Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson in ‘Saving Mr. Banks.’
Jarom Rowland
On April 12 in Los Angeles, the Sundance Institute Film Music Program will host the third annual Composers Lab: LA featuring a series of informative conversations and interactive networking opportunities with renowned composers and industry professionals. The Lab offers film composers insight into the process of creating music for film. In anticipation of the event, we’ve curated a Spotify playlist showcasing some of the iconic work of our advisors.
Thomas Newman is returning again for the second year to Composers Lab: LA. He was recently nominated for his 11th Academy Award for the score to Saving Mr. Banks. Creating original music for a film based upon a beloved classic musical is a tall order. Newman nails it as usual with standout tracks including “The Magic Kingdom” and the gorgeous end title cue “Saving Mr. Banks.” His work on American Beauty, of course, remains film music canon with “Dead Already,” among others, becoming the stuff of soundtrack legend.
Emmy winner Trevor Morris is joining us for the first time at the Lab and will be part of the new panel we programmed on composing for television. Trevor is a master at blending classic orchestral compositions with electronic elements and has written scores for both major motion pictures and original television series. Some of his prominent tracks include the driving “Battle Field” and the epic “North Sea Storm” from the 2013 series Vikings. In addition, Morris made film music fan boys everywhere weep with the incredible “Day Break/We Will Rise” which closed out the film Olympus Has Fallen.
Blake Neely was just at the Sundance Film Festival with his score for The Case Against 8 and has been a long time friend of the Film Music Program. One of the top composers for television working today, Blake is widely known for his work on the long-running series The Mentalist. His cue for the “Main Title Theme” is now part of the prime time crime show lexicon. Some of my personal favorite work of Neely’s is from Season 1 of Arrow with “Five Years” and “I Can’t Lose You Twice” leading a score that is action-packed and mesmerizing.
Below, check out our Spotify playlist featuring songs by our Sundance Institute lab advisors.
