2017 ASCAP Television Composer of the Year Didier Lean Rachou and his wife Lucy have announced the establishment of the Lucy and Didier Lean Rachou Award to be given annually by the ASCAP Foundation. As an alumnus of the ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop with Richard Bellis, the prolific composer has created an award that includes a mentorship component in addition to a monetary prize. The creation of the Award comes during the 30th anniversary year of the ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop and will be awarded to an outstanding participant who holds a French passport.

“The ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop most importantly brought me to Los Angeles, opened my eyes to the possibilities, and gave me the tools and contacts needed to succeed. I’m also immensely proud to be a dual-citizen,” says Didier. “My French heritage gives me artistry and cultural traditions that, when coupled with the business acumen and opportunities of America, have led to an extremely rewarding career as a film and television composer. Those selected for a coveted spot in the ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop will walk in my footsteps, coming to Los Angeles, facilitated with a cash prize and mentoring, to follow their own Hollywood dreams.”

Didier Lean Rachou is the award-winning composer of both the 16-time Emmy winning series Deadliest Catch and Gold Rush (Discovery). On May 23, 2018, Didier took home his 15th career ASCAP Screen Music Award, winning a prestigious Most Performed Underscore Award for the sixth straight year, at the 2018 ASCAP Screen Music Awards held at the Beverly Hilton, in Los Angeles.

2017 was a banner year for Didier when he was honored with the ASCAP Television Composer of the Year Award, which is voted on by his peers. Didier and Lucy moved to Los Angeles shortly after he completed the ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop. Didier was fortunate to be mentored by two French music legends, Maurice Jarre and Michele Colombier early in his career. Over the last two decades, the couple have each built careers – Didier composing and Lucy switching from her work in film to becoming a writer, food magazine editor, cookbook author and innovative event producer.

Months after Didier relocated his NYC studio to an historic Hollywood Hills compound, he was scoring key scenes for the Golden Globe and Emmy winning series Sex and the City (HBO). In bringing his big screen sensibilities to the small screen with Storm Chasers (Discovery), Didier has defined the sound of a television genre by scoring several of the highest rated action-adventure unscripted series on cable, from Gold Rush, Deadliest Catch and Bering Seas Gold (Discovery) to the Michael Bay-produced series Billion Dollar Wreck (History).

Didier’s feature film credits include Powder Blue starring Academy Award-winners Forest Whitaker and Eddie Redmayne, How To Rob a Bank starring Erika Christensen and Gavin Rossdale, Moving McAllister starring Mila Kunis and MGM’s Her Best Move. He has had the privilege to work with such diverse artists as Ashford & Simpson, David Johansen, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Luis Bonfa, Paquito D’Rivera and members of the Pilobolus Dance Theater, amongst many others, as a composer, producer and/or engineer.

Raised in France and New York City, Didier is the son of world-renowned French chef Jean-Jacques Rachou (owner of the legendary La Côte Basque in New York). Didier received a BA in Composition and Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music and studied composition privately at The Juilliard School. He has been a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMY Awards) since 2000 and a voting member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (EMMY Awards) since 2012. As a teenager in NYC, Didier lived upstairs from four-time Oscar winner Henry Mancini. During that time, he also taught guitar lessons to Julian Casablancas and Nick Valensi, who went on to form The Strokes.

Lucy Lean grew up close to the source of her food on a beautiful farm in Devon, England. She publishes her award-winning lifestyle website LucyLean.com and authored the cookbook Made in America. Lucy has a Master’s in Film and Television from the British Film Institute/University of London. Filmmaking is in her blood – her great-uncle was the late film director David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Ryanʼs Daughter).

Photo (above) courtesy of ASCAP Foundation: Didier Lean Rachou and his wife Lucy.