James Horner, Renowned Film Composer for ‘Titanic’ and ‘A Beautiful Mind,’ Dies in Plane Crash


 James Horner 
Life is so fleeting, isn’t it?  My heart broke into little pieces when I read of the untimely and tragic death of prolific film composer, 61-year old James Horner.  He died in a plane crash on Monday, June 22nd, near Santa Barbara. He was the sole passenger on his privately – owned plane. 

James Horner left behind a prolific legacy of music. He was the genius behind the musical scores  of numerous films such as “Braveheart”, “Titanic”, and “A Beautiful Mind”.

Here is a glimpse into his phenomenal career, courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter:

“James Horner, the consummate film composer known for his heart-tugging scores for Field of Dreams, Braveheart and Titanic, for which he won two Academy Awards, died Monday in a plane crash near Santa Barbara. He was 61.

His death was confirmed by Sylvia Patrycja, who is identified on Horner’s film music page as his assistant. 
“We have lost an amazing person with a huge heart and unbelievable talent,” Patrycja wrote on Facebook on Monday. “He died doing what he loved. Thank you for all your support and love and see you down the road.”

Horner was piloting the small aircraft when it crashed into a remote area about 60 miles north of Santa Barbara, officials said.”

This is unbearably sad news. By all reports, he was an incredibly kind and gifted man who created indelible musical memories for the public. I am sure his gift of music will be dearly missed by the music industry and by fans around the world.

Mr. Horner’s Wikipedia Page has a wealth of information on his illustrious career. What a gift he was to the magic and film industry!  

I also found a beautiful album on iTunes celebrating the remarkable film music of James Horner. What a great keepsake! 

On behalf of the entire MCL Community, I would like to express my heartfelt  condolences and prayers to  Mr. Horner’s family and friends.  R.I.P. James Horner. 

About Masterclass Lady

Rosanne (Giallonardo) Simunovic began her musical career in Timmins, Ontario. She studied piano with Anne Pizzale and later, at an advanced level, with Soeur Anita Vaugeois (Sister Cecile of Les Soeurs De L’Assomption in Timmins). Her vocal and accompaniment skills were nurtured by her aunt, the late Dorothea Mascioli. When Rosanne graduated from O’Gorman High School, she moved on to the University of Toronto where she continued her piano and vocal studies while attaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree. She was hired as a piano accompanist for several musical companies, most notably, the National Ballet Of Canada. She presently holds an A.R.C.T. Teacher’s Diploma in Voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Rosanne has studied choral conducting with numerous well known Canadian Conductors, including Wayne Riddell of Montreal, Quebec and the internationally renowned Dr. Elmer Iseler. She has been a founding member of numerous community-based arts organizations: the Timmins Arts Council, later known as Arts & Culture Timmins, the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, and, the Timmins Youth Singers…as well as the TYS Alumnus choir, the Timmins Concert Singers. In 1987, she was also selected to be the conductor of the Timmins Board Of Education Choir, comprised of talented students from Grades 5 to 8. In 1988, she was elected to the Board Of Directors of the Ontario Choral Federation (now known as Choirs Ontario), where she served as Chair of the Festivals Committee for six consecutive seasons. In 1996, in honour of the Ontario Choral Federation’s 25th Anniversary, Rosanne was selected as one of 25 recipients of the OCF’s Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contribution to the choral art. The ceremony was presided by Lieutenant Governor, Hal Jackman. In November 1997, Rosanne Simunovic was selected by the Rotary Club Of Timmins to receive the prestigious Paul Harris Award for her years of dedication to the artistic development of young musical talent in Timmins. In August of 2002, Rosanne Simunovic was selected by the Board Of Directors of Choirs Ontario to serve as Conductor of both the Provincial Junior and Teen Choir Camps, now renamed in honour of the Camp Benefactors, Don and Lillian Wright. In November 2002, Rosanne was the one of the recipients of the Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, honouring her work in the development of the arts in Timmins. Under Rosanne Simunovic’s direction, the Timmins Youth Singers and the Timmins Concert Singers have been featured in numerous choral festivals and performing opportunities outside of Timmins. In 1985, they were selected to partici

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