On a beautiful Spring evening on the outskirts of northern Los Angeles, a group of television and movie magic-makers gathered to celebrate a year of phenomenal achievements at The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) 2026 Screen Celebrates event. With winners in film, television, and gaming music categories, honorees received 2026 ASCAP Composers’ Choice recognition and ASCAP Screen Music Awards.
“This evening's a really great acknowledgement of work that we do, not knowing whether anyone is going to see it or respond to it,” said Michael Abels (Top-Rated Streaming Series, Sirens) . “When it turns out that they do, and they tell their friends, it's really gratifying as an artist. A lot of times, the PRO money that we receive is what makes the difference that allows us to keep the studio doors open. It’s an unseen part of our industry that is really crucial to keeping composers in business. Being a long-time ASCAP member and having this acknowledgement really lets me know that I'm reaching an audience and that I will maybe be able to keep getting the funds I need to be able to keep doing it.”
Greeted by a gorgeous string ensemble and engaging in catch-up conversations over delicious lite bites and cocktails, the evening delivered a beautiful musical reunion for composers behind the top television, film and gaming projects. Acceptance speeches and a performance by the 2026 ASCAP Golden Note Award recipient followed.
Said Alfie Godfrey (Top Box Office Film Award for Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, who flew in from London), “I attended my first ASCAP event many years ago when I was a young man. I sat right at the back and I went, ‘oh my god, it's that guy, oh my God, it is THAT guy!’ I was just in a room full of my heroes. It was a real ‘pinch me’ moment. To be back again holding a medal, hopefully it's a good icebreaker to speak to a lot of the people I've been following since I fell in love with this job.”
An award exclusive to ASCAP, the Composers’ Choice Award honors recipients selected by the ASCAP composer and songwriter community for the impact of their musical works in helping to amplify storytelling within film, television and interactive media. “I just love all the ASCAP peeps,” shared Curtis Green (Top-Rated Streaming Series, Butterfly). “They’re just so warm and easy to be with and they do great work. I'm happy to support them as much as they're supporting us. Some folks I recognize, mostly friends. It’s a reunion. We're in our little caves and it's nice to pop out and see one another and catch up.”Top-Rated Streaming Film (Havoc) composer, Jason Lazaraus added, “I would be doing it were it not my job. When I need to disconnect, I do the same thing—just without a deadline.”
The evening’s Composer’s Choice honorees included:
Film Score of the Year: Wicked: For Good (John Powell & Stephen Schwartz)
Television Score of the Year: Palm Royale (Jeff Toyne)
Television Theme of the Year: Pluribis (Dave Potter) and Stranger Things (Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein) (tied)
Documentary Film Score of the Year: The Age of Disclosure (Blair Mowat)
Documentary Series Score of the Year: Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time (Amanda Jones)
Video Game Score of the Year: Star Wars Outlaws: A Pirate’s Fortune (Wilbert Roget II, Jon Everist and Cody Matthew Johnson)
Other categories included Top Domestic Box Office Film of the Year for Zootopia 2 (Michael Giacchino), Top Network Television Series for High Potential (Jake Staley) and Top Cable Television Series for When Calls the Heart (John Sereda). Says Kristen Peronius (Top-Rated Streaming Film, Tyler Perry’s Finding Joy), “What we do as composers is such a collaborative art form, so being able to continue to collaborate with more artists, producers, directors, and continue collaborations, those things always excite me.”
With work including Hell’s Kitchen, Big Brother, The Apprentice, Dirty Jobs, Wipeout, and receiving his 22nd consecutive win Most Performed Themes and Underscore, David Vanacore also received the 2026 ASCAP Golden Note Award, recognizing his exemplary works and impact on television music. A pioneer in unscripted composing, Vanacore has composed the music for CBC’s hit Survivor series for 50 seasons (2020-2026), incorporating the authentic sounds of indigenous peoples originating from various film locations along the way (he joins previous honorees Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Reba McEntire, Alicia Keys, and others).
“We do it because we love it, and we're very privileged to be able to do it,” said Didier Lean Rachou (Most Performed Themes and Underscore, Gold Rush). “I'm very happy to be here to celebrate a very dear friend of mine who's receiving the Golden Note Award. He is a humble giant that walks around us composers, David Vanacore. He's not only an incredible composer, but he gives back like no one else, and he does it humbly and quietly. Any time I spend with David, I come away feeling that I want to be a better person.”
Award-winning composer (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Battlefront I & II, Halo Wars 2 ) Gordy Haab said, “I love what I do so much. I grew up in kind of a small town in Virginia. There were not a lot of people that did what I did, so I've just been passionate about it my whole life. Coming here and being able to share that same passion with so many other people, ASCAP has become this family of like-minded people we get to lean on and ask questions and learn from, and we all grow together. That's what's so great about this event.”
For a complete list of winners, please visit: ascap.com/screenawards26
Contact: Bobbi Marcus @ Bobbi Marcus PR / bobbi@bobbimarcuspr.com
More at: ascap.com
