American composer Philip Glass will receive a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award during the 25th annual World Soundtrack Awards on October 15. This event will take place alongside the Film Music Concert at the Film Fest Gent, concluding the Film Music Days 2025 on October 16 in Ghent, Belgium.

Previous Recipients of the Award

Philip Glass joins a distinguished group of past awardees, which includes notable composers such as Marvin Hamlisch, John Barry, Giorgio Moroder, and Elliot Goldenthal.

A Special Celebration Concert

The award presentation will be part of the concert titled Minimalism in Motion: Glass, Nyman, and Beyond, hosted at the Muziekcentrum De Bijloke. The concert will feature selections from Glass’s repertoire performed by the Brussels Philharmonic under the baton of conductor Dirk Brossé, who previously bestowed the award upon Glass in New York.

Philip Glass: Contributions to Film Music

While initially recognized for his contributions to opera and symphonies, Glass has made significant inroads into film music, earning three Academy Award nominations for his original scores in Kundun, The Hours, and Notes on a Scandal.

A Lifetime of Accolades

At 88 years of age, Glass boasts an impressive array of awards, including a BAFTA Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Golden Globe Award. His nominations extend to four Grammy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. Moreover, he has been honored with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1995, the National Medal of Arts in 2010, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018, along with a Trustees Award from the Recording Academy in 2020.

Recognition at the World Soundtrack Awards

Glass’s impact on film music has previously been acknowledged at the World Soundtrack Awards, where he received two nominations in 2007 for his score for Notes on a Scandal.

Event Details

The WSA Film Music Days will occur from October 14 to 16, coinciding with the Film Fest Gent, which runs from October 8 to 19. Tickets for the concert can be purchased at the Film Fest Gent website and the World Soundtrack Awards website.

Complete List of Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients

• 2024: Elliot Goldenthal
• 2023: Nicola Piovani and Laurence Rosenthal
• 2022: Bruno Coulais
• 2021: Eleni Karaindrou
• 2020: Gabriel Yared
• 2019: Krzysztof Penderecki and Frédéric Devreese
• 2018: Philippe Sarde
• 2017: David Shire
• 2016: Ryuichi Sakamoto
• 2015: Patrick Doyle and George Fenton
• 2014: Francis Lai
• 2013: Riz Ortolani
• 2012: Pino Donaggio
• 2011: Giorgio Moroder
• 2010: John Barry
• 2009: Marvin Hamlisch
• 2008: Angelo Badalamenti
• 2007: Mikis Theodorakis
• 2006: Peer Raben
• 2005: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
• 2004: Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman
• 2003: Maurice Jarre
• 2002: George Martin
• 2001: Elmer Bernstein