Bill Conti Named Musical Director for The 75th Academy Awards

Beverly Hills, CA - Oscar-winning composer Bill Conti will return to the 
Oscar podium as musical director for the 75th Anniversary Academy Awards, 
telecast producer Gil Cates announced today.  This will be the 16th time that 
Conti has conducted the Academy Awards Orchestra.

"Bill Conti leads the Oscar orchestra like a champion athlete who will 
accept nothing less than victory," said Cates. "His conductor's baton is the 
lightning rod that sets the ongoing tone of the Academy Award telecast, and 
I welcome this opportunity to once again add Bill's brilliant musicianship 
to our production team."

Conti received his Oscar in 1983 for the Original Score of "The Right Stuff."  
He also received two nominations in the Original Song category: in 1976 for 
"Gonna Fly Now" from "Rocky" and in 1981 for the title song from "For Your 
Eyes Only."  In addition, Conti has won four Emmy Awards - two for the 64th 
and 70th Academy Awards Telecasts - and received six consecutive Emmy 
nominations for the 62nd through 67th Academy Awards.

He recently completed "Coast to Coast" for Showtime and "Tortilla Soup" for MGM. 

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2002 will be presented on 
Sunday, March 23, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland and televised 
live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST.  A half-hour 
arrival segment will precede the presentation ceremony at 5 p.m.

-                       ####
-
-
-
-