Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Film Score Composer John Williams Scores The First NATO Maestro Honor
John Williams is being honored with the ShoWest's inaugural Maestro Award by the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO). The renowned film composer will receive the honor during closing-night ceremonies at the NATO convention, the exhibition industry's largest annual gathering, March 6-9 at the Bally's and Paris hotels in Las Vegas. At the ShoWest 1999 convention, Williams was the centerpiece of 20th Century Fox's event, conducting an orchestra that played his ""Star Wars"" repertoire as a prelude to the studio's spring release of ""Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace."" Williams has won five OscarsÆ and 17 GrammysÆ. The Juilliard School of Music alumnus has received 37 Academy AwardÆ nominations for scores stretching from ""Valley of the Dolls"" to ""Saving Private Ryan.""