Category: Brass

Brass, Live recordings, Live stream

Opening of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” – live stream

Steven Kent Sanford

Scored for: brass quintet (trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba)

This concert video was broadcast live on the internet on 3 August 2017 from VCFA, showing the first 12 minutes of Steven Spielberg’s 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark with an original (re-)score for brass quintet. The score is performed by The Brooklyn Brass ensemble.

Another version of this rescore appears here.

Note that the video portion of the film is the property of Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm, et al, and is used for purposes of illustrating my film scoring. No copyright infringement is intended. The dialog and sound effects were recreated by “Phil D” and “Jake” on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/46951183). The music is Copyright © 2017 Steven K. Sanford.

Please do not republish this film clip elsewhere on the internet or use without permission.

Brass, Demo, Film, TV, and other visual media scores, Orchestral, Percussion, Piano, Strings, Woodwinds

Demo Reel

Steven Kent Sanford

Scored for: instrumentation of these excerpts includes solo instruments, percussion, synthesizers, and studio orchestra (with additional sound design)

This is a ten-minute collection of scenes from films, TV shows, commercials, and video games that I have re-scored*. All of the short films can be found in the “Film Scores” section of my website here.

In a hurry? Listen to a one-minute audio-only sampler of media scores here.

Note that the videos and dialogs excerpted are the property of the respective companies, and are used only to demonstrate my film scoring skills. No copyright infringement is intended. The music is Copyright © 2017 Steven K. Sanford.

Please do not republish this video elsewhere on the internet or use without permission.

(video revised 22 May 2018)

(* “re-score” means replacing the original music with a newly written soundtrack)

 

Action and Adventure, Brass, Drama, Film, TV, and other visual media scores, Live recordings

Opening Scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark – Live (rescore)

Steven Kent Sanford

Scored for: brass quintet (trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba)

The prologue for Steven Spielberg’s 1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark introduces Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) as a tomb-raiding, whip-cracking adventurer, deep in the South American jungle searching for a lost golden idol. Jones manages to evade several life-threatening dangers, as well as duplicitous comrades, only to find himself confronted, in his ultimate escape, but his worst fear (snakes!).

For this rescore, I followed John William’s original soundtrack as a model for the “feel” of each scene, since I didn’t have the luxury of discussing the scoring with Steven Spielberg, but I still came up with an original, rather than derivative, score. This new soundtrack is written for a brass quintet (two trumpets, a french horn, a trombone, and a tuba).

There are two stand-out moments for me in the score. First, when the spiders prey on Jones and his assistant (Alfred Molina), the brass players key their instruments without blowing into them, creating clicking sounds to mimic the spiders. Second, I wrote my own “Indiana Jones theme”, which the brass play over the final escape to the seaplane. In John Williams’ score, this is the most memorable theme. I hope you find my “theme” just as exciting and memorable.

The score is performed by The Brooklyn Brass, recorded live in concert on 3 August 2017 at Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier, VT.

Note that the video portion of the film is the property of Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm, et al, and is used for purposes of illustrating my film scoring. No copyright infringement is intended. The dialog and sound effects were recreated by “Phil D” and “Jake” on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/46951183). The music is Copyright © 2017 Steven K. Sanford.

Please do not republish this film clip elsewhere on the internet or use without permission.

(updated 11 December 2017)

Advertising, Brass, Film, TV, and other visual media scores, Orchestral, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds

CSPAN White House Tour Promo (rescore)

Steven Kent Sanford

Scored for: studio orchestra

This is a promotional TV spot advertising a CSPAN White House Tour program. I wrote patriotic-sounding music and incorporated snare drum ruffles to match the historical importance of the tour, as well as aural splashes to highlight the final visuals.

Note that the video and sound clips are the property of CSPAN, and are used for purposes of illustrating my film scoring. No copyright infringement is intended. The music is Copyright © 2016 Steven K. Sanford.

Please do not republish this film clip elsewhere on the internet or use without permission.

Advertising, Animation, Brass, Film, TV, and other visual media scores, Orchestral, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds

Poptech (rescore)

Steven Kent Sanford

Scored for: studio orchestra

Poptech was a brain-storming conference held in Camden, Maine, that was opened each day with a short video clip. This is a rescore of that video clip.

Capturing the simplicity of rural Maine, I began with a recorder, then gradually built up the orchestration to the climax. This was, to me, supposed to be the visual and aural equivalent of a strong cup of coffee, to stimulate the day’s conversations.

Note that the video is the property of Poptech, and is used for purposes of illustrating my film scoring. No copyright infringement is intended. The music is Copyright © 2015 Steven K. Sanford.

Please do not republish this film clip elsewhere on the internet or use without permission.

Brass, Other original music and arrangements

A Perfect Holiday Gift

Steven Kent Sanford

This is a brass quintet fanfare for the Christmas holiday season: Imagine you’re in a mall Christmas shopping. As you go from store to store you hear different Christmas songs played by each shop, finally ending up at the food court where a jazz band is playing.

(recording updated 6 September 2017)