Editing John Williams (section)

==Early life==
John Towner Williams was born to Esther (née Towner) and [[Johnny Williams (drummer)|Johnny Williams]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.revistaesfinge.com/?p=569|title=John Williams, el compositor de la aventura|publisher=Revista Esfinge|access-date=April 30, 2012|archive-date=May 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516131406/http://www.revistaesfinge.com/?p=569|url-status=live}}</ref> a jazz drummer and percussionist who played with the [[Raymond Scott]] Quintet. He has an older sister, Joan,<ref>{{cite news |title=Johnny Williams Appears In Film With Sonja Henie |work=Bath Independent |date=March 8, 1938}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Marzlock |first1=Ron |title=Da dum. Da dum. 'Jaws' composer John Williams started here |url=https://www.qchron.com/qboro/i_have_often_walked/da-dum-da-dum-jaws-composer-john-williams-started-here/article_a0a443dc-f7a8-5a16-8189-5c1baa5ed444.html |website=[[Queens Chronicle]] |date=April 2021 |access-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-date=September 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929124229/https://www.qchron.com/qboro/i_have_often_walked/da-dum-da-dum-jaws-composer-john-williams-started-here/article_a0a443dc-f7a8-5a16-8189-5c1baa5ed444.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and two younger brothers, Jerry and Don, who play on his film scores.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Greiving |first1=Tim |title=John Williams' early life: How a NoHo kid and UCLA Bruin became the movie music man |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-john-williams-early-life-20180718-story.html |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 18, 2018 |access-date=September 14, 2023 |archive-date=February 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206065718/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-john-williams-early-life-20180718-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Williams said of his lineage: "My father was a [[Maine]] man—we were very close. My mother was from [[Boston]]. My father's parents ran a department store in [[Bangor, Maine]], and my mother's father was a cabinetmaker."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Thomas|first1=David|title=The King of Popcorn|journal=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=October 25, 1997|page=10s}}</ref> Johnny Williams collaborated with [[Bernard Herrmann]], and his son sometimes joined him in rehearsals.<ref>{{cite magazine| last=Ross| first=Alex| title=The Force Is Still Strong With John Williams| date=July 21, 2020| magazine=[[The New Yorker]]| url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/the-force-is-still-strong-with-john-williams| access-date=August 24, 2020| archive-date=November 1, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101005324/https://www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/the-force-is-still-strong-with-john-williams| url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1948, the Williams family moved to Los Angeles where John attended [[North Hollywood High School]], graduating in 1950. He later attended the [[University of California, Los Angeles]], and studied composition privately with the Italian composer [[Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco]].<ref name="sony classical williams biography">{{cite web|url=http://sonyclassical.com/artists/williams_composer/adbio.html |title=Sony Classical Williams Biography |access-date=October 12, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012155709/http://sonyclassical.com/artists/williams_composer/adbio.html |archive-date=October 12, 2007}} at Sony Classical; retrieved September 29, 2007. During his time in college, Williams was a pianist at a local club.</ref> Williams also attended [[Los Angeles City College]] for one semester, as the school had a Studio Jazz Band.<ref>[http://www.lacitycollege.edu/public/news/j-williams.htm Los Angeles City College website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130531111249/http://www.lacitycollege.edu/public/news/j-williams.htm |date=May 31, 2013}}, lacitycollege.edu; accessed December 28, 2015.</ref> In 1951, Williams joined the [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]], where he played the piano and bass and conducted and arranged music for the [[United States Air Force Band|U.S. Air Force Band]] as part of his assignments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0408draft/|title=When the Draft Calls Ended|website=Air Force Magazine|access-date=August 22, 2021|archive-date=August 22, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822142222/https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0408draft/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="SW">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/star-wars-composer-john-williams-first-score-a-1952-newfoundland-film-1.3241603|title=Star Wars composer John Williams's first score a 1952 Newfoundland film|first=Heather|last=Barrett|publisher=CBC News|date=September 30, 2015|access-date=December 31, 2015|archive-date=January 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105021139/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/star-wars-composer-john-williams-first-score-a-1952-newfoundland-film-1.3241603|url-status=live}}</ref> In a 2016 interview with the U.S. Air Force Band, he recounted having attended [[Military recruit training|basic training]] at [[Lackland Air Force Base]], after which he served as a pianist and bass player, with secondary duties of making arrangements for three years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.music.af.mil/Bands/The-United-States-Air-Force-Band/About-Us/News/Article/861692/watch-interview-with-composer-john-williams/|title=WATCH—Interview with Composer John Williams|first=Eric|last=Sullivan|publisher=U.S. Air Force Bands|date=June 7, 2016|access-date=August 25, 2019|archive-date=August 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825220050/https://www.music.af.mil/Bands/The-United-States-Air-Force-Band/About-Us/News/Article/861692/watch-interview-with-composer-john-williams/|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 1952, he was assigned to the [[Northeast Air Command]] 596th Air Force Band, stationed at [[Pepperrell Air Force Base]] in [[St. John's, Newfoundland]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.classicfm.com/composers/williams/news/first-ever-soundtrack/|title=John Williams' first ever soundtrack unearthed|website=ClassicFM/|access-date=July 24, 2023|archive-date=July 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724165555/https://www.classicfm.com/composers/williams/news/first-ever-soundtrack/|url-status=live}}</ref> He also attended music courses at the [[University of Arizona]] as part of his service.<ref>{{cite news|title=Interview with John Williams|url=https://www.bmi.com/special/john_williams|access-date=February 8, 2018|publisher=BMI|archive-date=February 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208182806/https://www.bmi.com/special/john_williams|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1955, following his Air Force service, Williams moved to New York City and entered [[Juilliard School|Juilliard]], where he studied piano with [[Rosina Lhévinne]].<ref name="sony classical williams biography" /> He was originally set on becoming a concert pianist, but after hearing contemporary pianists like [[John Browning (pianist)|John Browning]] and [[Van Cliburn]] perform, he switched his focus to composition.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lunden |first1=Jeff |title=John Williams's Inevitable Themes |url=https://www.apr.org/post/john-williams-inevitable-themes |website=Alabama Public Radio |date=November 10, 2012 |access-date=July 15, 2021 |archive-date=October 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028164603/http://apr.org/post/john-williams-inevitable-themes |url-status=live}}</ref> "It became clear," he recalled, "that I could write better than I could play."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our American Roots Program Notes |url=https://newwestsymphony.org/arpn/ |access-date=June 15, 2024 |website=New West Symphony |language=en-US}}</ref> During this time Williams worked as a pianist in many of the city's jazz clubs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=John Williams: Compositions, movies, age and awards revealed |url=https://www.classicfm.com/composers/williams/guides/facts-williams/ |access-date=June 15, 2024 |website=Classic FM |language=en}}</ref>