Alan Menken to receive Max Steiner film music lifetime achievement award

Veteran composer, songwriter Alan Menken is set to be honoured with this year's Max Steiner Film Music Lifetime Achievement Award.

The honour is bestowed by the City of Vienna and named for Austrian composer Max Steiner, who penned the scores of "Gone With the Wind" and "Casablanca" among others.

Menken, the Oscar-winning composer behind some of Disney's most beloved songs, will receive the award on October 3 during the Hollywood in Vienna gala concert, reported Variety.

"I am truly honoured to be receiving the prestigious Max Steiner Award this year. And I feel humbled to have my name and work associated with the brilliant and legendary Max Steiner himself.

"The way his creative life moved from theatre to film to the concert stage, even as his personal life moved him from Austria to England, and from Broadway to Hollywood, is an inspiration for all of us who follow in his footsteps nearly 50 years after his passing. And to receive this award in Vienna, the classical music capitol of the world, promises to make this one of the highlights of my life and career," Menken said in a statement.

In his four decades long career, the musical mastermind has been behind beloved classics as "Under the Sea", "Be Our Guest", "Seize the Day" and "A Whole New World".

Menken has won best original song and score Oscars for "The Little Mermaid" (1989), "Beauty and the Beast" (1991), "Aladdin" (1992) and "Pocahontas" (1995).

Previous honourees of Max Steiner award include Alexandre Desplat, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman and Randy Newman.