Alan Menken

Alan Irwin Menken is an American musical theatre and film composer and pianist. Menken is best known for his scores for films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. His scores for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas have each won him two Academy Awards. He also composed the scores for Little Shop of Horrors , Newsies , The Hunchback of Notre Dame , Hercules , Enchanted and Tangled , among others. He is also known for his work on musical theatre works for Broadway and elsewhere. Some of these are based on his Disney films, but other stage hits include Little Shop of Horrors , A Christmas Carol and Sister Act .

Alan Irwin Menken was born on July 22, 1949 at French Hospital in New York City to Norman Menken and Judith Menken. His father was a boogiewoogie pianoplaying dentist, and his mother was an actress, dancer and playwright. Menken developed an interest in music at an early age, taking piano and violin lessons. He began to compose at an early age. At age 9, at the New York Federation of Music Clubs Junior Composers Contest, his original composition Bouree was rated Superior and Excellent by the judges.

Source: Wikipedia