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Justin Hurwitz
Justin Hurwitz
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Justin Hurwitz (born January 22, 1985)[1] is an American film composer and television writer. He is best known for his longtime friendship and collaboration with director Damien Chazelle, scoring each of his films: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), Whiplash (2014), La La Land (2016), First Man (2018), and Babylon (2022).

Key Information

For La La Land, Hurwitz won two Academy Awards, Best Original Score and Best Original Song (for "City of Stars"), as well as Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music.[2] He has won two Grammy Awards for La La Land, one for Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media and another one for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media. He won two additional Golden Globes for Original Score for First Man and Babylon.[3]

Early life

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Hurwitz is the son of Gail Hurwitz (née Halabe), a professional ballet dancer turned registered nurse, and Ken Hurwitz, a writer.[3][4][5] He is Jewish, and of Russian, Polish, Syrian and Lebanese descent.[3][6][7][8][9] His family moved to Wisconsin in 1998,[4] where he attended Nicolet High School.[10][11]

Hurwitz attended Harvard University, where he was roommates with director Damien Chazelle. They collaborated on a student film that would become Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, which was released in 2009.[4][12] While in college, Hurwitz was a member of the Harvard Lampoon, and was an original member of the indie-pop band Chester French with Chazelle.[13]

Career

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After graduating college, Hurwitz and Chazelle moved to Los Angeles, where Hurwitz wrote comedy for the sitcom The League and one episode of the animated comedy TV series The Simpsons.[4] After the success of Guy and Madeline, they were able to obtain financing for their next collaboration, the 2014 film Whiplash – with Hurwitz scoring the film and Chazelle writing and directing.[4] The film was a box office success, grossing over $50 million on a $3.3 million budget during its original theatrical run.[14] Hurwitz also scored Chazelle's 2016 film La La Land, for which Chazelle won the Academy Award for Best Director, and Hurwitz won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Hurwitz will return as songwriters for the upcoming stage musical adaptation of the film, directed by Bartlett Sher from a book by Ayad Akhtar and Matthew Decker, with Marc Platt and Lionsgate returning to produce.[15]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Film Role
2009 Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench Composer
2014 Whiplash
2016 La La Land
2018 First Man
2022 Babylon

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 Perfect Couples Writer Episode: "Perfect Exes"
2011 The Simpsons Episode: "The Falcon and the D'ohman"
2011–2015 The League 7 episodes
2017–2024 Curb Your Enthusiasm Writer/Producer 12 episodes

Musicals

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Year Title Notes
TBA La La Land

Awards and nominations

[edit]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Justin Hurwitz (born January 22, 1985) is an American film composer and television writer, best known for his long-standing collaboration with director on acclaimed films including Whiplash (2014), (2016), First Man (2018), and (2022). His work often features influences, intricate orchestration, and emotional depth, earning him multiple , Golden Globes, and . Hurwitz was born in Los Angeles, California, to a family with creative roots; his father a writer and his mother a former professional and . He began playing the piano at age six and composed his first pieces by age ten, developing an early passion for music. His family moved to , , during his years, a relocation he has described as shaping his identity as a Milwaukee native. Hurwitz later attended , where he majored in music composition and , graduating in 2008. During his time at Harvard, Hurwitz met Damien Chazelle, with whom he formed a close creative partnership; they roomed together starting sophomore year, played in a pop band called Chester Lockheart, and collaborated on Chazelle's senior thesis film. After graduation, Hurwitz initially pursued television writing in Los Angeles, contributing as a writer and supervising producer on shows such as The League, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Simpsons, and Perfect Couples. His entry into film scoring began with Chazelle's debut feature Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), for which he composed the original music. Hurwitz's breakthrough came with the score for Whiplash (2014), a tense jazz-infused soundtrack that captured the film's intensity and earned widespread praise. This was followed by (2016), a modern musical whose score blended jazz, classical, and pop elements; for it, Hurwitz won two (Best Original Score and Best Original Song for ""), a Golden Globe for Best Original Score, and two Grammys. He continued the partnership with the First Man (2018), scoring the with minimalist, ambient sounds, securing another Golden Globe. Their most recent joint project, Babylon (2022), featured an exuberant, era-spanning score that won Hurwitz a third Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. Beyond films, Hurwitz has conducted live orchestral performances of his scores in concert halls worldwide and composed original music for events like the Gucci Continuum FW 2025 .

Early life and education

Childhood and family background

Justin Hurwitz was born on January 22, 1985, in , . He grew up in a Jewish family of mixed Ashkenazi and Mizrahi heritage, with his father, Ken Hurwitz, a writer of Russian and Polish Jewish descent, and his mother, Gail Hurwitz (née Halabe), a former professional who later became a , hailing from a Sephardi family with Syrian and Lebanese roots. The family's environment, rich in Jewish cultural traditions and the city's vibrant arts scene, provided an early backdrop for creative expression, though they relocated to Fox Point, Wisconsin, during his middle school years. Hurwitz has a younger sister named Hanna. His parents played a pivotal role in nurturing his artistic inclinations; his mother's background in introduced him to the worlds of dance and theater from a young age, while his father's profession as a exposed him to and narratives. This familial emphasis on the fostered a supportive atmosphere for Hurwitz's budding interests, blending musical pursuits with broader creative influences drawn from ' entertainment landscape. Hurwitz's passion for music emerged early, beginning with piano lessons at the age of six, where his natural aptitude quickly became evident to his instructors. By age ten, he had composed his first pieces, encouraged by his parents who gifted him a and sequencer for his birthday to facilitate his experimentation. These initial forays into composition, rooted in his family's artistic heritage, laid the foundation for his lifelong dedication to music amid the culturally diverse setting of his upbringing.

Formal education and early musical training

Hurwitz attended in , graduating in 2003 after his family relocated from in 1998. During high school, he continued developing his skills through private lessons at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music with instructor Stefanie Jacob, building on his early classical training that began at age six. In 2003, Hurwitz enrolled at , where he majored in music and graduated in 2008 with a focus on composition and . At Harvard, he deepened his understanding of and structure through formal courses, having previously approached largely through self-directed listening and imitation on as a teenager. His family had encouraged these self-taught explorations into and film scores during his youth, fostering a blend of classical proficiency and improvisational flair. During his freshman year, Hurwitz co-founded the indie-pop band with classmate on drums, serving as the band's keyboardist alongside other Harvard students. The group performed around , blending Brit-pop influences, and later signed with producer ' Star Trak label, releasing their debut album Love the Freeway in 2009. This collaborative experience honed Hurwitz's skills in ensemble playing and songwriting. Hurwitz's early forays into film scoring emerged at Harvard through student projects, most notably composing the original jazz-inflected score for Chazelle's senior thesis film Guy and Madeline on a Bench (2009), a black-and-white musical shot in 16mm. This low-budget endeavor, which Hurwitz scored using live instrumentation recorded in , marked his initial professional application of film music techniques and laid the groundwork for their long-term partnership. He balanced these pursuits with contributions to , where his humorous writing complemented his musical endeavors.

Professional career

Early work in television

After graduating from in 2008, where he contributed to humor publication, Justin Hurwitz relocated to to launch his career in television writing. His background in comedic writing facilitated entry into the industry, beginning with contributions to the FX The League (2009–2015). Hurwitz served as a staff writer on The League, penning seven episodes across its run, including the season 3 installment "Carmenjello" (2011), which centered on the characters' fantasy football rivalries and interpersonal antics. This role immersed him in the collaborative dynamics of a sitcom writers' room, where rapid script development and punchy dialogue were essential to meet production demands. In addition to prose writing, Hurwitz's early television efforts included compositional work on the Fox animated series . He wrote the season 23 episode "The Falcon and the D'ohman" (2011), a parody-laden story featuring teaming up with a secret agent, and composed all original songs within it, such as the Police-inspired "Sneaking in at Noon." This project highlighted his dual skills in narrative scripting and melody creation, blending humorous storytelling with musical elements tailored to the show's episodic format. Hurwitz also contributed to the NBC sitcom Perfect Couples (2010–2011), co-writing the episode "Perfect Exes" (2011), which explored romantic entanglements among a group of friends and partners. These early assignments in the late 2000s and early 2010s provided foundational experience in television production, allowing him to navigate the constraints of network and cable scheduling while refining his creative voice across writing and music.

Breakthrough in film scoring

Hurwitz's breakthrough in film scoring came with his debut feature score for Whiplash (2014), directed by , where he crafted a tense, propulsive centered on a jazz ensemble to mirror the film's high-stakes drumming narrative. The score prominently featured the Studio band's performances of jazz standards like "Whiplash" and "Caravan," augmented by original cues that emphasized relentless percussion to heighten the psychological intensity of the conservatory setting. The composition process for Whiplash involved close collaboration with Chazelle, drawing from the director's as a to integrate authentic big-band elements; Hurwitz studied relevant styles and composed cues that could be performed live by real musicians during for immediacy and realism. On-set recordings with the ensemble, including Miles Teller's actual performances synced to the score, allowed the music to drive key scenes organically, blending diegetic band music with underscoring to blur the lines between performance and tension. This hands-on approach marked Hurwitz's transition from to film, leveraging his prior episodic experience to facilitate fluid dialogue with directors on musical integration. Building on this success, Hurwitz reunited with Chazelle for (2016), where his score masterfully blended with classical to evoke the romantic and aspirational vibe of dreamers. Themes like "Mia & Sebastian's Theme" started as simple motifs representing the protagonists' connection, evolving into lush string arrangements for emotional peaks, while jazz-infused cues captured the spontaneity of sequences. The soundtrack incorporated original songs, notably "," a duet melody that Hurwitz developed instrumentally before lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul added words, transforming it into a poignant that recurs throughout the film to underscore themes of love and sacrifice. For his work on , Hurwitz received two in 2017: Best Original Score for the overall composition and Best Original Song for "," shared with , recognizing the score's innovative fusion of musical theater traditions with contemporary film scoring. Hurwitz expanded his sonic palette in First Man (2018), again with Chazelle, employing experimental sounds to convey the isolation and grandeur of , including a 94-piece augmented by electronic instruments like the and for an otherworldly, retro-futuristic texture. The score's intimate piano and string motifs depicted Armstrong's personal struggles, contrasting with vast, droning cues for launch sequences that used unconventional effects to evoke the vacuum of without relying on traditional bombast. This approach highlighted Hurwitz's growing versatility in using vintage and synthetic elements to balance emotional depth with thematic immersion.

Collaborations and major projects

Hurwitz continued his longstanding partnership with director on the 2022 film , composing a sprawling original score that immerses audiences in the frenetic world of Hollywood. The music draws on eclectic influences evocative of the era's and soundscapes, while incorporating period-appropriate elements like rhythms and orchestral swells to underscore the industry's transition to talkies. Spanning over two hours of original cues, the score blends traditional instrumentation—such as brass-heavy ensembles and woodwinds—with modern production techniques, including rock-infused horn arrangements and subtle electronic textures, to avoid a purely nostalgic tone and instead propel the narrative's chaotic energy. Hurwitz began developing themes early in , collaborating closely with Chazelle to ensure the music served both as diegetic performance pieces and atmospheric underscore, much like the jazz-driven intensity he established in earlier works such as Whiplash. The project's timeline was significantly affected by the , which postponed originally slated for mid-2020 and delayed pre-recording sessions by a full year until April 2021. This extended the overall scoring process to nearly three years, allowing Hurwitz to refine multicultural harmonies and source specialized musicians, including a 12-piece with standout soloists, to achieve the score's raw, uninhibited vitality.)

Recent endeavors in stage and live performances

In February 2023, a stage adaptation of the film was announced for Broadway, with Justin Hurwitz returning as composer in collaboration with lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and directed by Tony Award winner . The production, based on a book by and Matthew Decker, aims to translate the movie's musical elements to the theater format, marking Hurwitz's expansion into live stage composition. In February 2025, Hurwitz composed and conducted an original score for the Continuum Fall/Winter 2025 , performed live by an . Since 2021, Hurwitz has led live tours presenting his scores in "live-to-film" formats, conducting full and jazz bands alongside screenings of the original movies. The in Concert series, featuring a 53-piece and jazz , has included performances such as the 2023 event at UCLA's and ongoing tours reviving the Academy Award-winning score. Similarly, Whiplash in Concert debuted in 2022 with an 18-piece jazz , emphasizing the 's dynamic drum solos performed live, and has toured internationally since. in Concert, featuring a jazz for the 2022 's nominated score, was introduced in 2024 as part of Hurwitz's expanding live repertoire. Scheduled 2025-2026 tour dates encompass venues like Orlando's Theater in March 2026, Monterrey's Escenario GNP Seguros in January 2026, and Austin's Bass Hall in February 2026. These concerts incorporate new musical elements, such as extended improvisations by the live ensembles, particularly in sections and drum features that enhance the scores' rhythmic intensity. Through conducting these events, Hurwitz plays a key role in preserving his original film compositions—drawn from the jazz-infused worlds of , Whiplash, and —while reinterpreting them for immersive live audiences, fostering deeper engagement with the music's improvisational roots.

Musical style and influences

Compositional approach

Hurwitz's compositional approach emphasizes the use of live instrumentation to achieve organic textures and emotional depth, favoring combos and full over synthesizers whenever possible. In scoring films like , he meticulously wrote every note for a 90-piece , blending tightly controlled symphonic elements with the improvisational feel of live ensembles recorded in real time. This preference stems from his desire to capture authentic musical performances that resonate with the narrative's intimacy, as seen in the live recordings of sequences that integrate seamlessly with the film's diegetic world. His process is inherently iterative, beginning with sketches composed directly at the piano to develop core themes and motifs before expanding into fuller arrangements. Hurwitz typically creates mockups and demos at this stage, allowing for early experimentation and refinement. Collaboration with directors, particularly Damien Chazelle, plays a central role, involving ongoing input during the editing phase to layer and adjust the score in response to visual cuts and pacing needs. This back-and-forth ensures the music evolves alongside the film, with Hurwitz often revising cues multiple times to align emotional arcs precisely. A key technique in Hurwitz's work is the fluid integration of diegetic music—sounds audible within the story world, such as performances heard by characters—with non-diegetic underscore that provides subtle emotional commentary. In projects like Babylon, this blurring creates a dynamic soundscape where source music transitions into thematic underscore, enhancing immersion without disrupting narrative flow. He employs minimalism and repetition to build tension and emotional intensity, notably in Whiplash, where recurring drumming motifs degrade and intensify through rhythmic variations, mirroring the protagonist's obsessive pursuit and psychological strain. Hurwitz adapts his style to suit each project's genre and tone, shifting from the buoyant, romantic jazz idioms of —characterized by lush, melodic themes evoking classic Hollywood musicals—to the stark, ambient drones and ethereal textures in First Man. For the latter, he incorporated unconventional elements like the alongside low-frequency sustains to evoke the isolation and vastness of , contrasting the warmer, improvisational swing of his jazz-oriented works. This versatility underscores his philosophy of tailoring musical language to amplify thematic resonance while maintaining a core commitment to live, expressive performance.

Key influences and techniques

Hurwitz's compositional style draws heavily from traditions, where he has studied techniques to infuse a sense of spontaneity into his film scores. These influences allow him to capture the improvisational energy of within structured cinematic narratives, emphasizing fluid emotional expression over rigid forms. His appreciation for stems from early explorations during his Harvard years, where he experimented with blending elements into student musicals. In the realm of film scoring, Hurwitz cites as a major inspiration for his orchestration approaches, admiring the lush, thematic depth that enhances epic storytelling. His classical roots further inform his work, contributing to intricate, layered textures for screen music. The Broadway sensibilities Hurwitz developed through composing and scoring Harvard musicals—collaborations that honed his skills in narrative-driven song integration—continue to influence his work, enabling seamless blends of theatrical energy with cinematic pacing. Musical themes in his scores are often aligned to character arcs and internal emotional journeys. For instance, in , motifs trace the protagonists' romantic evolution through recurring themes tied to their personal growth.

Works

Film scores

Hurwitz's entry into film scoring began with Damien Chazelle's debut feature Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), for which he composed the original jazz-influenced score. His first major feature film score was for Whiplash (2014), directed by Damien Chazelle, where he composed original jazz pieces performed by a studio ensemble to underscore the intense drumming sequences and emotional tension of the story. The soundtrack, released on October 7, 2014, by Varèse Sarabande, features 24 tracks blending Hurwitz's compositions with select standards like "Caravan" and "Whiplash," emphasizing the film's exploration of musical ambition. In La La Land (2016), also directed by Chazelle, Hurwitz crafted a score that integrates lush orchestral arrangements with jazz influences, supporting the film's romantic musical narrative through themes like "Mia & Sebastian's Theme." The soundtrack album, released December 9, 2016, by Interscope Records, includes original songs co-composed by Hurwitz with lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, such as "City of Stars" and "Another Day of Sun," and topped the Billboard Soundtracks chart while reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200. For First Man (2018), Hurwitz shifted to a more minimalist, electronic-orchestral style to evoke the isolation and peril of space travel, incorporating unconventional instruments like the for emotional depth in cues such as "The Landing." The score, which won a Golden Globe for Best Original Score, was released on October 12, 2018, by Back Lot Music, with 17 tracks highlighting subtle string textures and pulsating rhythms to mirror Neil Armstrong's personal journey. Hurwitz's score for (2022), again with Chazelle, draws on jazz, , and modern electronic elements to capture the chaotic energy of Hollywood's transition to sound, developed over three years of iteration. The soundtrack, released December 9, 2022, by , includes dynamic tracks like "Voodoo Mama" that blend period authenticity with contemporary flair, reflecting the film's exuberant debauchery.

Television contributions

Hurwitz began his professional career as a television writer shortly after graduating from in 2008, when he relocated to to pursue opportunities in the industry. His primary contributions came through scripting episodes for serialized comedy series, where he honed his skills in crafting dialogue-driven narratives and character dynamics essential to episodic storytelling. The bulk of Hurwitz's television writing credits are tied to the FX comedy series (2009–2015), for which he penned seven episodes between 2011 and 2015. In this show, centered on a group of friends obsessed with fantasy football, Hurwitz contributed to the fast-paced, banter-heavy style that defined the series' humor, often focusing on interpersonal conflicts and absurd situations arising from the game's rivalries. His work on exemplified his ability to integrate rhythmic, conversational dialogue that propelled comedic timing, a technique that underscored the collaborative nature of ensemble-driven television writing. He also wrote the episode "Perfect Exes" for the NBC sitcom Perfect Couples (2011). Hurwitz contributed to HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm during its ninth season (2017), serving as a writer and producer, supporting the show's improvisational comedy format created by Larry David. These scripts supported the show's signature awkward social encounters and escalating misunderstandings, aligning with Hurwitz's emerging voice in satirical takes on everyday life. Additionally, he authored one episode of the animated series The Simpsons in 2011, blending his writing with the program's tradition of cultural parody and family-centric humor. Through these television projects, Hurwitz's creative output emphasized the rhythm and flow of spoken language in ensemble settings, experiences that later informed his transition to composing for film.

Stage musicals and concerts

Hurwitz's foray into stage musicals began with the announcement of a Broadway adaptation of La La Land, for which he composed the original score. The production, featuring his music alongside new songs with lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, is slated for a 2026 premiere following an initial run in Nashville. Directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, the musical aims to translate the film's jazz-infused romance to the theatrical stage, preserving Hurwitz's signature blend of orchestral and improvisational elements. In parallel, Hurwitz has expanded his work through live concert adaptations, most notably the ongoing in Concert series, which debuted in 2021. This format presents the film projected on screen while a full and perform the soundtrack live, allowing audiences to experience the score's dynamic nuances in real time. Hurwitz serves as both conductor and arranger for these events, adapting the original compositions to suit live ensembles and emphasizing the improvisational sections that define the music. The has grown internationally, with key 2025 and 2026 stops highlighting Hurwitz's hands-on involvement. Notable performances include a March 28, 2026, event at the Walt Disney Theater in , and dual shows on February 14, 2026, at Bass Concert Hall in , where matinee and evening presentations feature synchronized live scoring. These concerts often incorporate extended segments to enhance the film's emotional arcs, drawing on Hurwitz's background in composition and . Additionally, in February 2025, Hurwitz composed and conducted the original score for Gucci's Fall/Winter 2025 fashion show in , featuring a live and released as a four-track EP.

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

Justin Hurwitz has received four Academy Award nominations, winning two for his contributions to the 2016 musical film . At the in 2017, he won Best Original Score for , recognizing his jazz-infused orchestral composition that captured the film's romantic and nostalgic essence. He also shared the Best Original Song award for "," co-composed with lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, a performed by the film's leads that became emblematic of its themes of aspiration and love. The score earned Hurwitz his first Oscar nomination in that category, while the film itself tied the record for most nominations with 14, including six other wins such as Best Director for and Best Actress for , marking one of the ceremony's biggest sweeps. Additionally, Hurwitz received a nomination for another song, "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)," highlighting his multifaceted role in the project's musical elements. In 2023, at the , Hurwitz earned his second Original Score nomination for , a sprawling epic directed by Chazelle that featured his dynamic, era-spanning soundtrack blending , orchestral swells, and period-specific styles to evoke Hollywood's chaotic . Though it did not win, the recognition underscored his versatility in scoring ambitious, director-driven narratives. These successes markedly increased Hurwitz's industry prominence, positioning him as a go-to for high-profile films and leading to further collaborations with Chazelle, while enhancing his opportunities in film scoring.

Golden Globe Awards

Justin Hurwitz has achieved notable success at the Golden Globe Awards, earning four wins across the Best Original Score – Motion Picture and Best Original Song – Motion Picture categories, maintaining a perfect record with no losses in his nominated works. His first Golden Globe recognition came in 2017 for La La Land, where he won Best Original Score for his jazz-infused compositions that captured the film's romantic and nostalgic essence. That same year, he secured another win for Best Original Song for "City of Stars," co-written with lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, highlighting the score's integration of memorable, character-driven melodies. Hurwitz continued his streak in 2019 with a win for Best Original Score for First Man, praised for its minimalist, tension-building sound design that evoked the isolation and intensity of space exploration. In 2023, he triumphed again for Best Original Score in Babylon, earning acclaim for the score's exuberant, era-spanning orchestration that mirrored the film's chaotic Hollywood backdrop. This undefeated run underscores Hurwitz's consistent ability to craft scores that resonate emotionally and thematically with voters from the , often serving as a strong indicator of broader industry acclaim.

Other major recognitions

Hurwitz received two at the in 2018 for his work on , winning Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media. He earned a prior nomination in the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media category at the in 2016 for Whiplash. In addition to major film accolades, Hurwitz has been recognized by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), winning the Original Music award in 2017 for . He received a in the same category at the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards for his score to . The has also honored Hurwitz's compositional work, with wins for Best Score at the in 2016 for La La Land and at the 24th Critics' Choice Awards in 2019 for First Man. He was nominated for Best Score at the in 2023 for . Beyond competitive awards, Hurwitz's contributions to film music have garnered broader industry honors, reflecting his impact on contemporary cinematic soundtracks. By 2025, he has expanded his recognitions through live performances, conducting orchestras for screenings of his scores, such as Whiplash in at venues like Chicago's , highlighting the enduring appeal of his music in concert settings.

References

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