Recently, you’ve collaborated on projects including Dora (Paramount+), Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham (MAX), and Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (Netflix) as an arranger, orchestrator, and assistant. How do these roles allow you to bring your unique voice to a project while still supporting the composer’s vision?

The greatest part of working on these projects is the opportunity to collaborate with such talented and inspiring composers. Each of them has played a pivotal role in mentoring me, providing opportunities to learn and grow while also allowing me to express my creativity. In every collaboration, my primary goal is to support the composer in bringing their vision to life. Their artistic direction is always the guiding force, and I aim to enhance and elevate it in any way I can. It has been an incredible journey to be part of such meaningful projects—experiences that have helped me grow not only as a composer but also as an individual.

Listening to your music, the rhythms in your work feel unique and deliberate. How do you approach rhythm in your compositions, and what role does it play in shaping the emotional or narrative arc?

Rhythm is one of my favorite elements to experiment with when writing music. More often than not, it’s actually where I start. I love layering different rhythmic figures on top of one another and seeing what unfolds. Sometimes it turns into a chaotic mess, but other times, something truly exciting emerges.

Rhythm plays an especially crucial role when I’m scoring to picture. When starting a new cue, my first step is always to determine the pacing of the scene—everything else builds from there. I recently finished scoring a 30-minute short film called A Thousand Years, based on the true story of the Wright brothers and the many trials and failures they endured before achieving flight. A key challenge was figuring out how the score could propel the story forward or suspend the audience in a moment. Some scenes featured complex equations being worked out on chalkboards, high-intensity bike races down hills to test theories, and shots of a glider suspended in the air—all of which relied on rhythm to shape the emotional and narrative arc.

Knowing rhythm would be a driving force in the score, the director and I recorded bicycle sounds using the actual bikes from the film. I transformed these recordings into percussion instruments that were woven throughout the score. This experience pushed me to explore unconventional sounds and approach rhythm as the foundation of the music, rather than an afterthought.

Randy Newman’s mentorship has clearly been a significant influence on your journey. How do you blend his wisdom with your own evolving style?

Being mentored by Randy has been one of the greatest joys of my musical career. I’ve learned so much from him, particularly about scoring films and songwriting. One of the most valuable pieces of advice he gave me is that when you have a great theme—a melody that you can’t get out of your head, something you find yourself humming constantly—run with it.

In all of Randy’s scores, there’s always a strong, memorable theme that ties everything together. Sometimes the theme is front and center; other times, it appears in subtle variations, but it’s always present, holding the score together. No matter how my style evolves over time, this is something I will always carry with me. A solid theme never goes out of style.

Looking back on your time at the USC Scoring Program and your earlier training at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, what insights would you offer to aspiring composers transitioning from school into their careers?

I absolutely loved being a music student for five years. Being able to learn every day and constantly being inspired by what you learn doesn’t stop once you graduate. I would say to anyone who is transitioning from school to working in the industry: hold on to that feeling you get when you listen to your favorite score or watch your favorite movie. Let that be the thing that drives you, but also grounds you. I know it can feel incredibly intimidating making that switch, but you have to believe in yourself and know that you are ready!

Interview by Jocelyn Scofield

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