Rob Simonsen

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Rob Simonsen

| image =

| caption = Simonsen in 2024

| image_size =

| birth_name =

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|03|11}}

| birth_place = St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

| death_date =

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| occupation = {{hlist|Film composer|conductor}}

| genre = {{hlist|Film score|jazz|electronic}}

| instrument = {{hlist|Keyboards|piano}}

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| associated_acts = {{hlist|Mychael Danna|Duncan Blickenstaff|Jonathan Sadoff|Taylor Lipari-Hassett}}

| website = {{URL|robsimonsen.com}}

}}

Rob Simonsen (born March 11, 1978) is an American composer and conductor. He is best known for his scores in films such as 500 Days of Summer (2009), The Age of Adaline (2015), Gifted (2017), The Only Living Boy in New York (2017), Tully (2018), Love, Simon (2018), The Front Runner (2018), The Way Back (2020), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), The Adam Project (2022), The Whale (2022), Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), It Ends with Us (2024) and Elio (2025), and the television series Life in Pieces (2015–2019). He also collaborates with the directors Marc Webb, Jason Reitman and Shawn Levy.

Early life

Simonsen began playing the piano by ear at an early age. His grandmother was a voice teacher and music was around him in his family home. He later studied music at Southern Oregon University, the University of Oregon and Portland State University.{{cite web|title=Cast & Crew|url=http://focusfeatures.com/seeking_a_friend_for_the_end_of_the_world/castncrew?member=rob_simonsen|publisher=Focus Features|access-date=2013-03-08|archive-date=2013-04-10|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130410234853/http://focusfeatures.com/seeking_a_friend_for_the_end_of_the_world/castncrew?member=rob_simonsen|url-status=live}}

Career

Rob's first break into film composing was the independent feature Westender in 2003. In 2004 he teamed up with composer Mychael Danna and has provided additional music and arrangements on Surf's Up, Fracture, Moneyball, and the Oscar-winning Life of Pi. Simonsen and Danna co-wrote the score of (500) Days of Summer, and Joss Whedon's television series Dollhouse. Simonsen's work includes the Sundance Film Festival features The Way, Way Back and The Spectacular Now;{{cite web|title=Meet Sundance composer Rob Simonsen|url=http://www.miramax.com/subscript/meet-sundance-composer-rob-simonsen|publisher=Miramax.com|accessdate=28 January 2013|author=Staff|date=January 28, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206033528/http://www.miramax.com/subscript/meet-sundance-composer-rob-simonsen|archivedate=6 February 2013}} The Age of Adaline; and most recently Love, Simon, The Way Back, and Stargirl.

In 2009 he opened his own studio, and The Hollywood Reporter named him one of the "15 Composers Primed to Take Their Place on the A List."{{cite web|title=Sundance Roundtable Composer of the Day: Rob Simonsen|url=http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/sundance_roundtable_composer_of_the_day_rob_simonsen|publisher=BMI.com|accessdate=22 January 2013|author=Staff|date=January 22, 2013|archive-date=18 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518173319/http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/sundance_roundtable_composer_of_the_day_rob_simonsen|url-status=live}}

Simonsen's music can be heard in nearly all iPhone 5 ads, and he appears in them as the conductor.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} "Red", one of his tracks for iPhone 5, has gained wide recognition. His music was featured in Coca-Cola's 2018 Super Bowl TV spot, "The Wonder of Us".{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPi9nTE70aA|title=Coca-Cola {{!}} The Wonder of Us :60|date=|website=YouTube|access-date=|archive-date=2018-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218044449/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPi9nTE70aA|url-status=live}}

On September 6, 2019, Simonsen released his first solo album, Rêveries, on Sony Masterworks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sonymusicmasterworks.com/composer-rob-simonsen-releases-debut-solo-album-reveries/|title=Composer Rob Simonsen releases debut solo album Rêveries|last=|first=|date=6 September 2019|website=Sony Masterworks|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019091400/https://www.sonymusicmasterworks.com/composer-rob-simonsen-releases-debut-solo-album-reveries/|archive-date=2019-10-19|access-date=2019-10-19}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fluid-radio.co.uk/2019/08/rob-simonsen-reveries/|title=Rob Simonsen - Rêveries|last=Catchpole|first=James|date=22 August 2019|website=Fluid Radio UK|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019091401/https://www.fluid-radio.co.uk/2019/08/rob-simonsen-reveries/|archive-date=2019-10-19|access-date=2019-10-19}}

Awards

World Soundtrack Award (nomination): Discovery of the Year for The Spectacular Now, The Way, Way Back (2013){{cite web|title=2013 World Soundtrack Awards|url=https://www.bmi.com/photos/entry/563550|publisher=BMI.com|accessdate=29 October 2013|author=Staff|date=October 29, 2013|archive-date=12 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170412063407/https://www.bmi.com/photos/entry/563550|url-status=live}}
International Film Music Critics Award (nomination): Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film for Nerve (2016){{cite web|title=IFMCA Award Nominations 2016|url=http://filmmusiccritics.org/2017/02/ifmca-award-nominations-2016/|accessdate=9 February 2017|author=Staff|date=February 9, 2017|archive-date=11 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211075933/http://filmmusiccritics.org/2017/02/ifmca-award-nominations-2016/|url-status=live}}
Hollywood Music in Media Award (nomination): Best Original Score in an Independent Film for The Whale (2022){{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/hollywood-music-in-media-awards-winners-2022-full-list-1235172875/ |title=Rihanna's 'Wakanda Forever' Song, Terence Blanchard Win at 2022 Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Full List |last=Grein |first=Paul |magazine=Billboard |date=November 17, 2022 |access-date=April 18, 2023}}
Indiana Film Journalists Award (nomination): Best Musical Score for The Whale (2022){{cite web |url=https://midwestfilmjournal.com/2022/12/13/nominations-announced-for-the-2022-indiana-film-journalists-association-awards/ |title=Nominations Announced for the 2022 Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards |last=Rogers |first=Nick |work=Midwest Film Journal |date=December 13, 2022 |access-date=April 18, 2023}}