Los Angeles, July 23, 2004. Where will the next generation of film music
greats like Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein and Howard Shore come from?
Some of those future Oscar-winning composers may well be participants in
this year's 16th annual ASCAP Television & Film Scoring Workshop, which is
currently taking place in Los Angeles under the guidance of composer
Richard Bellis (his seventh year with the program), Kevin Coogan (ASCAP Sr.
Director F&TV Music), and Mike Todd (ASCAP Director F&TV Music).
The workshop program was initiated in 1988 and has gained international
recognition through the years. The intensive month-long program (July 6-29,
2004) featuring prestigious guest speakers from the highest levels of the
film and television music industry is widely known as a major educational
and networking opportunity for aspiring composers. A total of 15
applicants from across the country and from as far away as Australia,
Austria, Brazil, Canada, Philippines, and Spain were selected by a jury of
leading film composers to participate in the workshop.
The workshop focuses on the many important business and creative elements
film composers must face in this competitive world. There will be a night
with acclaimed film & television composer Randy Newman. Speakers also
include composer agent Christine Russell (Evolution Music Partners); music
attorney Scott Edel (Kleinberg, Lopez, Lange, Cuddy & Edel); veteran
violinist and studio concertmaster, Endré Granat; Brian O'Connor (Pres.,
RMA/ LA Chapter); APM's Adam Taylor (President) and Edwina Travis-Chin
(Music Director); Lifetime Television's Marianne Goode; Lion's Gate's Joel
C. High; Electronic Arts' Steve Schnur; ASCAP composers Steve Bramson (JAG
and Navy NCIS), Sean Callery (24) and Marco Beltrami (i, Robot); Sabron's
Sandy De Crescent; vocalist and vocal arranger Randy Crenshaw; score
reader/orchestrator Dave Slonaker; Pro Tools operator Jeff Lingle; and 20th
Century Fox's orchestral scoring recordist John Rodd.
Field trips include a visit to the studio of ASCAP film & television
composer Jeff Rona to discuss the latest in recording technology and
approaches to scoring in the digital world; and an evening with Russ
Bartmus at JoAnn Kane Music Services, discussing music preparation, copying
and librarian services. In addition, the participants practice their
conducting techniques on stage with music editor Michael Ryan of Mad 4
Music, who also instructs the composers on cue sheets and timing notes in
preparation for their upcoming recording session.
During the course of the workshop, participants will be exposed to
different aspects of scoring at each session. Five 3-minute clips in
different styles (dramatic, animation, comedy, action, suspense and
epic/period) from recent feature films and television series were chosen
for which the participants will compose their own original cue. Each
original score will be recorded with a 40-piece orchestra featuring top
L.A. studio players at the Newman Scoring Stage on the Fox Studios lot,
with master film score engineer Armin Steiner. A screening of all clips
will be held at the William Fox Theater on the Fox Studios lot for the
final day of the workshop.
For the first time in the history of the Television & Film Scoring
Workshop, ASCAP will present the Steve Kaplan TV and Film Studies
Scholarship, established by his family and friends, in memory of the late
composer, performer and producer Steve Kaplan. Steve contributed songs and
scores to many popular television programs, including Jeopardy and Wheel of
Fortune. This new scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance
for one participant to further his/her career in the field of television
and film composing at the completion of the annual ASCAP Television & Film
Scoring Workshop. A committee consisting of both industry professionals
and ASCAP staff will select the recipient.
Also, the inaugural Harold Arlen Film & TV Award will be given during the
final review session of the ASCAP Television & Film Scoring Workshop. Sam
and Joan Arlen, the son and daughter-in-law of Harold Arlen, established
this new award in recognition of Harold Arlen's 100th birthday in 2005.
The ASCAP Television & Film Scoring Workshop is partially funded by The
ASCAP Foundation. Major contributions of resources, equipment and talent
are also being provided by 20th Century Fox Music, Paramount Pictures and
Television, Icon Distribution Inc., Sabron Inc., Jo Ann Kane Music Service,
Mad 4 Music and the Newman Scoring Stage.
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the world's largest performing-right
organization, with over 185,000 active composer, lyricist and music
publisher members. ASCAP is committed to protecting the rights of its
members by licensing and collecting royalties for the public performance of
their copyrighted works, and then distributing these fees to the Society's
members based on performances. ASCAP's repertory spans the entire spectrum
of music - from pop to symphonic, rock to gospel, Latin to country to jazz,
rhythm and blues, theater, film and television music. ASCAP's Board of
Directors is made up solely of writers and publishers, elected by the
membership.
Comments from professionals associated with
The ASCAP Television and Film Scoring Workshop
"The opportunity that ASCAP has given to the workshop participants, along
with the high level of musicianship and having a 1st class orchestra
available, is still unprecedented in the industry today!" - Armin Steiner
(recording engineer)
"It's always a great pleasure to participate in the Film Scoring Workshop.
ASCAP is putting something back into the business so that the talent pool
can be nurtured and continue to grow." - Sandy De Crescent (contractor,
Sabron Inc.)
"ASCAP has always been a leader in providing opportunities and programs for
new generations of composers and songwriters, and the Film Scoring Workshop
is another outstanding example of this kind of career development. As
someone who has always studied the music of my own musical heroes, I am
delighted to have been given the opportunity to share my own insights and
experiences with these wonderfully gifted young composers."- James Newton
Howard (composer)
"The ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop is such an invaluable experience for
anyone lucky enough to attend. It presents real world information and
experiences that can't be learned any other way. Where else can a new
composer meet members of the Hollywood creative community and score real
picture with a real orchestra under the guidance of top composers? It's
been a pleasure to be involved." - Jeff Rona (composer/lecturer)
"The ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop is a one-of-a-kind experience in preparing
composers for a career in film and television music. Participants are
afforded the 'A' list of musicians, mixer, scoring stage, music prep and
music editor. It's enough to make even the most experienced composer's
mouth water." " Richard Bellis
List of Participants and their country of origin
Australia—Tamara O'Brien (University of NSU-B.M.)
Current residence: New South Wales, Australia
Austria—Edwin Wendler (UCLA-Extension)
Current residence: CA
Brazil—Douglas Fonseca (State University of Campinas, Brazil-B.S./U. of Miami-M.S.)
Current residence: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Canada—Darren Fung (McGill, B.M.)
Current residence: Montreal, CANADA
Philippines—George C. Ramirez (University of San Diego-B.A./UCLA Extension)
Current residence: Azusa, CA
Spain—Cesar Benito (Berklee College of Music)
Current residence: Los Angeles, CA
United States
Greg Chun (Stanford University-B.S./UCSD-M.S.)
Current residence: Manhattan Beach, CA
Paul Cristo (Berklee College of Music)
Current residence: Scottsdale, AZ
Robert Elfman (USC)
Current residence: Venice, CA
Scott Glasgow (Cal State Northridge-B.S./ SF Conservatory-M.S.)
Current residence: Los Angeles, CA
Gerard Marino (Stetson University-B.M./ USC-A.S. Cert.)
Current residence: West Hills, CA
Ted Masur (Yale University-B.A./Indiana University-M.M.)
Current residence: San Francisco, CA
Darrell Raby (University of Texas-B.S./USC-Grad. Cert.)
Current residence: Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
George Shaw (USC-B.S.)
Current residence: Los Angeles, CA
Scott Starrett (Stanford University-B.S./Juilliard-M.M.)
Current residence: New York, NY