John Towner Williams (born 1932) is an American composer, conductor and pianist. During a career that has spanned seven decades, he has composed some of the most popular, best-known and critically acclaimed film scores in the history of cinema. His compositions are often considered the epitome of orchestral film music and he is considered one of the greatest composers in the history of cinema. Williams is the recipient of 25 Grammy Awards, five Academy Awards, seven British Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. With 53 Academy Award nominations, he is the second most nominated person after Walt Disney.