Craig Armstrong Craig Armstrong

Born: 1959, Glasgow, Scotland.

Biography:
Scottish composer Craig Armstrong studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and later at the Scottish Arts Council, where he won several awards for composition and musicianship including the GLAA Award for Young Jazz Musician of the year. Before entering film music, Armstrong had a successful career as a songwriter and arranger in the pop music arena, creating string arrangements for high profile artists such as Madonna, U2 and Tina Turner, and writing the songs "I Don't Want A Lover" for Texas, "Satellites" for Big Dish and "Weather Storm" and "Sly" with Massive Attack. After writing for a number of short films (one of which, "Close", won an award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival), Armstrong made his film music debut in 1996, collaborating with record producer Nellee Hooper and fellow composer Marius De Vreis on "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet". His subsequent BAFTA Award initiated his career as one of film music's hot new commodities, allowing him to leave his distinctive modern orchestral mark on films such as "The Bone Collector" (1999), "Kiss of the Dragon" (2001), "The Quiet American" (2002), the Golden Globe-winning "Moulin Rouge" (2001), "Love Actually" (2003), the Grammy-winning "Ray" (2004), and “World Trade Center” (2006). Away from the film world, Armstrong continues to write contemporary classical pieces, notably the critically acclaimed "20 Movements", and the solo albums "The Space Between Us" and "As If To Nothing".

Reviews:
The Bone Collector, The Clearing, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Incredible Hulk, Love Actually, Moulin Rouge, Plunkett & Macleane, Ray and William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet

Filmography:
The Incredible Hulk (2008), Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), World Trade Center (2006), Fever Pitch (2005), Must Love Dogs (2005), The Clearing (2004), Ray (2004), Love Actually (2003), The Magdalene Sisters (2002), The Quiet American (2002), Kiss of the Dragon (2001), Moulin Rouge (2001), Best Laid Plans (1999), The Bone Collector (1999), Plunkett & Macleane (1999), Orphans (1997), William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996), Fridge (1996), Close (1995).

Highest Grossing Films as at end of 2007 (adjusted for inflation):
The Bone Collector ($92.7m), Ray ($85.9m), William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet ($74.3m), Moulin Rouge ($71.8m), Love Actually ($69.8m), Must Love Dogs ($48.1m), Fever Pitch ($46.2m), Kiss of the Dragon ($46.1m), World Trade Center ($20.3m), Elizabeth: The Golden Age ($16.7m), The Quiet American ($15.8m)

Awards:
2001 Golden Globes - Winner, Best Original Score - Moulin Rouge
2001 BAFTA Awards - Winner, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music - Moulin Rouge
1997 BAFTA Awards - Winner, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music - William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet
2004 BAFTA Awards - Nominee, Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music - Ray

2005 Grammy Awards - Winner, Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or Television - Ray

Links:
Official Site

As If To Nothing Best Laid Plans The Bone Collector The Clearing Elizabeth: The Golden Age The Incredible Hulk Kiss of the Dragon Love Actually Moulin Rouge Plunkett & Macleane The Quiet American Ray The Space Between Us William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet World Trade Center


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