Kurt Farquhar is a Los Angeles–based television and film composer. Farquhar is a ten-time BMI award winner, including three for '' The Neighborhood'', four for ''

The King of Queens ''The King of Queens'' is an American television sitcom that ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007, with a total of 207 half-hour episodes spanning nine seasons. The series was created by Michael J. Weithorn and David Litt, who al ...

'' one for '' The Game'' and two for '' Being Mary Jane''. He is known for composing the scores for ''

'', '' Girlfriends'', '' Sister, Sister'', ''

Moesha ''Moesha'' (, ) is an American television sitcom that aired on UPN from January 23, 1996, to May 14, 2001. The series stars Contemporary R&B, R&B singer Brandy Norwood, Brandy as Moesha Denise Mitchell, an African-American teenager living with ...

'', ''Being Mary Jane'', ''The Game'', '' Black Lightning'', The Neighborhood, and '' Real Husbands of Hollywood''. Farquhar's career is notable for having scored more prime-time television series than any other African-American composer to date. A native of Chicago, he is the youngest of five children. He is the younger brother of television producer and writer Ralph Farquhar, and the two have worked together on several shows. Farquhar musical education took him from the streets of Chicago to the famed

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, The National Conservatory of Music in Versailles, France, and

Eastern Illinois University Eastern Illinois University (EIU) is a public university in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1895 as the Eastern Illinois State Normal School, a teacher's college offering a two-year degree, Eastern Illinois University gradual ...

, where he studied with noted percussion teacher Johnny Lane. By the age of 12, Farquhar had already written his first symphonic work. During his early 20s, Farquhar performed with various jazz artists most notably Grammy Award-winning trumpet player

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...

. In his late twenties, Farquhar was the lead singer of the band Big Slamm. They released their first single, "Livin' Large," on

Modern Records Modern Records (Modern Music Records before 1947) was an American record company and label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. Modern's artists included Hadda Brooks, Etta James, Joe Houston, Little Richard, Ike & Tina Turn ...

. This song went on to become the end title for the pilot episode of ''Livin' Large'', produced by

Stephen J. Cannell Stephen Joseph Cannell (; February 5, 1941 – September 30, 2010) was an American television producer, writer, novelist, actor, and founder of Cannell Entertainment (formerly Stephen J. Cannell Productions) and The Cannell Studios. After start ...

. Farquhar went on to create theme songs and scores for a multitude of television shows and feature films. Farquhar is also the founder and CEO of True Music, a prominent music licensing catalog operating out of

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...

, which has licensed music throughout broadcast and cable television as well as feature films.

Works

Television

Film

Recordings

#Real Life (composer) – The Pointer Sisters #Stupid Love (arranger) – Brenda Russell #Crazy For Your Love (composer) – Sam Riney #Now That I'm With You (composer) – Papa John Creach #Everytime We Kiss (composer) – Sam Riney

References

External links

*
True Music website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Farquhar, Kurt Year of birth missing (living people) African-American film score composers American film score composers Living people American male film score composers Place of birth missing (living people) 21st-century African-American people