Best The Screen Composers Guild of Canada Podcasts (2024)

1
Lora Bidner - Folkloric 1:07:14

2y ago1:07:14

1:07:14

Ottawa born Lora Bidner combines her background as a singer-songwriter multi-instrumentalist as well as affinity for folklore in her music for the screen, which includes the BBC/Family Channel series Malory Towers, mini series Hogtown, feature thriller Don’t Click, and Family Channel series Ruby and the Well, which she co-composes with Rob Carli. T…

1
Lodewijk Vos - Color and Grit 1:13:41

2y ago1:13:41

1:13:41

Originally from the Netherlands, Lodewijk Vos’ approach to music making is very much his own. One half of the scoring duo Menalon (with Joseph Murray), the Canadian Film Center grad has worked on TV shows such as Diggstown on CBC, documentaries including HBO’s The Slow Hustle and Mr. Tachyon for VICE TV, and films like Level 16 and The Void. We tal…

1
Neil Parfitt - An Animated Life 1:29:41

2y ago1:29:41

1:29:41

Neil Parfitt’s wonderfully diverse career sees him working at the highest levels as a composer for animated series, as well as designing custom synth sounds for some of the biggest blockbusters on the planet. He started out as a kid who was equally fascinated by how music was produced as he was with the technology that was used in the process. Neil…

1
Carly Paradis - Nothing is Something 57:26

2y ago57:26

57:26

Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, Carly Paradis has made a name for herself as a first call screen composer, scoring huge TV hits such as the BAFTA nominated Line of Duty, Sick Note, and Netflix’s The Innocents. After a stint in Toronto’s burgeoning indie rock scene in the mid-2000’s, a cold email to Clint Mansell on Myspace turned into an opportu…

1
Jeff Young - Leverage 1:22:26

2y ago1:22:26

1:22:26

In this episode, we’re going to change things up a bit. My guest is a composer, musician, and engineer, but his primary vocation is as an entertainment lawyer with a specialty in IP and copyright. This is your hour of pro-bono legal advice, and a masterclass drawing back the curtain on some of the things most creative types fear and neglect: contra…

1
Jonathan Kawchuk - Everywhen 1:26:32

2y ago1:26:32

1:26:32

Alberta-born Jonathan Kawchuk is interested in where and how we live as a means to give his music context. He completed a Bachelors of Music at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, worked with Nico Muhly, Ben Frost, and the Philip Glass Ensemble, as well as studying wildlife field recording with Chris Watson. The environment, the sounds that…

1
Rob Duncan - Give Them What They Need 1:16:16

2y ago1:16:16

1:16:16

At the tender age of 11, Rob Duncan dismantled a piano in his experimental music class. This must have been a spark for him, as he is now known for recording scores on decommissioned nuclear submarines, finding his next instrument in a junkyard, or being asked by a producer to write a theme using a toilet. Though he was equally interested in comput…

1
Ari Posner - The Unmasterable Language 1:29:08

2y ago1:29:08

1:29:08

At first, Winnipeg-born Ari Posner set out to build a career as a songwriter. After discovering that perhaps his abilities as a lyricist did not match his musical gifts, he moved into the fast-paced world of ads, which gave him the training to work in myriad styles and deliver on a deadline. Now, he is one of Canada’s most respected and prolific sc…

1
Cristobal Tapia de Veer - The Uncensored Artist 1:06:46

2y ago1:06:46

1:06:46

Cristobal Tapia De Veer is a maverick whose consistently unique approach to scoring has finally, and deservedly, thrust him into the spotlight. His family fled the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile shortly after his birth, and while they returned for a time, they eventually made a new home in Quebec, where Cristobal still lives and works. While the fo…

1
Season 3 Teaser 1:16

2y ago1:16

1:16

Season 3 is coming on July 13, 2022, and features the incredible Cristobal Tapia de Veer!By The Screen Composers Guild of Canada

1
Sarah Slean - Becoming Who You Are 1:25:37

2+ y ago1:25:37

1:25:37

Called “One of the most compelling acts Canada has to offer.” by Time magazine, Sarah Slean has been beguiling audiences since she first appeared on scene in the late 90’s, when she was signed to Atlantic/Warner at just 19 years of age. Her infectious combination of piano forward pop and cabaret, and her singular voice propelled her to acclaim. The…

1
Michel Cusson - The Scoring 6 String Slinger 1:16:03

3y ago1:16:03

1:16:03

Michel Cusson established his reputation as a formidable guitar player and composer in the early 80’s with celebrated jazz-rock group Uzeb, whose tours were cultural journeys which gave Michel the opportunity to meet and play with musicians in places like Senegal, Morocco, and Southeast Asia. In the early 90’s, the group disbanded and Michel turned…

1
Todor Kobakov - The Quiet Jester 1:21:18

3y ago1:21:18

1:21:18

Todor Kobakov grew up in Bulgaria where at age 7 he was accepted into a music focused school so competitive that there were kids in the wings waiting to take your spot if you stumbled. He began showing up to help out on the sets where his mother worked as a producer for the National broadcaster, sparking his interest in the intersection between mus…

1
Suad Bushnaq - Music is Home 1:20:04

3y ago1:20:04

1:20:04

Suad Bushnaq has long struggled to answer the question “where’s home?” in simple terms. The Jordanian-Canadian composer and polymath with Bosnian, Syrian, and Palestinian roots grew up in Amman, studied in Damascus and Montreal, spent time teaching in North Carolina, and now makes her home in Toronto. Her work reflects her experiences and travels, …

1
The Chan Brothers Have Each Other's Back 1:26:39

3y ago1:26:39

1:26:39

Brian and Caleb Chan bring a high level of emotional intelligence to everything they do, and believe that a focus on that growth is critical to success in both life and creative business. When you understand that their attention to the inner world carries over into the work they do as musicians and storytellers, you realize it’s no accident that th…

1
Janal Bechthold - Full Circle 1:21:57

3y ago1:21:57

1:21:57

Janal Bechthold’s musical journey started not on the piano playing Mozart, but rather on the organ playing 50’s swing and Tangos. Again sidestepping more well-worn paths, she studied music therapy at Laurier and spent years alternately in that profession, and as a church organist. These activities were, however, both informed by and are now critica…

1
Donald Quan - An Improvised Life 1:50:12

3y ago1:50:12

1:50:12

Donald Quan sees his whole life, including his career and businesses, as an improvisation. As a composer, he is known for his work on shows such as Relic Hunter, Mutant X, and APTN’s Moccasin Flats. As a musician and recording artist, he has toured with Loreena McKennitt and Lighthouse, and recorded his own music at Peter Gabriel’s iconic Real Worl…

1
Peter Chapman - Serendipity 1:21:02

3y ago1:21:02

1:21:02

Every time I chat with Peter Chapman (AKA Coins), I hear another amazing story, well told. The pivotal moments in his life also connect in a narrative full of serendipitous events that have opened windows to let his talent shine through. This multiple-Canadian Screen Award nominee started his diverse career producing hip-hop and electronic music, a…

1
Steph Copeland - Keep Moving Forward 1:15:41

3y ago1:15:41

1:15:41

Steph Copeland cut her teeth in the Windsor/Detroit underground electronic and hip-hop scene, but her scoring career quickly developed alongside her successes as a songwriter and performer. With her dark, electronic sensibilities and production chops, she soon became known for her gritty work on indie genre films like Antisocial 1 and 2, Bite, I’ll…

1
Andrew Lockington - The Intimate Within the Epic 1:50:44

3y ago1:50:44

1:50:44

Andrew Lockington is known for the epic scale of the blockbuster films he’s worked on, as well as the incredible lengths he goes to to capture his sounds - things like venturing into the deepest jungle or risking injury and death to dismantle a piano. But make no mistake - these sonic explorations are matched by his beautiful and evocative orchestr…

1
Red Heartbreaker - Bring The Verve! 1:27:39

3y ago1:27:39

1:27:39

[Episode contains some colorful language] Classically trained as a vocalist, Red got her start in cabaret and musical theater before she was bitten by the film scoring bug - a craft she says “combines all of the things”. She and her musical partner Maya Saxell won a Leo award for their work on Charlotte’s Song, a first in the category for female co…

1
Trevor Morris - The Scoring Sommelier 1:15:04

3y ago1:15:04

1:15:04

[Episode contains some strong language] Trevor Morris is without a doubt one of Canada’s most successful exports in the screen composing world. After cutting his teeth writing jingles in Toronto, he made the jump to Los Angeles, where a chance meeting landed him a gig with his hero James Newton Howard. This led him to Media Ventures, where he put i…

1
Season 2 Announcement! 1:10

3y ago1:10

1:10

We’re back, and kicking it off on July 14th with two-time Emmy winning composer, Trevor Morris. Trevor is best known for his work on The Tudors, The Borgias, and Vikings, as well as massive studio films like Immortals, and London Has Fallen. In a wide ranging and candid conversation, he talks about getting his start in Toronto, the tough move to LA…

1
John Welsman - Artistry & Leadership 1:10:12

3+ y ago1:10:12

1:10:12

"I’m an optimist by nature, and I really believe in the Guild and our community. We’re facing a lot of challenges, but we’ve got a lot of creative, motivated people working really hard to move us in the right direction." John Welsman comes from a family that is not only musical, but is practically a Toronto institution. His roots go back to the fir…

1
Gary Koftinoff - A Musical Mission 56:35

4y ago56:35

56:35

"Hearing Morricone’s score for The Mission was a spiritual moment. That’s why I got into this: if I could ever make something that moved someone else in the same way, that would be a gift." After studying Business Administration and Recording Engineering, Gary Koftinoff spent 10 years in post-production at the Toronto facilities of Film House, whic…

1
Erica Procunier - Looking Forward 57:33

4y ago57:33

57:33

Erica Procunier is a rising star in the screen composing scene. After deciding early on that composing for picture was her passion, she completed a Masters in Music Composition from the University of Western. While building her credits, she was accepted into prestigious programs like the Canadian Film Center’s Slaight Family Music Lab and the highl…

1
Mychael Danna - Concept + Instinct 52:54

4y ago52:54

52:54

“You don’t need to follow all the rules to be successful. There is a certain advantage in having an individual path that is unique” Mychael Danna is one of Canada’s most successful film composers, a national treasure and a unique talent who has reached the highest levels of global success. His illustrious career hit a pinnacle in 2013 when he won t…

1
Michael Richard Plowman - Going Places 1:21:19

4y ago1:21:19

1:21:19

“Everyone has aspirations. But there are things I get from my career: choice and freedom. To me, that’s everything” Over 1700 episodes of television. 150 feature films. To call Michael Richard Plowman prolific would be an understatement. He has also proved to be quite the nomad, setting up shop in places like Vancouver, LA, London, and the South of…

1
Amritha Vaz - Layered Tapestries 1:29:50

4y ago1:29:50

1:29:50

"Your voice is precious and important, and needed. There are great stories out there that deserve your insight, your value." For Amritha Vaz, the path to becoming a screen composer was full of twists and turns. Her musical family’s ties to Bollywood had her immersed early on, but after a severe case of tendonitis cut a potential career as a violini…

1
Judith Gruber-Stitzer - Rhythm and Color 1:02:32

4y ago1:02:32

1:02:32

"Film music always walks a fine line of needing to not draw attention to itself and away from the film and yet to also give voice to the soul of the film. Some of what I consider to be my best music cues rarely make it to my demo reel because the music sounds incomplete without the cadence of the dialog and sound fx." Judith Gruber-Stitzer is wonde…

1
Maxime Goulet - Curiosity and Play 59:23

4y ago59:23

59:23

“Composers often pressure themselves to find their “voice”. That’s ok, but it’s a long-term ideal. You don’t need to revolutionize music with every note you write. Instead, practice the craft and stay open.” Maxime Goulet’s work spans genres and formats, from video games to opera to weather-inspired poems set to music, but is all connected by the t…

1
Tom Third - Past the Boundary 1:13:48

4y ago1:13:48

1:13:48

“The work that you’re most nervous about presenting is always the best stuff.” Tom Third loves to push against creative limits and break convention. Known for his modern, hybrid electronic scores, he started out as a hip-hop loving art school kid who was eventually signed to Nettwerk records, where he produced sample-heavy trip hop and drum n bass.…

1
Darren Fung - Orchestral Beauty 1:38:09

4y ago1:38:09

1:38:09

**WARNING - this episode does contain some spicy words, so be aware if you’re listening with kids or anyone sensitive to not-so-safe-for-work language.** “If you do good work, people will always speak well about that. That’s the best word of mouth you can get” In this episode, we speak to Darren Fung. Born of Chinese immigrant parents, he started h…

1
Mark Korven - The Innovator 1:05:51

4y ago1:05:51

1:05:51

“It’s really all about musical freedom for me. I like to push the boundaries and take chances. I’d like to do the unexpected, and avoid clichés as much as I can. I like the wrong notes. So horror seems to be a good fit for me.” In this episode I’ll be chatting with Mark Korven, whose long and successful career recently skyrocketed with the wild suc…

1
Amin Bhatia - The Comeback Kid 1:23:44

4y ago1:23:44

1:23:44

"If you can come up with music, who cares how you come up with it. Just go for it. Trust your instincts. Learn the process." In this episode, we speak to Amin Bhatia, who is probably best known for his award winning work on the massive hit series’ Flashpoint, and Anne with an E, which he co-composed with his longtime writing partner, Ari Posner. Am…

1
Introducing The Screen Composer's Studio 0:42

4y ago0:42

0:42

They may not often bask in the limelight, but you've definitely felt the power of their work. Composers for the screen are the “hidden giants” who help breathe life into the stories you love. Join me, Adrian Ellis, as I take you behind the screen to meet the musical magicians behind some of your favorite films, shows, and video games. Why does musi…

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