Tuesday night was the biggest awards night for film and television music composers at the annual Composers Choice Awards in West Hollywood, hosted by Screen Music Awards of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). Nominations were selected based on votes from other ASCAP members. 

Kim Neundorf and Cristobal Tapia de Veer won Television Score of the Year for HBO’s The White Lotus (2022). Veer also won Television Theme of the Year for The White Lotus. 

Despite not receiving any awards, composer Michael Giacchino was honored for his work in Lightyear, The Batman, and Thor: Love and Thunder, as well as composer Hans Zimmer for Top Gun: Maverick in the 2022 Top Box Office Film category. 

However, Michael Abels took home the night’s biggest award, Film Score of the Year, for horror director Jordan Peele’s Nope (2022). Abels has had a long-time professional relationship with Peele as he also composed scores for Get Out (2017) and Us (2019). 

In 2016, Peele first contacted Abels, a private school music director in Santa Monica at the time, after seeing his string quartet concerto called “Urban Legends” on YouTube. In a 2020 interview with KNBC Los Angeles, Abels shares that Peele wished to connect his film with African American culture musically.

“He said he wanted the African American voice in the film, both lyrically and metaphorically. But unlike most African American music, [it] couldn’t have any hope in it.” 

The relationship was cemented for Peele after receiving a phone call from Steven Spielberg praising Abels.

“You’ve got to use him again. It’s like me and John Williams,” said Spielberg.

Abels also does significant work outside the studio booth as the founder of the Composers Diversity Collective. The organization connects musicians, composers, and producers of diverse backgrounds with studios and filmmakers. The organization also provides mentorship and education for new composers from disenfranchised communities. Abels’ win highlights the importance of including composers from diverse backgrounds and allows more creatives to follow in his footsteps. 

Check out other 2023 ASCAP award winners here.