Christopher Young

Christopher Young, born on April 28, 1958, in Red Bank, New Jersey, is a renowned American composer and orchestrator known primarily for his impactful scores in film and television. A significant portion of Young's work is rooted in the horror and thriller genres, with notable scores for acclaimed films such as Hellraiser, Species, Urban Legend, The Grudge, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Drag Me to Hell, Sinister, Deliver Us from Evil, and Pet Sematary.

Beyond horror, his diverse portfolio includes scores for films like Rapid Fire, Copycat, Set It Off, Entrapment, The Hurricane, Swordfish, Ghost Rider, Spider-Man 3, and The Shipping News, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score.

In recognition of his substantial contributions to film music, Young was awarded the prestigious Richard Kirk Award at the 2008 BMI Film and TV Awards. His journey into music began with a background as a jazz drummer, but a profound influence from Bernard Herrmann's compositions led him to pursue a career in film scoring. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in music from Hampshire College and completing postgraduate studies at the University of North Texas, he moved to Los Angeles in 1980. He further honed his craft at UCLA Film School under the guidance of David Raksin and currently shares his expertise as an educator at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.