Greece, 1943–2022
Vangelis
Synthesisers instead of an orchestra. An Oscar for Chariots of Fire, and the soundscape of Blade Runner.
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou was largely self-taught and never learned to read or write music. Before film he found success with the band Aphrodite's Child, alongside Demis Roussos, and recorded several albums with Jon Anderson, the singer of Yes. He composed by playing directly on his synthesisers.
- Style
- Synthesisers with symphonic ambition: broad layers, simple melodies and plenty of space.
- Awards
- Oscar for Best Original Score for Chariots of Fire.
Essential films
- Chariots of Fire (1981)
- Missing (1982)
- Blade Runner (1982)
- 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
- Alexander (2004)
Listen
- Chariots of Fire · Chariots of FireSpotifyYouTube
- Blade Runner End Titles · Blade RunnerSpotifyYouTube
- Conquest of Paradise · 1492SpotifyYouTube
Everything on Spotify Everything on YouTube Full biography on Wikipedia
Upcoming concerts with their music
- Blade Runner LiveAlbany, United States · The Egg
- Blade Runner LiveRome, Italy · Auditorium Parco della Musica
Awards counted up to the 2026 Academy Awards. Facts reviewed in October 2026.