Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score
Year Film Composer ( s )
1993 The Piano Michael Nyman
1994 The Lion King Hans Zimmer
1995 Toy Story Randy Newman
1995 Apollo 13 James Horner
1995 Get Shorty John Lurie
1995 Heat Elliot Goldenthal
1995 The Secret of Roan Inish Mason Daring
1996 Fargo Carter Burwell
1996 Dead Man Neil Young
1996 James and the Giant Peach Randy Newman
1996 Michael Collins Elliot Goldenthal
1996 That Thing You Do ! Howard Shore
1997 Titanic James Horner
1997 Gattaca Michael Nyman
1997 Kundun Philip Glass
1997 L.A . Confidential Jerry Goldsmith
1997 The Sweet Hereafter Mychael Danna
1998 The Truman Show Burkhard Dallwitz
1998 A Bug 's Life Randy Newman
1998 The Butcher Boy Elliot Goldenthal
Winners and nominees -- 1990s
The Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score is one of several categories presented by the Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA), an association of professional film critics, who work in print, broadcast and online media, based in Chicago. Since the 6th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards (1993), the award has been presented annually. The nominations from 1993, 1994 and 2004 are not available. The first Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Score went to composer Michael Nyman for his score to The Piano. The most recent recipient of this award is Nicholas Britell for the film If Beale Street Could Talk. French film composer Alexandre Desplat has the most nominations (10), but he has yet to win the award. Howard Shore has the most wins (3) from 6 nominations. Hans Zimmer has 9 nominations, which have resulted in 1 win. English musician Clint Mansell has 2 wins from 2 nominations, as does Mica Levi. Other notable achievers are Carter Burwell (4 nominations, 1 win), James Horner (4 nominations, 1 win), and Randy Newman (3 nominations, 1 win). Several composers have been nominated multiple times, but never received the award, including Danny Elfman, Philip Glass and Elliot Goldenthal. The 12th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards (1999) saw the first two female composers, Jocelyn Pook and Rachel Portman, nominated for the award.