Jóhann Jóhannsson, Academy Award-nominated composer for his score for James Marsh's The Theory of Everything and Denis Villeneuve's Sicario, passed away Friday, February 9 in Berlin. The cause of death is unknown.
Known for his compositions that often blended electronics with classical orchestrations, Jóhannsson had come to be one of the most in-demand film composers of his generation. His other credits as a film composer include Prisoners, Arrival (for which he was Golden Globe- and BAFTA-nominated), The Mercy, Mandy and the upcoming Mary Magdalene. In addition to his film scores, Jóhannsson had a career as a solo musician and composed music for theater, dance and television. His first solo album, Englabörn, was released in 2002. Later works include Virðulegu Forsetar (2004), Fordlândia (2008), IBM 1401 – A User's Manual (2006), The Miners' Hymns (2010) and Orphée (2016). In 2015, Drone Mass, Jóhannsson's piece for a string quartet, electronics and vocal ensemble, premiered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Jóhannsson is survived by his parents, sisters and daughter.