From left: Hans Zimmer, Patrick Doyle, Alexandre Desplat, John Legend and Johann Johannsson, collaged into Zimmer’s studio.

Hans Zimmer, Alexandre Desplat and Johann Johannsson top the list of nominees in three key World Soundtrack Awards categories. High-profile names on the list of nominees announced by the World Soundtrack Academy today also include Patrick Doyle and John Legend.

The first nominees announced will be competing in the categories for Film Composer of the Year, Best Original Score of the Year and Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film. The 15th World Soundtrack Awards will be the closing event of Film Fest Gent on October 24 in Ghent, Belgium, culminating Film Fest Gent, which runs October 13-24.

The goal of the World Soundtrack Academy is to support film music, sound design, composers and their worldwide promotion. In 15 years, the membership of the WSAcademy has grown into a group of 370 strong, comprised entirely of international film music professionals who selected the WSA nominees for through several rounds of voting.

There are two more phases ahead for the nominating process: the WSAcademy will by the end of August select five nominees for the Discovery of the Year 2015.  Finally the public is being invited to nominate their favorite score by voting through September 5 for the Public Choice Award via ballot on the group’s website.

The following nominees were announced:

Film Composer of the Year

• Bruno Coulais Song of the Sea, Gemma Bovary, 3 Hearts (3 Coeurs), Mune le Guardien de la Lune, Diary of a Chambermaid, Fly Away Solo
• Alexandre Desplat Unbroken, The Imitation Game, Everything Will Be Fine, Tale of Tales
• Michael Giaccchino Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Inside Out, Jupiter Ascending,
  Jurassic World, Tomorrowland
• Johann Johannsson The Theory of Everything, The 11th Hour, Sicario
• Hans Zimmer Interstellar, Chappie

Best Original Film Score Of The Year

• Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Antonio Sanchez
• Cinderella, Patrick Doyle
• The Imitation Game, Alexandre Desplat
• Interstellar, Hans Zimmer
• The Theory of Everything, Johann Johannsson

Best Original Song Written For A Film

• The Apology Song, The Book of Life, music by Gustavo Santaolalla, lyrics by Paul Williams, performed by Diego Luna
• Carry Me Home, Insurgent, music & lyrics by Joseph Trapanese & Cristopher Taylor, performed by SOHN
• Glory, Selma, music & lyrics by John Legend, Common and Rhymefest, performed by Common and John Legend
• Grateful, Beyond the Lights, music & lyrics by Diane Warren, performed by Rita Ora
• Tell Me, Lost River, music & lyrics by Johnny Jewel, performed by Saoirse Ronan

The World Soundtrack Awards will celebrate its 15th anniversary by honoring one of the most accomplished film composers of his generation, Alan Silvestri, known for his long collaboration with director Robert Zemeckis, and the scores for Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Forrest Gump.

From August 19-21 Film Fest Gent will be recording an album of the scores of Silvestri at Flagey Studios in Brussels. Conducted by Music Director of Film Fest Gent Dirk Brossé and performed by Brussels Philharmonic, the album will be commercially released.

Following Film Fest Gent’s focus on British cinema this year, the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to composer Patrick Doyle at the World Soundtrack Awards. In addition to Doyle’s oeuvre and in line with tradition, Discovery 2014 Daniel Pemberton will also be performing that evening.

The 15th World Soundtrack Awards & Concert will take place October 24 at Kuipke in Ghent. Info & tickets can be found at  worldsoundtrackawards.com. Spotify subscribers can hear the WSAwards playlist on the Music Updates tab of the account of WSA website.