Shirley Walker – One of the most important film composers you’ve probably not heard of.

I first became aware of the name Shirley Walker in 1989 in association with Danny Elfman’s score for Tim Burton’s film “Batman” where she was listed in the credits as the conductor of the recording.  Over the next few years, I began to hear her name pop up frequently, typically in association with Danny Elfman with whom she worked closely as a conductor and arranger, then seeing her credited as a composer herself. She never really managed to break into the ”A” list so why was Shirley Walker so important? I think it was through her positive influence as a guiding light within the film industry, as much as her multiple talents as composer/conductor.

Walker’s career in film began in 1979 when she was hired to play synthesizers on the score for “Apocalypse Now” written by Carmine Coppola. It was discovered that she could also write and arrange music, so she was put to work helping flesh out the score as well as play on the recording – she would do so again on Coppola’s next film score for “The Black Stallion” (also 1979).

She received her first solo composing credit fairly early in her career, in 1981, on the independent film “The End of August.” Her talent for writing, arranging, and conducting orchestral music would see her contribute to film scores throughout the 1980’s receiving “Additional music by” or even “Co-composed by” credits.

Being connected to the pop culture juggernaut that was “Batman” brought her to the attention of directors like James Cameron and in particular John Carpenter with whom she had the distinction to become the first women to receive sole composing credit for a score which she also orchestrated and conducted for a Hollywood studio picture, on “Memoirs of an Invisible Man” in 1992.

This association led to Walker being rather pigeonholed as a composer and sought out for Sci-Fi/Horror/Comic Book genre projects – a field in which she certainly excelled. In 1990 she landed the assignment of composer for the TV series “The Flash,” based on the DC Comics superhero, which in turn led to the assignment with which she is most closely associated as composer/music director for “Batman: The Animated Series.” As music director Walker brought in more than 30 composers to work on the Batman series during its run of over 80 episodes and wrote the music for the companion animated feature film “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.”

Not just an accomplished composer, it was through the encouraging and nourishing of new talent in combination with her outspoken work for The Society of Composers, serving as a board member and as Vice President, that saw – in my opinion– her greatest contribution to film music.

Sadly, Shirley Walker passed away in November 2006 following a stroke at the age of 61. In 2014 The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) created the Shirley Walker Award to honor those whose achievements have contributed to the diversity of film and television music. A fitting monument, I think, to her posterity.