Among Disney’s most prolific composers, eight-time Academy Award® winner Alan Menken writes from his soul. Whether it be “A Whole New World,” co-written with Tim Rice for Aladdin, or “Colors of the Wind,” co-written with Stephen Schwartz for Pocahontas, Alan’s songs speak directly to the hearts of Disney fans and music lovers alike.
Alan Menken Early Life
Raised in New Rochelle, New York, Alan was more interested in creating his own tunes as a child than practicing the songs assigned to him by his piano and violin teachers. He later enrolled at New York University as a pre-med student, but ultimately graduated with a degree in music in 1971.
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Alan Menken Professional Life
Alan joined a theater workshop run by Broadway conductor Lehman Engel, where he met fellow Legend Howard Ashman. In 1987, after the success of their second collaboration, a campy adaptation of Roger Corman’s 1960 cult film Little Shop of Horrors, he and Ashman joined Disney to write songs for The Little Mermaid.
The film won Alan his first two Oscars® for Best Song, “Under the Sea,” and Best Music, Original Score. He also contributed Beauty and the Beast . For Tokyo DisneySea he wrote an original song, “Compass of Your Heart,” for Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage, as well as an unproduced stage musical based on the story of The Snow Queen .
Outside Disney, Alan has contributed to a variety of esteemed projects including the original score for the 1992 television documentary Lincoln, as well as the Rocky V song titled “The Measure of a Man.” Among Alan’s non-Disney stage work are the original score for the off-Broadway Weird Romance in 1992 and A Christmas Carol in 1994
Alan Menken Personal Life
Through his work with the Downtown Ballet Company, Alan met a beautiful ballet dancer, Janis Roswick. They married in November of 1972, and now been together for over 48 years. They have two beautiful daughters, Anna Rose and Nora Lily.
| Full Name | Alan Irwin Manken |
| Date of Birth | July 22, 1949 |
| father | Judith |
| Mother | Norman Menken |
| Siblings | leah menken |
| Spouse | Janis Roswick |
| Children | Two daughters( Anna Menken and Nora Menken) |
Alan Menken Education and Qualification
He attended New Rochelle High School in New Rochelle, New York, and graduated in 1967He then enrolled at New York University. He graduated with a degree in Musicology in 1971 from the university’s Steinhardt School.
Alan Menken Net Worth and Salary
Menken’s greatest financial success, despite his undeniable Broadway success, has come from his collaboration with Walt Disney. Menken composed music for films including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tangled, Captain America: The First Avenger, and more over the course of the previous few decades.
In addition, he contributed to the remakes of Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. Alan Menken has received numerous honors throughout his career, including one Tony, seven Golden Globes, and eight Oscars. His usual fee for a single film is $2–4 million. His ASCAP royalties total between $5 and $10 million annually.
| Net Worth | $150 million |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Composer, arranger conductor, song writter, music director, record producer |
| Awards | eight Academy Awards, eleven Grammy Awards, one Tony Award, one Daytime Emmy Award, seven Golden Globe Awards, one Drama Desk Award, three Outer Critics Awards. |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Salary | $5 to $10 million in ASCAP royalties yearly |
| Years Active | 1972–present |
Awards
Alan Menken’s reputation and wealth have been further cemented by the numerous accolades he has received throughout his career for his contributions to the music industry. Menken’s achievements, which include eight Oscars, Tony and Grammy Awards, and other honors, can be linked to his skill as a musician and his diligence.
Facts
- Menken is the son of a piano-playing dentist father and an actress/dancer/playwright mother.
- He thought he would become a dentist like his father.
- He and Howard Ashman wrote a musical called “Little Shop of Horrors”.
- Menken holds the record for most Oscar wins for a living person.
