Michael Kamen (April 15, 1948 - November 18, 2003) was an American composer, arranger, conductor, songwriter, and musician whose career connected classical music, rock, pop, television, and film. Although best known for large-scale Hollywood scores, he also helped shape recordings and performances by artists including Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Bryan Adams, Kate Bush, Queen, Sting, and Metallica.
Born in New York City, Kamen studied at the High School of Music and Art before attending the Juilliard School, where he played oboe. While at Juilliard, he co-founded the New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, a group that combined rock instrumentation with chamber and orchestral ideas. The ensemble performed with the New York Philharmonic in a Young People's Concert conducted by Leonard Bernstein, an experience that encouraged Kamen to pursue composition and orchestral arranging.
His early work included ballet scores and arrangements for the stage, but his interests soon expanded into popular music. In the mid-1970s, David Bowie appointed him musical director for the Diamond Dogs tour. Kamen later moved to England, where he became involved in the production of Pink Floyd's *The Wall*. His orchestral contributions to the project helped establish him as a sought-after arranger, and he continued working across the rock world, contributing to records and live performances by artists such as Queen, Eurythmics, and Roger Waters.
Kamen entered film scoring with *The Next Man* in 1976. His reputation grew through collaborations with directors including Terry Gilliam and Richard Donner. His score for Gilliam's *Brazil* demonstrated his ability to combine emotional themes with unusual orchestral color, while his work on *The Dead Zone* and *Highlander* showed a talent for creating atmosphere and tension. He became particularly associated with action cinema through the *Lethal Weapon* and *Die Hard* series, as well as *Licence to Kill*, *Last Action Hero*, and *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves*.
Kamen's songs were often as prominent as his instrumental scores. He co-wrote "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" with Bryan Adams and Robert John "Mutt" Lange for *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves*. The song became an international hit and earned Kamen a Grammy Award. He also collaborated with Sting and Eric Clapton on "It's Probably Me," and with Adams, Sting, and Rod Stewart on "All for Love." His television work included the Eric Clapton collaboration *Edge of Darkness* and the acclaimed score for the miniseries *Band of Brothers*.
In 1995, Kamen composed the music for *Mr. Holland's Opus*, a film centered on the lasting influence of a dedicated music teacher. The project led to the creation of the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, which supports music education in schools. Kamen also wrote the score for the animated film *The Iron Giant*, one of his most warmly regarded later works.
His range was further illustrated by *S&M*, the 1999 live project in which he arranged and conducted Metallica's music with the San Francisco Symphony. The recording became a major commercial success and introduced Kamen's orchestral approach to a new generation of rock listeners. He also composed concert works, including a saxophone concerto with David Sanborn and *The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms*, a symphony premiered by the National Symphony Orchestra.
Kamen received four Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and an Emmy, and was nominated for two Academy Awards. He died in London at the age of 55, leaving behind a body of work notable for its ambition, versatility, and ability to move freely between musical worlds.