I exist.

Whether or not that's a good thing, is yet to be determined.

For the time being, I'm a music composition and graphic design student with some dietetics on the side. I also work for the college providing private tutoring in music theory, music history, aural skills & piano performance for students enrolled in the music program.

I enjoy film music because I believe music is capable of expressing a vision or telling a story without relying on a verbal crutch, and there are few composers who can accomplish this through their music better than film composers. Although I intend to write songs with lyrics for my own projects, I won't be satisfied with the music unless it can stand on its own apart from the lyrics, and so I always turn to the masters of musical storytelling to find new and innovative ways to express situations, events, feelings, or moods and atmospheres through music.

On the technical side, I have no particular appreciation for common-practice tonality over any other kind of compositional technique. Whatever adequately conveys the intended feeling or mental imagery is both appropriate and a success to me. Personally, I enjoy the chromaticism of the romantic era and the many avant-garde techniques such as serialism and sound mass brought forth in 20th century composition. I also come from a rock/metal/electronic background, and love to hear elements of these genres coherently mixed into an orchestral setting. And with the immense variety of films being produced, the multitude of accompanying soundtracks consistently provides me with nearly everything I enjoy and appreciate in music.

Examples, you say? Why certainly

My overall top picks (based on a balance of exceptional composition & personal enjoyment):

Alan Silvestri - Judge Dredd
Angelo Badalamenti - The City Of Lost Children
Atli Örvarsson - The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones
Basil Poledouris - Conan The Barbarian
Basil Poledouris - Cherry 2000
Basil Poledouris - Wind
Basil Poledouris - Les Misérables
Benjamin Wallfisch - Conquest 1453
Bernard Herrmann - Jason & The Argonauts
Brian Tyler - Timeline
Christopher Gordon - Daybreakers
Christopher Young - Priest
Clint Mansell - The Fountain
Daft Punk - TRON: Legacy
Danny Elfman - Charlie & The Chocolate Factory
Danny Elfman - Alice In Wonderland
Dario Marianelli - V For Vendetta
Das Ich - Das Innere Ich
David Arnold - Independence Day
David Arnold - Godzilla
David Arnold - Die Another Day
David Arnold - The Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
Debbie Wiseman - Lighthouse
Debbie Wiseman - Arsčne Lupin
Debbie Wiseman - Lesbian Vampire Killers
Don Davis - The Matrix Trilogy
Elliot Goldenthal - Alien3
Elliot Goldenthal - Batman Forever
Elliot Goldenthal - Titus
Elliot Goldenthal - Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Ennio Morricone - The Thing
Graeme Revell, et al - Red Planet
Hans Zimmer - Backdraft (Sessions)
Hans Zimmer - The Thin Red Line
Hans Zimmer - Gladiator
Hans Zimmer - Tears Of The Sun
Hans Zimmer - King Arthur
Hans Zimmer - The Ring / The Ring Two
Hans Zimmer - The Da Vinci Code
Hans Zimmer - Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
Hans Zimmer - Angels & Demons
Howard Shore - The Fly
Howard Shore - The Naked Lunch
Howard Shore - The Cell
Howard Shore - The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
James Horner - Willow
James Horner - Aliens
James Horner - Glory
James Horner - Avatar
James Newton Howard - Waterworld
James Newton Howard - The Village
James Newton Howard - Lady In The Water
James Newton Howard - The Last Airbender
Jerry Goldsmith - Alien (Sessions)
Jerry Goldsmith - The Secret Of NIMH
Jerry Goldsmith - Legend
Jerry Goldsmith - Star Trek: First Contact
Jerry Goldsmith - The 13th Warrior
John Barry - Goldfinger
John Frizzell - Alien: Resurrection
John Williams - The Fury
John Williams - Schindler's List
John Williams - Amistad
John Williams - Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban
Malcolm Arnold - The Bridge On The River Kwai
Marc Shaiman - The Addams Family
Marco Beltrami - I, Robot
Michael Kamen & Orbital - Event Horizon
Michael Kamen - Band Of Brothers
Patrick Doyle - Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
Philip Glass - Naqoyqatsi
Trevor Jones - Dark City
Ulver - Svidd Neger
Van Cleave - The Colossus Of New York

Things I personally enjoy but will admit aren't exceptional:

Christophe Beck - The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising
Debbie Wiseman - Flood
Elliot Goldenthal - Sphere
Hans Zimmer - Beyond Rangoon
Hans Zimmer - The Last Samurai
Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight
Harry Gregson-Williams - SpyGame
Howard Shore - Se7en
Jamin Winans - Ink
James Horner - The Forgotten
James Newton Howard - Signs
Jerry Goldsmith - Leviathan
John Barry - Mercury Rising
John Frizzell - The Reaping
John Ottman - The Invasion
John Williams - War Of The Worlds
John Williams - Munich
Marc Streitenfeld - Prometheus (Sessions)
Marco Beltrami - Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines
Marco Beltrami - Underworld: Evolution
Marco Beltrami - The Thing
Nigel Clarke & Michael Csányi-Wills - The Thief Lord
Paul Haslinger - Underworld
Philip Glass - Koyaanisqatsi
Rob - Maniac
Ryan Amon - Elysium
Steve Jablonsky - The Island
Steve Jablonsky - Ender's Game
Thee Maldoror Kollective - Themes For Proxima
Trevor Jones - Runaway Train
Trevor Rabin & Harry Gregson-Williams - Enemy Of The State
Trevor Rabin - The 6th Day