THE PIXEL MASTERWORKS PROJECT
The PIXEL MASTERWORKS Project seeks to expand the marimba repertoire with pieces bridging the gap between genres, creating music that may appeal to a wider audience while maintaining high technical and musical demand for the performer. All of the pieces commissioned through this initiative are heavily inspired by (or in some cases, adaptations of) video game music. Every composer featured in this project is either a credited game composer, a recording artist for game soundtracks, or someone whose compositional voice encapsulates VGM on a deep level.
The first PIXEL MASTERWORKS consortium will create 6 new works for marimba, totaling approximately 50 minutes of music, a full recital! A studio album recording will follow, along with these new pieces being released into the world! Each composer has been thoughtfully selected in order to represent a wide variety of relationships to video games and VGM, presenting each with an opportunity to express their unique musical voice through the marimba.
These works will be completed by June 2025, with world premiere performances by Marco Schirripa in late 2025.
The Consortium
Consortium contributions are available through PayPal/Venmo or Check. Written consortium contracts are available upon request, for payment plans, or for organizational contributions if necessary.
The Benefits
(each tier include all previous tiers' benefit)
(each tier include all previous tiers' benefit)
$10+: Your name listed in all final copies of sheet music (name will be listed higher based on contribution amount)
$25+: Your name listed in all future videos and album notes
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD SCORES, LISTED BELOW, INCLUDE:
PDF copy of chosen work(s) upon final delivery
Performance exclusivity from January 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026
For Individuals:
$60: Choice of 1 piece
$175: Choice of 3 pieces
$250+: All 6 pieces
For Universities/Organizations:
$120: Choice of 1 piece
$350: Choice of 3 pieces
$500+: All 6 pieces
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD 6 PIECES WILL RECEIVE THE BONUS 7TH PIECE IF TOTAL FUNDING GOAL IS MET
If considering a larger contribution, please contact Marco Schirripa at [email protected] to discuss potential additional benefits (masterclasses, future collaborations, etc.)
Contribution rewards will be delivered when available to e-mail included via contribution method.
Financial details for project available upon request. Central Michigan University and Marco Schirripa have and will make the largest contributions to this initiative.
$25+: Your name listed in all future videos and album notes
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD SCORES, LISTED BELOW, INCLUDE:
PDF copy of chosen work(s) upon final delivery
Performance exclusivity from January 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026
For Individuals:
$60: Choice of 1 piece
$175: Choice of 3 pieces
$250+: All 6 pieces
For Universities/Organizations:
$120: Choice of 1 piece
$350: Choice of 3 pieces
$500+: All 6 pieces
ALL CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD 6 PIECES WILL RECEIVE THE BONUS 7TH PIECE IF TOTAL FUNDING GOAL IS MET
If considering a larger contribution, please contact Marco Schirripa at [email protected] to discuss potential additional benefits (masterclasses, future collaborations, etc.)
Contribution rewards will be delivered when available to e-mail included via contribution method.
Financial details for project available upon request. Central Michigan University and Marco Schirripa have and will make the largest contributions to this initiative.
THE COMPOSERS
(in alphabetical order)
Mat Campbell
solo marimba + audio playback/solo marimba + orchestra
11 minutes
Arrangement of music from Ari's Journey OST
Mathew “Mat” Aaron Campbell (b. 1992) originally hails from the La Hermosa barrio in San Benito, a small town in the Rio Grande Valley in Deep South Texas. After learning to make the most of his limited resources, he has turned to using his unique, speech-impeded voice to build a career of collaborative opportunities between the Rio Grande Valley and the rest of the world.
He earned his Bachelor of Music in Education from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where he studied with multiple teachers, including percussion and composition with Dr. Joe W. Moore III. After teaching as a percussion director in Texas, Campbell attended Oklahoma City University and graduated with High Honors and induction into the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of the Pi Kappa Lambda Society. He earned a Master of Music in Music Composition and Conducting in two years under Dr. Edward Knight and Dr. Matthew Mailman, respectively.
As a regularly commissioned composer, guest conductor, and adjudicator, Mat has collaborated with various educators and musicians throughout the United States. He has conducted his works at The National Flute Convention, ClarinetFest, and the Texas Music Educators Conference. His music has been programmed by conductors and ensembles in the United States, Australia, Canada, Europe, and Asia, and at events such as the National Conference of Percussion Pedagogy, New Music on the Bayou, the Inaugural Central Washington University New Music Festival, and various instrumental conferences such as The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. His music has been reviewed in publications such as Percussive Arts Society’s Percussive Notes and International Clarinet Association’s The Clarinet and included on the Bandworld Top 100 List. His music is available through C. Alan Publications and his website store.
His piece Into the Void: A Study in Disembodied Consciousness received first prize in the SATB Chorus and Percussion (3-5 Players) Category of the 2015 Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest. In his dedication to providing other composers this opportunity, he currently serves as a member of the PAS Composition Committee.
While forming an ever-evolving freelance career as a creative, Mat uses his proficiency in notation and music production software to elevate his solo ambitions or projects with others in various capacities to the next level. Over time, this list has grown to include the roles of arranger, sound designer, engraver, and collaborator across stage, studio, field, and genre.
Mat is currently a Music Engraving and Audio/Video Specialist at C. Alan Publications and a former Adjunct Professor of Music Production at the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma.
https://www.matcampbell.com/media#games
He earned his Bachelor of Music in Education from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where he studied with multiple teachers, including percussion and composition with Dr. Joe W. Moore III. After teaching as a percussion director in Texas, Campbell attended Oklahoma City University and graduated with High Honors and induction into the Alpha Upsilon Chapter of the Pi Kappa Lambda Society. He earned a Master of Music in Music Composition and Conducting in two years under Dr. Edward Knight and Dr. Matthew Mailman, respectively.
As a regularly commissioned composer, guest conductor, and adjudicator, Mat has collaborated with various educators and musicians throughout the United States. He has conducted his works at The National Flute Convention, ClarinetFest, and the Texas Music Educators Conference. His music has been programmed by conductors and ensembles in the United States, Australia, Canada, Europe, and Asia, and at events such as the National Conference of Percussion Pedagogy, New Music on the Bayou, the Inaugural Central Washington University New Music Festival, and various instrumental conferences such as The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. His music has been reviewed in publications such as Percussive Arts Society’s Percussive Notes and International Clarinet Association’s The Clarinet and included on the Bandworld Top 100 List. His music is available through C. Alan Publications and his website store.
His piece Into the Void: A Study in Disembodied Consciousness received first prize in the SATB Chorus and Percussion (3-5 Players) Category of the 2015 Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest. In his dedication to providing other composers this opportunity, he currently serves as a member of the PAS Composition Committee.
While forming an ever-evolving freelance career as a creative, Mat uses his proficiency in notation and music production software to elevate his solo ambitions or projects with others in various capacities to the next level. Over time, this list has grown to include the roles of arranger, sound designer, engraver, and collaborator across stage, studio, field, and genre.
Mat is currently a Music Engraving and Audio/Video Specialist at C. Alan Publications and a former Adjunct Professor of Music Production at the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma.
https://www.matcampbell.com/media#games
Laura Intravia
solo marimba + audio playback
8 minutes
Original work heavily inspired by chiptunes
Composer, vocalist and instrumentalist Laura Intravia is internationally renowned for her multi-faceted musical career in opera, concert music and video game/film soundtracks.
On the concert stage, in addition to her voice, Laura has taken her classical flute, world flutes and Electronic Wind Instrument across the globe on the Video Games Live international concert tour. Appearing as a principal soloist since 2009, Laura has performed with over 40 orchestras worldwide, including the Pittsburgh Symphony, Utah Symphony, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquesta Nacional de España, Polish National Radio Symphony, U.A.E. National Symphony and the Qatar Philharmonic. She made her debuts at the Palais des Congrès in Paris in 2009, Wolf Trap in Virginia in 2013, and Konzerthaus in Vienna in 2016. She has also performed as a guest soloist with the Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions world tour, making her Madison Square Garden debut with the show in 2015. Laura also performed at the world premiere of Journey: LIVE with Fifth House Ensemble, under the baton of composer Austin Wintory.
Equally at home in her recording studio, Laura's work as a remote session musician has appeared in over 70 video game and film soundtracks. Her versatility in various vocal styles has lead to an equally wide range of recording projects; from the classic soprano sound of Destiny, Destiny 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Honor of Kings, ReCore; to pop-inspired belting in Code Vein, Arknights, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and Erica; to genre-bending, world music vocals in Darksiders 3 and Mortal Kombat 11. In addition to her studio choir work on projects such as God Eater 3 and The iDOLM@STER – Cinderella Master, Laura is well-versed in the techniques of vocal multi-tracking, emulating the effect of childrens' choir in projects such as Kaladin, Buttons and Super Lucky's Tale. Her classical, jazz and world flute techniques can be heard in games such as Rainbow Billy, Mages of Mystralia, Otomedius Excellent, Tin Hearts and Cornerstone: Song of Tyrim.
A composer as well as a lyricist, Laura has won several awards for her original works, including the Jack Downey Vocal Composition Prize and 2nd place in the New York Treble Singers Composition Competition. An avid arranger, Laura's solo piano arrangements of Austin Wintory's Grammy-nominated score Journey were published by Alfred Music in 2013. Laura has arranged and orchestrated several pieces on the Video Games Live album series, and has released two solo piano video game arrangement albums, Through Time and Space and Shall We Play?, both featuring pianist Brendon Shapiro. Laura made her video game debut in 2018 by composing additional music for the indie point-and-click adventure Arkhangel: House of the Seven Stars, as well as co-writing the game's end credits song with lead composer Chad Seiter. She also collaborated with composer Sterling Maffe on "Dawn of the Moon" for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, providing lyrics and vocals for the commemorative 5th anniversary song.
Born and raised on Long Island, Laura holds degrees in Composition and Vocal Performance from Ithaca College, where she was awarded the Philip J. Lang Composition Scholarship and Hockett Composition Scholarship. She was the Keynote Speaker for the North American Conference of Video Game Music in 2024. Laura is a visioning partner for Catalyst New Music, and has served as a jury member in multiple video game audio showcase competitions including Indiecade and the Game Remix Awards. She is also a core ensemble member of the video game music funk/jazz band DiscoCactus.
https://www.lauraintravia.com/
On the concert stage, in addition to her voice, Laura has taken her classical flute, world flutes and Electronic Wind Instrument across the globe on the Video Games Live international concert tour. Appearing as a principal soloist since 2009, Laura has performed with over 40 orchestras worldwide, including the Pittsburgh Symphony, Utah Symphony, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Orquesta Nacional de España, Polish National Radio Symphony, U.A.E. National Symphony and the Qatar Philharmonic. She made her debuts at the Palais des Congrès in Paris in 2009, Wolf Trap in Virginia in 2013, and Konzerthaus in Vienna in 2016. She has also performed as a guest soloist with the Pokemon: Symphonic Evolutions world tour, making her Madison Square Garden debut with the show in 2015. Laura also performed at the world premiere of Journey: LIVE with Fifth House Ensemble, under the baton of composer Austin Wintory.
Equally at home in her recording studio, Laura's work as a remote session musician has appeared in over 70 video game and film soundtracks. Her versatility in various vocal styles has lead to an equally wide range of recording projects; from the classic soprano sound of Destiny, Destiny 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Honor of Kings, ReCore; to pop-inspired belting in Code Vein, Arknights, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and Erica; to genre-bending, world music vocals in Darksiders 3 and Mortal Kombat 11. In addition to her studio choir work on projects such as God Eater 3 and The iDOLM@STER – Cinderella Master, Laura is well-versed in the techniques of vocal multi-tracking, emulating the effect of childrens' choir in projects such as Kaladin, Buttons and Super Lucky's Tale. Her classical, jazz and world flute techniques can be heard in games such as Rainbow Billy, Mages of Mystralia, Otomedius Excellent, Tin Hearts and Cornerstone: Song of Tyrim.
A composer as well as a lyricist, Laura has won several awards for her original works, including the Jack Downey Vocal Composition Prize and 2nd place in the New York Treble Singers Composition Competition. An avid arranger, Laura's solo piano arrangements of Austin Wintory's Grammy-nominated score Journey were published by Alfred Music in 2013. Laura has arranged and orchestrated several pieces on the Video Games Live album series, and has released two solo piano video game arrangement albums, Through Time and Space and Shall We Play?, both featuring pianist Brendon Shapiro. Laura made her video game debut in 2018 by composing additional music for the indie point-and-click adventure Arkhangel: House of the Seven Stars, as well as co-writing the game's end credits song with lead composer Chad Seiter. She also collaborated with composer Sterling Maffe on "Dawn of the Moon" for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, providing lyrics and vocals for the commemorative 5th anniversary song.
Born and raised on Long Island, Laura holds degrees in Composition and Vocal Performance from Ithaca College, where she was awarded the Philip J. Lang Composition Scholarship and Hockett Composition Scholarship. She was the Keynote Speaker for the North American Conference of Video Game Music in 2024. Laura is a visioning partner for Catalyst New Music, and has served as a jury member in multiple video game audio showcase competitions including Indiecade and the Game Remix Awards. She is also a core ensemble member of the video game music funk/jazz band DiscoCactus.
https://www.lauraintravia.com/
Star Victoria Power
(Slide20XX)
solo marimba + digital delay
2 - 6 minutes
Star Victoria Power (aka, Slide20XX) is a composer who writes colorful music for colorful games. Their work includes contribution to Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's new DLC, Dominique's Curse, the soundtrack for Calico (a game about magical girls running a cat cafe), the anti-racist PSAs put out by Steven Universe, and electro-swing & jazz-hop for the visual novel Penny Larceny: Gig Economy Supervillain. They're also cofounder of video game music community and educational resource, Beats to Play Games to and founder of its sister organization, Black in Game Audio.
https://www.slide20xx.com/
Eileen Snyder
solo marimba + audio playback
5 - 7 minutes
Groovy, fusion-inspired piece for solo marimba and fixed media honoring racing game OSTs like Ridge Racer and Mario Kart. The piece will have high energy and have strong interaction between the marimba and the track!
Eileen Snyder is a composer-performer based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She got her start in the video game scene arranging music, writing charts for Consoul Big Band’s show at MAGFest 2019. In recent years, she has worked with ensembles such as The Game Brass and arranged for the globe-spanning online project Line Them Up! A Paper Mario: Origami King Concert. While attending Michigan State University, she formed a close relationship with the game design program, writing soundtracks for games including Unicycle Samurai, which featured as a part of alt.ctrl.GDC at GDC 2023. She thoroughly enjoys the versatility and experimentation that comes with composing for interactive media and finds herself constantly inspired by women in game audio. (She cannot understate the impact Super Mario Kart has had on her.)
Eileen holds MM degrees in composition and theory from Michigan State University, where she studied under Drs. Alexis Bacon, David Biedenbender, and Zhou Tian. She currently teaches music composition for video games at Bradley University.
https://eileensnyder.com/
Jamie Wind Whitmarsh
solo marimba + audio playback
8 - 9 minutes
Piece description from the composer:
The concept for my work is to emulate the nonlinearity found in game audio and bring it into the concert hall. The idea for this work for marimba and stereo playback is to create a collection of musical themes one might find in a video game (overworld, game over, battle, town) and allow the player to arrange them in whatever order desired. Additionally, I plan to provide several versions of the marimba part for each movement, which affords the performer flexibility to program the work to their desired difficulty level as well as the ability to present the same “tracks” multiple times within a performance, with variations in the live part.
Depending on how the project evolves and where it winds up going, the work could be anywhere from 4 to 15 movements - all optional and able to be ordered in whatever way the performer wants (even excluding movements). I’ve also tossed around the idea of releasing “DLC” movements later on…
Dr. Jamie Wind Whitmarsh is an American composer, percussionist, conductor, and cat enthusiast based in Oklahoma City. Jamie is an active composer for the concert hall, film, and video games. Recent releases include Elowen’s Light by Sweet and Power Sauce (Steam), Hyper Bimbo Beats by Plunder Inc. (Google Play and iOS stores), and packet.Breach() (Steam). He serves as Principal Timpanist of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, as Executive Director and as conductor for the Oklahoma Modern Music Collective.
Several notable competitions Jamie has won include:
PAS Composition Competition (first place, 2012, Concerto for Drumset; second place, 2013, Variations 2.0)
MTNA Young Artist National Composition Competition (first place 2014)
48-Hour Film Project Best Musical Score (Oklahoma, 2018, Big Day)
American Prize in Music (third place, 2021, American Biomes)
Jamie has recordings on the MSR Classics, Garnet House Productions, and Equilibrium Recordings labels, and has had his music performed at many conventions and conferences, including the PASIC, ICA ClarinetFest, the World Saxophone Congress in Croatia, the NASA Convention, the SCI Regional Conference, ITG Convention, MTNA National and State Conventions, the UNK New Music Festival, and the 16th Biennial Festival of New Music at Florida State University, among others. Jamie’s marching band company A103 Marching provides custom music and drill to marching bands across the country.
Jamie is on the board for Oklahoma Modern Music Collective, Oklahoma Community Orchestra, and American Voices, and serves on the PAS Composition Committee. He also serves as a moderator for the game audio Discord servers “Indie Game Academy”, “Beats To Play Games To”, and “Oklahoma Game Developers”. Previously he has served as both President and Vice President for the Oklahoma Percussive Arts Society, the Percussive Notes Review Team, and the Director of Composition for YES Academy workshops in Lebanon, Egypt, and Kurdistan. Jamie teaches at Oklahoma City University and University of Central Oklahoma. https://www.jamiewhitmarsh.com/
Several notable competitions Jamie has won include:
PAS Composition Competition (first place, 2012, Concerto for Drumset; second place, 2013, Variations 2.0)
MTNA Young Artist National Composition Competition (first place 2014)
48-Hour Film Project Best Musical Score (Oklahoma, 2018, Big Day)
American Prize in Music (third place, 2021, American Biomes)
Jamie has recordings on the MSR Classics, Garnet House Productions, and Equilibrium Recordings labels, and has had his music performed at many conventions and conferences, including the PASIC, ICA ClarinetFest, the World Saxophone Congress in Croatia, the NASA Convention, the SCI Regional Conference, ITG Convention, MTNA National and State Conventions, the UNK New Music Festival, and the 16th Biennial Festival of New Music at Florida State University, among others. Jamie’s marching band company A103 Marching provides custom music and drill to marching bands across the country.
Jamie is on the board for Oklahoma Modern Music Collective, Oklahoma Community Orchestra, and American Voices, and serves on the PAS Composition Committee. He also serves as a moderator for the game audio Discord servers “Indie Game Academy”, “Beats To Play Games To”, and “Oklahoma Game Developers”. Previously he has served as both President and Vice President for the Oklahoma Percussive Arts Society, the Percussive Notes Review Team, and the Director of Composition for YES Academy workshops in Lebanon, Egypt, and Kurdistan. Jamie teaches at Oklahoma City University and University of Central Oklahoma. https://www.jamiewhitmarsh.com/
Sebastian Zhang
solo marimba
6 - 10 minutes
Piece description from the composer:
The marimba solo's working title is Electric Daydream Machine.
It will draw from a central "video game-esque" riff, echoing my own memories of finding riffs and melodies on old Game Boy and NES trackers. A "tracker" is a type of music writing software that is made with the limitations of an old video game console's sound hardware in mind—in the Game Boy's case, I used to write songs using LSDJ, a software that could literally run on a physical Game Boy.
When I was younger, sometimes people would chastise me for my interests in video game music and connecting them to concert percussion—it was "nerdy and weird". I used to daydream about how I could one day have these projects that incorporate my silly little interests—daydreaming while fiddling with Game Boy controls that I could bring similar music to the percussion instruments that I played with my friends.
The marimba solo's working title is Electric Daydream Machine.
It will draw from a central "video game-esque" riff, echoing my own memories of finding riffs and melodies on old Game Boy and NES trackers. A "tracker" is a type of music writing software that is made with the limitations of an old video game console's sound hardware in mind—in the Game Boy's case, I used to write songs using LSDJ, a software that could literally run on a physical Game Boy.
When I was younger, sometimes people would chastise me for my interests in video game music and connecting them to concert percussion—it was "nerdy and weird". I used to daydream about how I could one day have these projects that incorporate my silly little interests—daydreaming while fiddling with Game Boy controls that I could bring similar music to the percussion instruments that I played with my friends.
Unapologetically embracing the electric nostalgia of a younger generation, Sebastian Zhang (b. 2003) is a composer-percussionist influenced by the modern chiptune scene, jazzy video game music, and upbeat anime soundtracks. His music draws upon scenes of everyday life—from chasing tadpoles to memories of cartoon ice cream—and how they echo grander themes of merry wonder and existentialist hope.
Sebastian has written for Sandbox Percussion, the University of Texas Percussion Ensemble, and Blacktop Percussion. An award-winning composer, recognitions include the Tribeca New Music Emerging Composer Award, I Exist Project Emerging Composer Award, and finalist for the Icarus Quartet iQ Test call for collaborators. His music has been performed across the United States, at events such as the Round Top Festival Institute and the Great Plains International Marimba Competition; several of his works appear on the Texas UIL Prescribed Music List (PML) and the Missouri MSHSAA PML.
Fostering connections between art and people, Sebastian is the co-founder and co-artistic director of the Austin Percussion Collective, a chamber percussion group immersed in the singer-songwriter live music scene of Austin, Texas.
https://sebastianzhang.com/
Sebastian has written for Sandbox Percussion, the University of Texas Percussion Ensemble, and Blacktop Percussion. An award-winning composer, recognitions include the Tribeca New Music Emerging Composer Award, I Exist Project Emerging Composer Award, and finalist for the Icarus Quartet iQ Test call for collaborators. His music has been performed across the United States, at events such as the Round Top Festival Institute and the Great Plains International Marimba Competition; several of his works appear on the Texas UIL Prescribed Music List (PML) and the Missouri MSHSAA PML.
Fostering connections between art and people, Sebastian is the co-founder and co-artistic director of the Austin Percussion Collective, a chamber percussion group immersed in the singer-songwriter live music scene of Austin, Texas.
https://sebastianzhang.com/
and SPECIAL BONUS COMPOSER
Austin Wintory
w/ Brian LaGuardia, arranger
solo marimba adaptation of "Delphinus Delphus" from ABZÛ
10 minutes
10 minutes
Austin Wintory has built his career on curiosity and experimentation. He began his obsession with composing back when he was ten years old, when he discovered Jerry Goldsmith’s scores to Patton and A Patch of Blue.
After a busy high school career composing for the student orchestras, Austin went on to study at NYU and USC with composers Morten Lauridsen, Charles Fussell, and Erica Muhl. Never satisfied with working in a single medium, Austin has worked in the concert world, film music, video games, and miscellaneous others. In March 2012, the PlayStation3 game Journey was released, after three years of work. The game instantly became Sony’s fastest-selling PlayStation title, and the soundtrack album debuted on the Billboard charts higher than any original score in gaming history. In December 2012, more history was made when it was announced that Journey had become the first-ever Grammy-nominated videogame score. The score subsequently won an Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences D.I.C.E. award, two British Academy Awards, a Spike TV VGA, and IGN’s “Overall Music of the Year,” five G.A.N.G. Awards and host of others. The score features the Macedonia Radio Symphonic Orchestra and a lineup of top soloists (Audio excerpts available here). Orchestral excerpts, and the stand alone mini-concerto “Woven Variations” have been consistently scheduled for concert performances all over the world since its release. Beginning humbly as a Kickstarter campaign, Austin’s next major game effort was Stoic Studio’s The Banner Saga, a unique and mature turn-based strategy / RPG hybrid with a dazzling art direction. The score featured the Dallas Wind Symphony, America’s premiere wind ensemble, and an all-star trio of YouTube musicians: Malukah, Peter Hollens and Taylor Davis. The game and soundtrack were released in early 2014 to critical and commercial success; the score earned Austin over a dozen awards and nominations, including his 4th and 5th British Academy Award nominations, and won the first-ever peer-voted ASCAP Composer’s Choice Award for “Best Video Game Score of the Year.” He is currently working with Stoic on The Banner Saga 2, which was announced live, on-stage at The Game Awards in December 2014 to an audience of nearly 2 million people. Most recently (released August 2016), Austin scored the debut title for Giant Squid Studios, ABZÛ. The score was an ambitious blend of orchestra, choir and large harp ensemble recorded in both the US and the UK. The game and score were both immensely well-received, earning a number of publications’ “Best Of” lists for top soundtrack of the year, in addition to Austin’s second D.I.C.E. Award nomination, a Hollywood Music in Media nomination, and others. In 2015, Austin wrote and produced the score for Ubisoft’s latest blockbuster: Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. The music is at its heart a chamber score deeply rooted in 19th century traditions, featuring virtuoso musicians Sandy Cameron and Tina Guo, and an all-star ensemble recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. The score earned Austin his 6th British Academy Award nomination, and second ASCAP Composer’s Choice Award win, and has been lauded as among the top game scores for 2015 by major industry organizations like GameTrailers, IGN, Movie Music UK, the International Film Music Critics Association and the Hollywood Music in Media Awards. Austin has also scored nearly 50 feature films, and his first major film score, for the Sundance Film Festival-winning film Captain Abu Raed, was shortlisted for the 2009 Academy Awards for Best Original Score by the LA Times. His next major film, Grace, was also a hit at the Sundance Film Festival. Austin’s score (which featured a wild array of custom-recorded sounds such as babies crying and horse flies, in addition to a large ensemble of clarinets at London’s famed Abbey Road Studios), was also highly lauded, earning a notorious Fangoria Chainsaw Award nomination and being cited by “Visions in Sound” (a popular film scoring radio program) as among the Top 10 Scores for 2010. His most recent films are writer/director Adam Alleca’s Standoff, starring Thomas Jane and Laurence Fishburne, and Amin Matalqa’s The Rendezvous, starring Stana Katic. Outside of games, Austin also maintains a busy concert composing schedule, with regular appearances throughout the world. Most recently he premiered the commissioned work “This Gaming Life” with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, a theatrical work created in collaboration with the legendary comedians called “Tripod.” Announced in 2016 was also the unveiling of his partnership with the Chicago-based chamber group Fifth House Ensemble, with whom he will tour in a production of “Journey LIVE,” a recreation of the hit PlayStation title, performed interactively live. His chamber music show “Mythos,” combining his own music with other contemporary works, is also touring throughout 2015 and beyond following a successful world premiere in Manhattan at New York Comic Con in 2014. Forthcoming he will also have premieres with the West Michigan Symphony, Colorado Symphony and others. Passionate about education, Austin is a regular public speaker at schools and events around the world, in addition to pre-concert talks and workshops. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the non-profit Education Through Music – Los Angeles. |
In 2014, Brian had the honor of being selected internationally as one of twenty students for the Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television program at the University of Southern California. The world-class education he received there from giants like Alan Silvestri, Austin Wintory, Bear McCreary, Bruce Braughton and Garry Schyman, propelled him into a varied and prolific musical career. For a decade since, Brian has contributed to professional music teams on everything from AAA games, Marvel shows, Grammy-nominated soundtracks, BAFTA and Hugo-award-winning indie games and films both large and small. He has also had the privilege of putting arrangements in front of ensembles all over the world, including the London Symphony, the Colorado Symphony, the Game Music Festival Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the West Australia Symphony Orchestra, the Brussels Philharmonic and the BBC Proms. Brian is also lead composer at Rice Games and is releasing his first two video game scores in 2024. In spite of his busy schedule, he lives to connect with other creative minds, cook delicious food and celebrate the accomplishments of his colleagues across the vast and blossoming landscape of music and scoring. |