New York, NY, July 8, 2009: The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has selected 12 aspiring composers to participate in the
21st Annual ASCAP Television and Film Scoring Workshop with renowned composer, arranger and mentor Richard Bellis. This year's Workshop is generously supported by Avid - makers of Pro Tools, Sibelius and M-Audio products, Ole Music, Screen Actors Guild, Recording Musicians Association, Variety.com and The ASCAP Foundation. It started July 7th in Los Angeles and runs through July 31st. From July 13th onwards, visit
Variety.com/ascap for daily coverage from inside the workshop.
The intensive month-long program has gained international recognition, and is widely known as a major educational and networking opportunity for aspiring composers to work and learn in a professional composer’s environment. At its 21st year, the Television and Film Scoring Workshop remains one of the most successful and prestigious programs offered by ASCAP, providing the best tools and opportunities to interact with veteran industry professionals at no cost to the twelve selected participants.
As part of the annual workshop, these talented aspiring composers receive advice, practical experience and insiders' access to state-of-the art facilities and an A-list roster of Hollywood professionals. They also benefit from the mentorship of Richard Bellis, an Emmy Award-winning composer, author of
The Emerging Film Composer and member of ASCAP’s Board of Directors, who has coached the Workshop for the past eleven years. Bellis once again led a panel selection of the Workshop’s 12 participants, who were selected from more than several hundred applicants worldwide.
"With this program, ASCAP provides the very precipice from which careers in film, television and media music are launched," said Richard Bellis. "To have your music performed, recorded and edited to picture in a state-of-the-art environment is more than an aspiring composer could hope for. Add to that the opportunity to meet and personally interact with the industry's top agents, studio executives, directors and composers and you have a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
The highlight of this Workshop is the unique opportunity for the participants to record their own music with virtually the same resources afforded Oscar-winning composers. Early in the program, the participants are randomly assigned a three-minute scene from a well-known feature film. They have nine days to compose an original score to fit the scene. They are then taken to the famous Alfred Newman Scoring Stage at Twentieth Century Fox where their scores are recorded by musicians from the elite RMA-LA, most of whom performed on the original soundtracks for the selected film clips. During the scoring session they have the luxury of working with a team of professionals, including a music editor and Protools operator, recording engineer and booth recordist, music librarian and prep service, and a musicians contractor. On the last day of the Workshop, ASCAP screens all of the clips, complete with effects and dialogue, in a theater room at the Directors Guild of America. In the end, each composer walks away with an impressive top-of-the-line demo and a tremendous head start on a successful career in scoring to picture.
The Workshop has guided talent in taking their craft to the next level and has produced a large number of success stories. In previous years the Workshop has featured industry professionals as speakers including:
Sean Callery (
24, Medium),
John Debney (
Hannah Montana: The Movie, The Stoning of Soraya M.),
Randy Newman (
Leatherheads, Cars),
James Newton Howard (
Defiance,
The Dark Knight), Mark Snow (
Ghost Whisperer, The X-Files), and
Hans Zimmer (
Frost/Nixon,
The Dark Night). Industry veterans who regularly contribute their time and talent to the program include: music editor Michael Ryan co-founder of Mad 4 Music, Jo Ann Kane Music Services, legendary recording engineer Armin Steiner, contractor Peter Rotter, RMA International President Phil Ayling, orchestrator David Slonaker, scoring mixer John Rodd, and concert master Endre Granat.
"It is very important that our program remains current with modern trends, which is why we're excited to add new elements to this year's workshop," said Mike Todd, Senior Director of Film & TV Music. "Thanks to the support of additional sponsors, we can now provide a personalized demonstration on composition and scoring within Avid’s world class Pro Tools. Additionally, there will be an opportunity to write and record for a live 16-voice choir. These new sessions will provide even more real-life scenarios for our participants to experience as part of ASCAP’s ever-evolving Film Scoring Workshop."
The following are the selected participants for the 21st Annual ASCAP Television and Film Scoring Workshop:
DANIEL BAKER
Website :
www.studioripple.com.au
Hometown: Sydney, Australia, “but I plan to make L.A my hometown in the not to distant future!”
In Dan's relatively short career he has scored over 25 short films, 3 feature films and various other projects from television commercials to theatre. In 2006, Dan graduated from the prestigious
Master of Arts: Screen Composition course at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS). His orchestration credits include the high-profile films
Australia with composer David Hirschfelder and
Jumper with composer John Powell. In 2009 Dan won the APRA Professional Development Award for the Film and Television category. The award recognizes emerging composers and helps their careers through monetary and educational assistance.
“It will be an amazing experience and a fantastic insight into the L.A industry. The workshop will also improve my craft and give me opportunities I wouldn't normally be able to have at this stage in my career.” – DANIEL BAKER
DANIEL JAMES CHAN
Website :
http://www.danieljameschan.com/
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA / El Paso, TX
Daniel received his degrees in music composition from the University of North Texas (BM) and Southern Methodist University(MM). His education continued at the USC Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program. His credits include scores for a number of independent films as well as
Star Trek: Hidden Frontier, a fan-based web series.
"I'm glad to be a part of this workshop to learn from industry professionals and work with the phenomenal musicians in Los Angeles.” – DANIEL JAMES CHAN
MAXIME GOULET
Website :
http://www.maximegoulet.com/
Hometown : Montreal, Canada
Maxime earned his Bachelor and Master degrees at the University of Montreal. Currently employed in the video game industry, Maxime is the in-house composer for Gameloft. His work also includes scores for independent films, theatrical and dance projects.
“I always was fascinated and stimulated by the dynamic projects of L.A. Searching for a way to see it from the inside, I found that the ASCAP Workshop was the perfect guide for me as an emerging composer.” – MAXIME GOULET
MILES HANKINS
Website :
http://www.mileshankins.com/
Hometown: currently Los Angeles, CA / Long Island, NY
Miles earned his Bachelor of Music from the University of Miami where he studied film scoring, composition and jazz performance. A finalist in the Turner Classic Movies Young Film Composers Competition, his work in film scoring has included scores for two independent feature films and a number of shorts. He has also worked as an orchestrator and composer's assistant on several television series including
Flash Gordon,
Burn Notice and
Family Guy.
“I applied to the workshop because I feel it is a unique opportunity for young composers to get hands on experience with a live studio orchestra and to network with peers in the field. In an industry where there are no set pathways to success, the workshop offers a singular chance for aspiring composers to show their stuff and gain valuable knowledge and experience from professionals in the field.” – MILES HANKINS
JOACHIM HORSLEY
Website :
http://www.littlehorsemusic.com
Hometown: New York, NY
After graduating Skidmore in 2000 with a BA in Music Composition and Recording Engineering, Joachim returned to his home town of Boston, MA, where he produced records with many musicians, including The Tower of Power Horns. He was recruited by RK Music in New York, NY to score TV shows and promos airing on NBC, ABC, HBO, TruTV, A&E, The Biography Channel, The History Channel and The Travel Channel. In late 2004, he launched his studio LittleHorse Music & Audio in New York, where he specializes in music and audio services for independent films.
“Composing primarily for indie films, I typically work with chamber groups and other types of small ensembles. It's rare for me to have an orchestra at my disposal, and control and understanding of such a large ensemble is a very specific craft that I would like to continue to develop. This workshop offers a wonderful opportunity to do so. I'm also looking forward to some of the guest lecturers.” – JOACHIM HORSLEY
JEHAN STEFAN LEGROS
Hometown : Paris, France
Jehan Stefan studied at the
Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Rueil-Malmaison near Paris in addition to studying composition at the
Conservatoire de Puteaux, and the
Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris. This September he starts his second year of a Masters degree at
La Sorbonne University, Paris. His thesis documents a detailed analytical survey of orchestral Hollywood film music since 1975.
"The first piano tune I played was film music (The Piano by Michael Nyman). The first CD I bought was film music (Titanic by James Horner). The first orchestral sheet music I studied was film music, too (E.T. by John Williams). Despite years of classical music studies in Paris, Hollywood film music has always been part of my life since my childhood. Entering this program with Richard Bellis and all his great team is a 12-year old boy's dream come true!" – JEHAN STEFAN LEGROS
ELIZABETH LIM
Website :
http://www.lizlim.com/
Hometown: Walnut Creek, CA / New York, NY
Elizabeth earned a bachelor's degree in music from Harvard University and is currently pursuing a master's degree in composition at Juilliard. Her education has focused on classical art music, earning commissions around the United States and numerous awards at competitions including recognition as a finalist for the Fulbright scholarship. Upon graduation, she plans to focus on film scoring full-time.
“I wanted to spend this summer as part of the ASCAP workshop because there's nothing more exciting than writing film music, so the chance to compose for film while meeting the amazing people in the industry and learning from their experiences is one that I would not want to pass up.” – ELIZABETH LIM
MAURIZIO MALAGNINI
Website :
http://www.malagnini.it
Hometown: London, England / Bergamo, Italy
Maurizio is a London-based composer working in both Italian and British television and film. After completing his Masters at the Royal College of London, Maurizio began work on an animated series for Italian television,
Psicovip. His music has also been heard in ads for Miller, Xbox 360, and Samsung. He is currently a teacher at the Institute of Contemporary Music in London.
“Well, what could be more exciting than leaving rainy London to come to Hollywood and record a soundtrack with the best professionals in the world? I've been waiting all my life for an opportunity like this: I am also excited to meet all the other composers, young talented people who share my same dream and come from all over the world. I am sure it will be an amazing experience.” – MAURIZIO MALAGNINI
RHETT NELSON
Website :
http://rhettnelson.com
Hometown : Los Angeles, CA
Rhett has been building a successful career in LA for the last four years. After completing his BA at Brigham Young University and his Master's at the University of Miami, he moved to Los Angeles to participate in the USC Scoring program. He continued to build his career and knowledge through work as a music copyist at the renowned JoAnn Kane Music Services. In recent years he has contributed to the scores for two Disney series,
Aaron Stone and
Power Rangers as well as movie trailer music for the Non-Stop Music catalog.
"This year marks my fourth attempt to be a part of the ASCAP Film and Television Scoring Workshop. Learning from the world's top film industry professionals is the opportunity of a lifetime, a great honor and privilege that I would not miss for anything!" - RHETT NELSON
THOMAS PARISCH
Website :
http://www.thomasparisch.com
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA / Stuttgart, Germany
Thomas began his musical education in Germany at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart. After continuing study at the highly-regarded Berklee College of Music and USC's Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program, Thomas began composing for short films, commercials and audio books. Since his move from Germany to Los Angeles, Thomas has also done orchestration on feature films for composer John Frizzell.
"I feel it's very important to be in close touch with the leading professionals of our business as this business is constantly changing, especially now undergoing a drastic change. ASCAP provides a unique insight and puts us in touch with individuals that have immense experience and knowledge which sharing with us will certainly be of huge benefit. I'll do everything I can to learn from the sessions and their speakers as much as I can to improve my writing and understanding of the industry. And, of course, I'm looking very forward to the recording! This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience which making time for over the period of one month is a tiny sacrifice in my point of view. It is a honor to be selected at all, many great composers went through this workshop at one point in their career.” – THOMAS PARISCH
JOSEPH TRAPANESE
Website :
http://www.joecomposer.com
Hometown : Los Angeles, CA / Jersey City, NJ
Joseph's music has been heard in feature films, network and cable television as well as in productions at NYU, UCLA, on NPR, and several Off-Broadway productions in NYC. Joseph earned a Bachelor of Music from Manhattan School of Music and completed his Master's at UCLA. His recent work has ranged from orchestration on the hit Showtime series
Dexter to work as an arranger and music programmer on the Fox sitcom
The Loop, NBC’s
America’s Got Talent, ABC’s
American Inventor, and Disney’s original movie
Jump In. He has also served as a synthesizer programmer and sample designer on the features
Traitor and
Rendition.
“I've wanted to be a part of this workshop as far back as I can remember! The opportunity to learn from such experienced mentors, and to conduct an orchestra filled with musicians that have brought my favorite films scores to life, is just too incredible to pass up – truly an honor to be given this opportunity.” – JOSEPH TRAPANESE
SUNNA WEHRMEIJER
Website :
http://www.sunnawehrmeijer.com
Hometown : Los Angeles, CA / Amsterdam, Netherlands
After beginning her education at the University of Amsterdam and the School of Art Utrecht where she earned a Master of Arts, Sunna moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film scoring. She continued her education at the UCLA Extension Film Scoring Program in 2008. During her recent internship with composer Christopher Young, Sunna has been score coordinator for several feature film projects (
Creation and
When in Rome) while also scoring a number of independent film projects of her own.
“I wanted to do this workshop rather than anything else, because I think this workshop will be amazing. There's nothing else I'd rather do than composing for film.” – SUNNA WEHRMEIJER
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About ole
ole is a globally competitive, Canadian-owned, full-service music publisher. ole boasts a team of 27 experienced industry professionals focused on acquisitions, creative development and administration worldwide. The ole catalog includes over thirty-five thousand songs and thirty thousand hours of TV music across all genres. ole is an expert in administrating television music copyrights and in licensing songs for TV & Film. ole is committed to being the best and most innovative global destination for world-class songwriters, composers, and management talent, and the first choice music source for creators in all media. ole has offices in Toronto, Nashville and Los Angeles.
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About The ASCAP Foundation
Founded in 1975, The ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education and talent development programs. Included in these are songwriting workshops, grants, scholarships, awards, recognition and community outreach programs, and public service projects for senior composers and lyricists. The ASCAP Foundation is supported by contributions from ASCAP members and from music lovers throughout the United States.
www.ascapfoundation.org
About ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 350,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances. ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members.
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