Composer Christopher Willis is best known for his collaborations with director Armando Iannucci. After co-composing the music (with Rupert Gregson-Williams) to Iannucci’s HBO sitcom Veep, his debut feature film soundtrack for political satire The Death of Stalin earned him widespread critical acclaim. Drawing on the bombastic sounds of Soviet music of the 1950s, the score was shortlisted for the 2018 Academy Award for Best Original Score. Born in Australia, he grew up in the UK and earned his BA in Music at Clare College, Cambridge. He went on to study piano at the Royal Academy of Music, before returning to Cambridge to write a musicology PhD on the keyboard music of Domenico Scarlatti. Relocating to California, he worked in the studios of several major film composers, including Rupert Gregson-Williams, Harry Gregson-Williams, Henry Jackman, and Carter Burwell, before embarking on his own career. A self-described "eternal music student", his compositional output has been very diverse, united by his deep desire to learn about music in all its forms. This includes five seasons of Disney Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts, which take place in many locations and embrace a dizzying array of styles, as well as Disney Junior’s hit series The Lion Guard. His work for television has earned two Emmy nominations and he is the five-time winner of the Annie Award for Music in a Television/Broadcast Production.