John Cacavas

John Cacavas began his musical career when, as a 13-year old, he formed his own band in Aberdeen, South Dakota.  He began college locally at Northern State University, and then went on to study music and composition at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinios, where he became active as an arranger for several varsity musicals and director of a weekly radio orchestra broadcast.  Upon graduation, he entered the Armed Forces and became an arranger with the prestigious United States Army Band in Washington, D. C.  It was there that he began writing arrangements and compositions for the nation's major music publishers.  Upon his discharge, Cacavas moved to New York and began pursuing his career in earnest, continuing his composing and arranging.  He served as an assistant conductor at CBS under the tutelage of the esteemed Alfredo Antonini, and worked closely with Morton Gould.  Cacavas went on to become Director of Publications at Chappell & Co. Inc. while continuing with his composing career.  In 1970 he and his family moved to London where he became established as a film composer.  Three years later he relocated his family to Beverly Hills where he became a full-time composer for feature films and television.  Cacavas has written extensively for television.  Along with his five years of scoring Kojak, and three years of Hawaii Five-0, he has written for such diverse shows as Matlock, Columbo, Quincy, Murder She Wrote, Mrs. Columbo, The Gangster Chronicles, Lady Blue, The Four Seasons, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Today's FBI, The Equalizer and Bionic Woman.  His music has also appeared on Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, Malcolm in the Middle, Magnum P. I., Dawson's Creek, Perry Mason, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, X-Files, Frasier and countless others.  Cacavas is the author of three published books, Orchestration and Music Arranging, The Art of Writing Music and It's Not All Do-Re-Mi.  Music honors include two Emmy nominations.  Cacavas is presently a member of the Motion Picture Academy's Executive Music Committee and has served as a governor of that organization.  He has also served as president of the Composers Guild of America.  John, along with his wife, Bonnie, an accomplished lyricist, psychiatric social worker and published author, live in Beverly Hills and also maintain a home in London.  They have three children.  For relaxation, Cacavas is an avid and accomplished cook and also enjoys painting.