Maurice Jarre

Bio

Maurice Jarre (1924–2009) was a French composer and conductor renowned for his film scores. Born in Lyon, he studied at the Paris Conservatory and began his career writing incidental music for theatre before moving into cinema in the 1950s. He gained international acclaim for his long collaboration with director David Lean, scoring epics such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984). His sweeping orchestral themes, often featuring exotic instrumentation, earned him three Academy Awards for Best Original Score. Beyond Lean, Jarre composed for over 150 films, working with directors including Alfred Hitchcock, John Huston, and Peter Weir. His later works included scores for Ghost (1990) and Witness (1985), and he remained active in both concert music and film until his death in 2009.