Vanessa Nakate to Open Giving Black Conference 2026 With Climate Justice Keynote
1 week ago
United States Danny Elfman has established himself as a distinguished composer, renowned for his contributions to film, television, and concert halls.
Interested in booking Danny Elfman?
Request A ShowMulti Award-Winning Composer, Danny Elfman, Joins All Star Creative Team for Kartoon Studios' “Hundred Acre Wood's Winnie and Friends,” to...
On November 16, 2021, Disney Branded Television announced that Elfman would compose score and songs of the upcoming Disney Television Animation and 20th...
Join us this Sunday, Aug. 17 to celebrate the 25-year partnership of two of Hollywood's top creators: iconic composer Danny Elfman and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton.
The 2025 Gala promises a magical evening of world-class music, fine dining, dancing, fun surprises, and a rare chance to experience Danny Elfman's iconic...
In the 1990s, Elfman composed music for advertising campaigns for Nike, Nissan and Lincoln-Mercury.
In 2002, Elfman wrote the music for Honda's "Power of Dreams" advertising campaign, which was the first cinema commercial to be shot in the IMAX format.
In 2013 he composed the music and provided the English-language vocals for the Hong Kong Disneyland attraction Mystic Manor.
On October 31, 2019, the MasterClass online educational series released "Making Music out of Chaos," presenting 21 compositional and career lessons from Elfman's four decades of experience primarily in the film industry.
In June 2024, it was announced that Elfman would compose the music for the Dark Universe section of Universal Epic Universe.
Born on May 29, 1953, in Los Angeles, California, Daniel Robert Elfman displayed an early aptitude for science, shifting his focus to music in the late 1960s after discovering early jazz and 20th-century classical composers. His early musical career found him in France with his brother Richard Elfman, performing violin with Jérôme Savary’s Le Grand Magic Circus, an avant-garde musical theatre group. Following an extensive self-guided tour through Africa, collecting percussion instruments, Elfman returned to Los Angeles. In the early 1970s, Richard Elfman invited Danny to serve as musical director for “The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo,” a street theatre performance art troupe.
Elfman’s role involved adapting and arranging jazz and big band music, alongside composing original pieces and constructing unique instruments. After Richard transitioned to filmmaking in 1976, Danny took over as lead singer-songwriter, streamlining the group to Oingo Boingo in 1979. The band achieved success with eight studio albums, featuring the hit song “Weird Science” (1985) and an appearance in the film “Back to School” (1986), for which Elfman also composed the score. Citing permanent hearing damage and conflicts with his emerging film-scoring career, Elfman disbanded Oingo Boingo in 1995 after a series of farewell concerts.
His significant career in film scoring began in 1985 when Tim Burton and Paul Reubens invited him to score “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.” This marked the beginning of a prolific collaboration with director Tim Burton, composing for 16 of Burton’s films, including “Beetlejuice” (1988), “Batman” (1989), “Edward Scissorhands” (1990), and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993), for which he also provided the singing voice for Jack Skellington. Elfman has also established collaborations with directors such as Sam Raimi and Gus Van Sant, contributing to “Spider-Man” (2002), “Good Will Hunting” (1997), and “Milk” (2008). His work spans diverse genres, including thrillers, dramas, and comic book adaptations, earning him four Academy Award nominations and numerous other accolades.
Curious about our offerings or have inquiries? We're eager to assist!
Just complete the form, and we'll respond promptly.
