Greek composer Vangelis dies at 79

Known for his celebrated film scores for ‘Chariots of Fire’ and ‘Blade Runner’.

Acclaimed composer Vangelis died this past Tuesday, according to the Athens News Agency. The Greek musician and Oscar award winner was 79 years old, and no cause of death has been disclosed yet.

The synthesizer pioneer, born Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, won an Oscar for ‘Chariots of Fire’ and composed other landmark film scores such as ‘Blade Runner’. Vangelis, who first tasted fame as the keyboardist in the band Aphrodite’s Child with singer Demis Roussos in the late 1960s, had also been Grammy-nominated three times in the new age album category and for record of the year for ‘Chariots of Fire’. He performed all of the instruments, including synthesizer, piano, drums, and percussion, and his memorable theme not only enhanced the film but, as a soundtrack, reached no. 1 on the Billboard charts. It’s impossible to estimate the massive impact of Vangelis on modern film music.

Read some heartfelt tributes from the music industry below.