Photos: Alan Menken Receives Max Steiner Achievement Award at Hollywood in Vienna Gala

Acclaimed composer and song-writer Alan Menken received the Max Steiner Achievement Award by the City of Vienna. The award was handed to Alan by Viennese City Councillor Peter Hanke and Hollywood in Vienna Founder Sandra Tomek. The ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Michael Kosarin and musical performers lead by Broadway's Susan Egan and Adam Jacobs performed during a brilliant and elegant concert in Menken's honor.

Check out photos from the event below!

"Over the years I received many awards, but my stay in Vienna and this very special night are truly magical for me. It's a huge honor which fills me with pride to now be associated with Max Steiner, the father of film music. I love Vienna. Thanks Sandra [Tomek]," said the emotional awardee.

City Councillor Peter Hanke said: "Tonight we honor a genius composer of film music. Someone who brought to life magical sea creatures, princesses, flying carpets, and numerous other figures and stories through his beautiful melodies and songs. It fills me with pride, that we have the opportunity to honor Alan Menken in Vienna and I thank and congratulate Hollywood in Vienna founder Sandra Tomek and her team for this wonderful and important concert event and award show, which celebrated its tenth anniversary this year.

Alan Menken's music, songs and scores have become an integral part of the fabric of our lives since his first works were produced nearly 40 years ago. His stage musicals include God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Atina: Evil Queen of the Galaxy, Real Life Funnies, Little Shop of Horrors, Kicks, The Dream on Royal Street, Beauty and The Beast, A Christmas Carol, Weird Romance, King David, The Little Mermaid, Sister Act, Leap of Faith, Newsies, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz , A Bronx Tale and Hercules. Song and score credits for film musicals include The Little Mermaid, Beauty and The Beast (Animated), Newsies, Aladdin (Animated), Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, The Shaggy Dog, Home on the Range, Enchanted, Tangled, Mirror Mirror and Beauty and the Beast (Live Action), Howard and Aladdin (Live Action). Individual songs for film include Rocky V - "The Measure of a Man", Home Alone 2: Lost in New York - "My Christmas Tree", Life With Mikey - "Cold Enough to Snow", Noel - "Winter Light", Captain America: First Avenger - "Star Spangled Man" and Sausage Party - "The Great Beyond". Television credits include writing songs for Sesame Street, the ABC mini-series Lincoln, a musical episode of The Neighbors, the ABC series Galavant and the Disney Channel's Tangled: The Series. His chart-topping songs have included "Beauty and the Beast", "A Whole New World", "Colors of the Wind" and "Go the Distance". Winner of the 2012 Tony and Drama Desk awards for his score for Newsies, he has won more Academy Awards than any other living individual, including eight Oscars® with 4 for Best Score and 4 for Best Song; 11 Grammy® Awards (including Song of the Year for "A Whole New World"); 7 Golden Globes; London's Evening Standard Award; the Olivier Award; the Outer Critics Circle Award and the Drama Desk Award. Other notable achievements include induction as a Member (2008) in the Songwriter's Hall of Fame followed by receiving the lifetime achievement acknowledgement of the Johnny Mercer Award (2017); Billboard's number one single ("A Whole New World") and number one album (Pocahontas). In 2001 he received the distinction of being named a Disney Legend. Awarded two doctorates in Fine Arts from New York University and the North Carolina School of the Arts. In 2010 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Recent live concert appearances include Hollywood Bowl, Segerstrom Center and Royal Albert Hall, Budokan, Osaka-jo Hall, Maihama Amphitheatre, Tuacahn and Chicago Auditorium. Upcoming: The Little Mermaid (Live Version) film.

Photo credit: Jürgen Hammerschmid