The First Grader (soundtrack)

The First Grader (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Film score by
Alex Heffes
ReleasedJune 14, 2011
Recorded2010–2011
GenreFilm score
Length49:22
LabelVarèse Sarabande
ProducerAlex Heffes
Alex Heffes chronology
Red Riding Hood
(2011)		 The First Grader
(2011)		 The Engagement
(2011)

The First Grader (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the film score to the 2010 film The First Grader directed by Justin Chadwick. The film score is composed by Alex Heffes and released through Varèse Sarabande on June 14, 2011. For his work, Heffes received the Ivor Novello Award for Best Original Film Score and World Soundtrack Award for Discovery of the Year.

Development

Alex Heffes collaborated with Chadwick for the first time in The First Grader. The score was written quickly as he was really inspired by the film after watching a rought cut. When Chadwick met him at the studio regarding any ideas, he revealed on writing half of the film's music as he liked it much owing to the story, and wrote more music afterwards. He recalled that Justin listened the film's music with producer David Thompson and both of them liked their work, adding "When you really feel something, you do your best work".[1] Besides the score, much of the original music featured in the film were recorded live.[1]

Track listing

No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."Maruge Digs" 2:20
2."Courage"Eric Herman feat. Vieux Farka Touré4:19
3."The School" 2:40
4."Maruge Buys His Uniform" 1:56
5."Buried Memories" 3:49
6."The Raid" 2:47
7."I Had A Family" 3:14
8."Teach Me To Read" 2:30
9."Maruge's Fame Spreads" 2:15
10."The Execution" 3:48
11."We Want Our Cut" 3:14
12."The Childrens' Rebellion" 3:25
13."Maruge's Speech And Jane Returns" 5:27
14."Reading The Letter" 2:14
15."Walk On"feat. Kawesa2:56
16."Playground Song"Kathyline Ndogiri Mbirua feat. The Children of Massi Plains View Academy2:28
Total length:49:22

Reception

Peter Debruge of Variety, Tim Grierson of Screen International and Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter called the score, "moving", "inspirational" and "emotional".[2][3][4] Richard Propes of The Independent Critic wrote "The music by Alex Heffes largely companions the film's more dramatic story arc, yet does little to capture the wonder and heart that the film's title and trailer would indicate."[5]

Accolades

Besides the following awards, the score was considered to be in contention for the Best Original Score category at the 84th Academy Awards.[6][7][8]

Award Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
Black Reel Awards Outstanding Original Score Alex Heffes Nominated [9]
[10]
Ivor Novello Awards Best Original Film Score Alex Heffes Won [11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Soundtrack Album Alex Heffes Nominated [15]
[16]
[17]
World Soundtrack Awards Discovery of the Year Alex Heffes (also for The Rite) Won [18]
[19]
[20]

Personnel

Credits adapted from production notes:[21]

  • Music composer, producer and conductor: Alex Heffes
  • Orchestrator: Julian Kershaw
  • Recording: Geoff Foster at Abbey Road Studios, London; Sam Bisaso at Black Smith Studios, London
  • Recording assistance: Lewis Jones, Pete Hutchings
  • Mixing: Nick Taylor at Air-Edel Recording Studios, London
  • Mixing assistance: Tom Bullen
  • Music supervisor: Maggie Redford
  • Music supervising assistant: Helen Yates
  • Composer's assistant: Lewis Morrison
  • Music preparation services: Cutting Edge
  • Music preparation executive producer: Phil Hope
  • Conductor: Alex Heffes
  • Musicians' coordinator: Hillary Skewes, Clarissa Faran
  • Featured vocalists: Kawesa, Sona Jobarteh
  • Kora: Tunde Jegede
  • Guitars: Leo Abrahams
  • Solo woodwinds: Dirk Cambell
  • Gospel choir: Beverley Skeet, Sara-Jane Skeele, Ricci P Washington, Andy Caine

References

  1. 1 2 Moore, Sam Harteam (April 9, 2024). "Alex Heffes: 'There's something very mysterious and deep about film music'". M. PRS for Music. Archived from the original on March 16, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  2. ↑ Debruge, Peter (September 10, 2010). "The First Grader". Variety. Archived from the original on September 26, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  3. ↑ Grierson, Tim (September 13, 2010). "The First Grader". Screen International. Archived from the original on September 19, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  4. ↑ Farber, Stephen (October 14, 2010). "The First Grader: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  5. ↑ Propes, Richard (2011). ""The First Grader" Review". The Independent Critic. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  6. ↑ Sartor, Ryan (December 23, 2011). "Thomas Newman & Alexandre Desplat Lead The Pack Of The 97 Scores In Contention For The Oscars". IndieWire. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  7. ↑ Finke, Nikki (December 23, 2011). "OSCARS: 97 Original Scores in 2011 Race". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  8. ↑ Stone, Sasha (December 23, 2011). "97 Original Scores in Oscar Race". Awards Daily. Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  9. ↑ ""Pariah" And "The Help" Lead 2012 Black Reel Awards Nominations". Hot 100.9. WHHH. December 14, 2011. Archived from the original on March 29, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  10. ↑ "The Help Cleans Up At the Black Reel Awards". Black Reel Awards. February 10, 2012. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  11. ↑ "The Ivors 2012". Ivors Academy. Archived from the original on June 24, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Ivor Novellos 2012: Winners in full". Digital Spy. May 17, 2012. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  13. ↑ Brown, Mark (May 17, 2012). "Adele, PJ Harvey and Ed Sheeran triumph at Ivor Novello awards". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  14. ↑ Gilchrist, Todd (May 17, 2012). "Adele, Lana Del Rey Nab Ivor Novello Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 2, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  15. ↑ Damn, Anthony (January 20, 2012). "NAACP Announces 2012 Image Awards Nominees". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 29, 2026. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  16. ↑ "2012 NAACP Image Awards: List of winners". CBS News. February 18, 2012. Archived from the original on January 2, 2015. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  17. ↑ Hetrick, Adam (February 21, 2012). "Jennifer Hudson, Viola Davis, Laurence Fishburne Win NAACP Awards". Playbill. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  18. ↑ Chagollan, Steve (August 16, 2011). "Composers score WSA noms". Variety. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  19. ↑ Roxborough, Scott (October 24, 2011). "Alexandre Desplat Wins Film Composer of the Year at World Soundtrack Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Alexander Desplat third time in a row Film Composer of the Year". World Soundtrack Awards. World Soundtrack Academy. October 23, 2011. Archived from the original on October 9, 2025. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
  21. ↑ "The First Grader – Production Notes" (PDF). Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2026 – via Goldcrest Films.
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