Q 01/05

In which New York borough was John Williams born in 1932?

A) Brooklyn

B) Queens

C) The Bronx

D) Manhattan

Answer · why

B) Queens

His father Johnny Williams was a jazz drummer with the Raymond Scott Quintet; the family moved to Los Angeles in 1948.

Q 02/05

What did Williams's father do for a living?

A) Radio announcer

B) Cinema organist

C) Jazz drummer

D) Music teacher

Answer · why

C) Jazz drummer

Johnny Williams collaborated with Bernard Herrmann, and his son sometimes joined him at rehearsals.

Q 03/05

Which branch of the military did Williams join in 1951, playing piano and arranging for its band?

A) The Marines

B) The Navy

C) The Army

D) The Air Force

Answer · why

D) The Air Force

He was stationed in Tucson and then in St. John's, Newfoundland, where he wrote his first film music for a tourism promotion.

Q 04/05

With which famous teacher did Williams study piano at Juilliard in 1955?

A) Nadia Boulanger

B) Rosina Lhévinne

C) Aaron Copland

D) Leonard Bernstein

Answer · why

B) Rosina Lhévinne

He took private lessons rather than enrolling, and switched to composition after hearing John Browning and Van Cliburn play.

Q 05/05

Williams played the piano part in the famous title theme of which Henry Mancini television series?

A) Mr. Lucky

B) The Pink Panther

C) Peter Gunn

D) Hawaii Five-O

Answer · why

C) Peter Gunn

As a session pianist he also recorded Breakfast at Tiffany's, Charade, To Kill a Mockingbird and West Side Story.