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James Horner began his studies in classical piano at the age of five. He attended the Royal College of Music in London, before travelling to his native California to obtain his tertiary qualifications. He studied for a Bachelor of Music at the University of Southern California, and later completed a Masters degree and PhD in music composition and theory at UCLA. An early interest in avant-garde music techniques helped him to define his personal style, his compositions often blending traditional harmonies and a conventional orchestra with the texture of ethnic instruments and even electronic sounds. He has been known to use a wide range of exotic instruments, from steel drums to pan pipes. While teaching music theory at UCLA, Horner became involved with the American Film Institute (AFI), scoring for their 1978 film The Drought. This le