Variety}}</ref> His credits include the films ''[[Running with Scissors (film)|Running with Scissors]]'', ''[[Delta Farce]]'', and ''[[The Weather Man]]'', and the television shows ''[[Nip/Tuck]]'', ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'', ''[[The Closer]]'', ''[[Rizzoli & Isles]]'', and ''[[American Horror Story]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://2013expo.ascap.com/event/ff53c628c4227c633abdb5e6fffa557c |title=Oh, the Horror: Master Session with James S. Levine |publisher=2013 [[ASCAP Expo]] |date=18 April 2013 |access-date=10 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814041828/http://2013expo.ascap.com/event/ff53c628c4227c633abdb5e6fffa557c |archive-date=14 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He has also provided additional music for films such as ''[[Madagascar (2005 film)|Madagascar]]'', ''[[Pearl Harbor (film)|Pearl Harbor]]'', and ''[[Something's Gotta Give (film)|Something's Gotta Give]]''.

==Early life== James Levine grew up in [[Medford, Massachusetts]],<ref name="tm16">{{cite news | title=So Many Notes, So Little Time | author-first=David | author-last=Menconi | magazine=Tufts Magazine | date=Spring 2016 | pages=40–41}}</ref> where he played multiple instruments in various genres. The main instrument he played growing up was the piano, performing at multiple events growing up. At the age of 13 Levine shifted his focus from playing the piano, to learning Jazz, as well as improvisation. Composers that Levine looked up to when he was younger were Mozart, Morricone and James Newton Howard. He is of [[Jewish]] heritage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trueblood-online.com/vault-exclusive-nathan-barr-composers/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524212406/http://www.trueblood-online.com/vault-exclusive-nathan-barr-composers/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=May 24, 2015|title = VAULT EXCLUSIVE: Q&A Nathan Barr and FX Composers|date = 13 June 2014}}</ref>

Levine attended [[Tufts University]], where he was originally a [[pre-med]] student. However he switched subject areas,<ref name="tm16"/> and subsequently in college Levine studied Sociology and Musicology, and got his degree in American Studies. He graduated from Tufts in 1996.<ref name="tm16"/>

==Career== Levine came to Hollywood in 1997 to begin his career as a composer, leaving behind money and family. He first started off his career by doing intern work around Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/events/expo/news/2013/04/james-levine-reveals-the-horrors-and-joys-of-composing.aspx |title=James Levine Reveals the Horrors (and Joys) of Composing |work=[[ASCAP]] |date=1 April 2014 |access-date=7 June 2016|first=Rangle |last=Eric}}</ref>

James Levine is a composer for shows like ''[[American Horror Story]]'', ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'', ''[[Nip/Tuck]]'', ''[[Royal Pains]]'' and ''[[The Closer]]''.

The music for ''American Horror Story'' is one of his most known works, receiving many awards such as the Best Music in a Series, Best music in a non-series, and has been nominated for outstanding sound mixing for television movies and miniseries two years in a row. Due to the success of his music he has continued to create music for the show. His work on ''Glee'' has also won him many awards and he has gone on to keep composing for the show until the final season.

==Composing== {|class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- | 1990 | ''[[The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera (ride)|The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera]]'' | Short |- | rowspan="2" | 1999 | ''[[Chill Factor (film)|Chill Factor]]'' | Film (Additional music for [[Hans Zimmer]] and [[John Powell (film composer)|John Powell]]) |- | ''A Little Inside'' | Film |- | 2000 | ''{{ill|Die Motorrad-Cops – Hart am Limit|de}}'' | TV series |- | rowspan="2" | 2001 | ''Siren'' | Film |- | ''About Barbers'' | Short |- | rowspan="4" | 2003 | ''[[Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie]]'' | Documentary |- | ''[[Jimmy Neutron's Nicktoon Blast]]'' | Short |- | ''[[The Challenge (2003 film)|The Challenge]]'' | TV movie |- | ''[[The In-Laws (2003 film)|The In-Laws]]'' | Film |- | 2003–2010 | ''[[Nip/Tuck]]'' | TV series |- | 2003 | ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom]]'' | Video game (Composed with Robert Crew and Alex Wilkinson) |- | rowspan="2" | 2004 | ''[[The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (video game)|The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie]]'' | Video game (Composed with Robert Crew, John O'Kennedy, [[Barry Fasman]] and Beth Ertz) |- | ''[[Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again]]'' | TV documentary |- | rowspan="4" | 2005 | ''More Sex and the Single Mom'' | TV movie |- | ''Roar: Lions of the Kalahari'' | Documentary short |- | ''[[Madagascar (2005 film)|Madagascar]]'' | Film (Additional music for Hans Zimmer) |- | ''[[The Weather Man]]'' | Film (Co-composer with Hans Zimmer) |- | 2005–2012 | ''[[The Closer]]'' | TV series |- | rowspan="4" | 2006 | ''[[3 lbs]]'' | TV series |- | ''[[Running with Scissors (film)|Running with Scissors]]'' | Film |- | ''American Storage'' | Short |- | ''Ajax'' | Short |- | rowspan="2" | 2007 | ''[[Hidden Palms]]'' | TV series |- | ''[[Delta Farce]]'' | Film |- | 2007–2012 | ''[[Damages (TV series)|Damages]]'' | TV series |- | 2008 | ''[[Otis (film)|Otis]]'' | Film |- |2008–2009 | ''[[Raising the Bar (2008 TV series)|Raising the Bar]]'' | TV series |- | 2009–2015 | ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' | TV series |- | 2009–2012 | ''[[Royal Pains]]'' | TV series |- | 2009–2010 | ''[[NCIS: Los Angeles]]'' | TV series |- | 2009 | ''[[SpongeBob's Truth or Square (video game)|SpongeBob's Truth or Square]]'' | Video game (Archived music from ''SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom'' and ''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie'') |- | 2010 | ''[[Outlaw (TV series)|Outlaw]]'' | TV series |- | 2010–2016 | ''[[Rizzoli & Isles]]'' | TV series |- | 2011 | ''[[Glee: The 3D Concert Movie]]'' | Documentary |- | 2011–2014 | ''[[American Horror Story]]'' | TV series (40 episodes, composed with Mac Quayle) |- | 2012–2018 | ''[[Major Crimes (TV series)|Major Crimes]]'' | TV series |- | 2012–2013 | ''[[The New Normal (TV series)|The New Normal]]'' | TV series |- | rowspan="2" | 2013 | ''[[Do No Harm (TV series)|Do No Harm]]'' | TV series |- | ''[[The Blacklist (TV series)|The Blacklist]]'' | TV series (3 episodes, replaced by [[Dave Porter (composer)|Dave Porter]]) |- | 2014–2018 | ''[[The Last Ship (TV series)|The Last Ship]]'' | TV series (Composed with [[James Dooley (composer)|James Dooley]]) |- | rowspan="2" | 2019 | ''[[Chambers (TV series)|Chambers]]'' | TV series |- | ''[[Soundtrack (TV series)|Soundtrack]]'' | TV series (Composed with [[Andrew McMahon]] and Zac Clark) |- | 2020 | ''[[Katy Keene (TV series)|Katy Keene]]'' | TV series |- | 2020–2021 | ''[[For Life (TV series)|For Life]]'' | TV series (Composed with [[Dustin O'Halloran]]) |- | 2020 | ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated]]'' | Video game (Archived and remastered music from the original ''Battle for Bikini Bottom'') |- | 2021–2024 | [[La Brea (TV series)|''La Brea'']] | TV series |- | 2025 | [[Doc (2025 TV series)|''Doc'']] | TV series |- |}

==Awards== {{BLP unsourced section|date=June 2016}}

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! Year ! Association ! Category ! Nominated work ! Result |- |2001 |[[BMI Award]] | |''[[What About Joan?]]'' |{{won}} |- |2005 |BMI Award | |''[[Nip/Tuck]]'' |{{won}} |- |2008 |BMI Award | |''[[The Closer]]'' |{{won}} |- |2011 |[[ASCAP Award]] |Top TV Series |''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' |{{won}} |- |2012 |Online Film & Television Association Award |Best Music in a Series |''[[American Horror Story]]'' |{{won}} |- |2012 |ASCAP Award |Top TV Series |''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' |{{won}} |- |2013 |ASCAP Award |Top TV Series |''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' |{{won}} |- |2013 |ASCAP Award |Top Television Series |''[[Major Crimes (TV series)|Major Crimes]]'' |{{won}} |- |2013 |ASCAP Award |Top Television Series |''[[The New Normal (TV series)|The New Normal]]'' |{{won}} |- |2013 |ASCAP Award |Top Television Series |''[[Royal Pains]]'' |{{won}} |- |2013 |ASCAP Award |Most Performed Themes and Underscore | |{{won}} |- |2013 |[[66th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards|Emmy Award]] |[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or a Special]] |''[[American Horror Story: Coven]]'' |{{nom}} |- |2013 |[[Cinema Audio Society Awards]] |Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Movies and Mini-Series |''[[American Horror Story: Asylum]]'' |{{nom}} |- |2013 |Online Film & Television Association Award |Best Music in a Non-Series |''American Horror Story'' |{{won}} |- |2014 |Cinema Audio Society Awards |Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Movies and Mini-Series |''American Horror Story'' |{{nom}} |- |2014 |Online Film & Television Association Award |Best Music in a Non-Series |''American Horror Story'' |{{nom}} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.jslmusicinc.com/}} * {{IMDb name|id=0505828|name=James S. Levine}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140515035339/http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/moviemom/2014/05/interview-james-levine.html "Interview: James Levine, Composer of 'American Horror Story,' 'Royal Pains,' and 'Glee'"], Movie Mom, at BeliefNet * [https://web.archive.org/web/20151018180838/http://www.filmmusicmedia.com/interviews/composerinterviewjamesslevine Composer Interview: James S. Levine] at FilmMusicMedia ({{youtube|dXK1tCXj-cg|link}}) * [http://www.ascap.com/playback/2014/05/radar-report/james-levine-radar-report-2014.aspx ASCAP] * [https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3tc3n2/i_am_james_s_levine_emmynominated_composer_of/ James S. Levine AMA (Ask Me Anything)] on Reddit

{{DEFAULTSORT:Levine, James S.}} [[Category:1974 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Medford, Massachusetts]] [[Category:Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences alumni]] [[Category:American male composers]]