Gareth Coker
Gareth Coker | |
|---|---|
 Coker in 2022 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 7 May 1984 United Kingdom |
| Genres | |
| Occupation | Composer |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Website | gareth-coker |
Gareth Coker is a British composer. He has composed work for video games, including Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, ARK: Survival Evolved, ARK: Survival Ascended, Halo Infinite and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Life and career
[edit]Coker learned the piano at a very early age. In school, he joined the orchestra and a jazz band and later studied at the Royal Academy of Music, pursuing a major in musical composition. He traveled and lived abroad in Japan for three years, where he taught English[1] and studied various ethnic instruments.[2] He later moved to Los Angeles, where he juggled between composing for video games and the University of Southern California's film scoring program.[3][4] Coker cites Alan Silvestri's score for Forrest Gump and Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter as inspirations to becoming a composer.[5]
Ori and the Blind Forest
[edit]In 2011, Coker composed the accompanying music to the game's prototype after studio director Thomas Mahler had stumbled upon his work. Speaking about the game's musical approach, Coker was given free rein by Moon Studios to experiment with the music and scored the game mainly based on the visuals.[6] He worked with the idea of using instruments that would represent the area. For example, using wood-based percussion instruments for the Ginso Tree area or winds in the Forlorn Ruins. He also worked closely with the game's programmers to balance the pacing and timing of the music. Coker recorded the score at Ocean Way Nashville Recording Studios with the Nashville Studio Orchestra.[7]
The musical score had a positive feedback from critics and fans,[8][9] garnering nominations for several industry awards, including a BAFTA Game Award for Best Music, as well as a win for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition at the 19th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.[10] Kirk Hamilton of Kotaku appreciated the score's orchestral approach, comparing it to the works of Joe Hisaishi on the Studio Ghibli films.[11] Yahoo's Ben Silverman called it "a wonderful score" and recalled how it was akin to the score of Howl's Moving Castle.[12]
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
[edit]Gareth Coker continued his collaboration with Moon Studios in the sequel to Ori and the Blind Forest, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Like with the first game, Coker “worked closely with the entire team over the course of the games’ development, studying the story beats, looking at art assets, and watching how people play the game to make sure everything fit perfectly”.[13] Since the sequel is significantly larger in scale, with more characters and character arcs, Coker was able to further develop the musical identity. "obviously it's more work, but even though it's more work it actually kinda fleshed things out automatically for me because I had more themes to work with, so I actually felt less limited this time around”.[14]
As with the first game's music, Coker's score for Will of the Wisps gained wide praise and recognition from award bodies like the SXSW Award, Ivor Novello Award, the D.I.C.E. Awards, and The Game Awards.
ARK: Survival Evolved
[edit]In 2015, Coker was brought on by Studio Wildcard to compose the music for ARK: Survival Evolved. His first track became the main theme for the game. “...it ticked several boxes for Studio Wildcard, who had essentially given me an open brief and also said that they didn't want it to sound like John Williams’ Jurassic Park. It was important for them to have a recognizable main theme and to help evoke a sense of adventure with an element of strife and survival”.[15]
Much of the score was recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra in Abbey Road Studios. He also attributes the success of the recording sessions to his additional eyes and ears, Zach Lemmon, and his conductor, Alexander Rudd.[16]
Coker utilized many ethnic instruments for his score. “Each biome has its own unique instruments and characteristics, for example, the swamp makes heavy use of the didgeridoo, the mountains make use of various ethnic wind instruments, but the orchestra can help unify things, and also give the ‘epic’ feel that the majority of players are expecting”.[16]
The score for Ark was nominated for a GoldSpirit Award in 2017, and a Jerry Goldsmith Award in 2018
Minecraft Expansions
[edit]Gareth Coker contributed to the music of Minecraft through the Minecraft Mythology Expansions, of which include that of Chinese, Greek, Egyptian and Norse. For the Chinese Mythology expansion, Coker had personal experience with learning Chinese culture. “Having lived in Japan, China was never far away for a quick trip, and I’ve always been fascinated by Asian music, so a lot of the research was already done”.[2] To make this feel like a blend of both worlds, Coker focused on using solo instruments from the region, such as erhu, dizi, hulusi and xiao, and then limited himself (mostly) to the more traditional Chinese harmony and scales.[2]
For the Greek Mythology expansion, Coker referred to the limited records of ancient Greek instruments, such as the lyra, psaltery, and pipes. To further immerse the listener into the world of ancient Greece, he used the gods as inspiration for the soundscape. “So for Poseidon, I'd focus on making the track sound like it was ‘underwater’, as Poseidon is the God of the Sea”.[2]
Across the mythologies, Coker had the opportunity to work with renowned musicians; among them is Rachel Nesvig, who specializes in the Norwegian Hardanger Fiddle, Karen Han, who specializes in erhu, and Kristin Naigus, who plays iconic wind instruments from different cultures.[17]
He also wrote the music for the Battle, Tumble, and Glide mini-games as well as the Pirates of the Caribbean expansion.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
[edit]Coker's work for Minecraft’s Greek Mythology expansion pack caught the eye of Ubisoft. “...they used my soundtrack for Minecraft: Greek Mythology as temporary music. I think it ended up working, and they were like, ‘Maybe we should contact the composer’”.[18]
The soundtrack as a whole is a mix of the orchestral sound, and the esoteric, non-orchestral elements for the magical/mythological aspect. Additionally, Coker commissioned instruments that were handcrafted and shipped across the Atlantic from Greece.[19]
For the expansion of Immortals Fenyx Rising, Eastern Realms DLC, Coker included Chinese instruments into the soundscape. He received guidance from Ubisoft Chengdu, who provided history lessons on Chinese instruments and Chinese music in general.[19] The resultant soundtrack is a rich blend of Orchestral and Chinese elements, but does not go for an authentic experience. Rather, it is made to feel like a unique experience that can be recognized as Coker's style in writing.[19]
Halo Infinite
[edit]Coker worked alongside Joel Corelitz and Curtis Schweitzer on the soundtrack for Halo Infinite. In contrast to previous work, “The challenge was that Halo is the first time I'm stepping into someone else's creation, so it's been about learning the vocabulary and understanding why people like the original Halo music in particular”.[20]
The original Halo score, composed by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, is deeply ingrained in the series’ identity. Coker, Corelitz, and Schweitzer's jobs were to balance between honoring this legacy and introducing their own creative vision.
Coker pointed out the importance of silence and space in the soundtrack. “As opposed to a game like Doom Eternal, where the Slayer moves at an intense pace mowing down demons to filthy djent riffs, the reaction NPCs have when they see Master Chief arriving on the battlefield is in and of itself a prompt to let subtler music do heavier lifting”.[21] The score was nominated for a BAFTA in 2022.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
[edit]Coker was brought on to the score for Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, along with composers Yoko Shimomura and Grant Kirkhope. “The three talents were tactically deployed across the score by audio director Romain Brillaud, bringing different orchestral and electronic sensibilities to the game... Coker helped bring new colours and emotions to specific settings in the game as well as some boss fights, touching on styles including French impressionism to enrich the score”.[22]
Wired heralds the resultant work as “...one of the most ambitious video game soundtracks released in recent years, fusing elements of Japanese RPGs and ’90s film scores with the eccentricity you'd expect to hear in a Mario or Rayman game”.[23] Amongst many plaudits, the score won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Game Soundtrack in 2023.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
[edit]Coker was brought on with Iranian composer Mentrix for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Coker focused on creating character themes and an intense musical style largely focusing on the cinematics and boss fights with his writing. He emphasizes the importance of thematic melodies for characters, particularly protagonists and antagonists. He highlights the unique blend of various musical elements in the game's soundtrack, including a combination of synths, guitars, Persian instruments, and a 70-piece orchestra. “Between Mentrix and myself, we cover a lot of ground both aesthetically and emotionally, and that is definitely reflected in the game's score”.[24]
Awards
[edit]Works
[edit]| Video games | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Developer | Notes | |
| 2011 | inMomentum | Digital Arrow | ||
| 2012 | Primal Carnage | Lukewarm Media | ||
| 2015 | Ori and the Blind Forest | Moon Studios | ||
| The Mean Greens - Plastic Warfare | Code Headquarters | |||
| 2016 | The Unspoken | Insomniac Games | ||
| Minecraft | Mojang | Expansion Packs: Chinese Mythology, Egyptian Mythology, Greek Mythology, Norse Mythology, Battle & Tumble, Pirates of the Caribbean | ||
| 2017 | Ark: Survival Evolved | Studio Wildcard | ||
| 2019 | Darksiders Genesis | Airship Syndicate | ||
| 2020 | Ori and the Will of the Wisps | Moon Studios | ||
| Dota 2 | Valve | The International 10 music pack | ||
| Immortals Fenyx Rising | Ubisoft Quebec | |||
| Rushdown Revolt | Vortex Games | with Alessandro Clemente (a.k.a Aless) | ||
| 2021 | Ruined King: A League of Legends Story | Airship Syndicate | ||
| Halo Infinite[35] | 343 Industries | Composed with Curtis Schweitzer and Joel Corelitz | ||
| 2022 | Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope | Ubisoft Paris Ubisoft Milan |
Alongside Grant Kirkhope and Yoko Shimomura | |
| Arknights | Hypergryph | Dorothy's Vision,[36] Fire Within the Sand[37] and Mizuki & Caerula Arbor[38] events | ||
| 2023 | Ark: Survival Ascended | Studio Wildcard | ||
| The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story | Digital Sun | |||
| Wayfinder | Airship Syndicate | |||
| 2024 | Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | Ubisoft Montpellier | Composed with Mentrix | |
| Ark II[39] | Studio Wildcard | |||
| Films and TV | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Notes | |
| 2009 | Nameless | ||
| 2010 | Unwound | ||
| Ellen | |||
| You Kill Me | |||
| What to Bring to America | |||
| The Incident | |||
| Laugh and Die | |||
| Homeland | |||
| George's 40th Birthday | |||
| 2011 | Buried Alive | ||
| Dysteria | |||
| Upon Release | |||
| Cab 57 | |||
| Waking Up | |||
| The Silence Inside Us | |||
| I Am Rupert Caldwell | |||
| Good Intentions | |||
| August's Claim | |||
| 2012 | Call to Arms | ||
| All Up to You | |||
| Haven's Point | |||
| Dog-Eared | |||
| 2013 | Veritasium | 1 episode | |
| Rise | |||
| Diary of a Teenage Nobody | 1 episode | ||
| The Plagiarist's Game | |||
| Billy in Motion | |||
| Verax | |||
| United Grand Lodge of Queensland Grand Installation | |||
| Dark Power | |||
| Where the Sky Is Born | |||
| 2014 | Thrilling Contradictions | ||
| Rush | |||
| 2015 | Recoil | ||
| The Sweet Taste of Redemption | |||
| Let Go | |||
| 2016 | Emma's Chance | ||
| Mandroid | |||
| 2017 | The Labyrinth | ||
| Resistance is Life | |||
| Moving Art | 1 episode | ||
| 2018 | Level Up Norge | 3 episodes | |
| Buoyancy | |||
| The Price | |||
| 2019 | Full Moon | ||
| The Teleios Act | |||
| 2024 | Ark: The Animated Series | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Johnson, Odhrán. "404 - With Gareth Coker: Creating Music that Enhances Player Experience". Media.wmv. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ a b c d Parkes, Cassie (26 July 2017). "Interview: Composer Gareth Coker Talks Minecraft, Ori and more". Cultured Vultures. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ "A Conversation with Gareth Coker". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ Butler, Mark (17 October 2017). "How video game music is finally getting the appreciation it deserves". iNews. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ Brinkley, Vance (21 August 2017). "Gareth Coker Is A Name You Should Know In Video Game Music". Bandcamp. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ Dealessandri, Marie (17 July 2019). "The sounds of… Gareth Coker". MCV Develop. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ Wingler, Matt (10 April 2020). "The Emotion Of Sound: Chatting With Ori And The Blind Forest Composer Gareth Coker". The Sixth Axis. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ Gies, Arthur (9 March 2015). "ORI AND THE BLIND FOREST REVIEW: THE PLACES YOU'LL GO". Polygon. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- ^ Reparaz, Mikel (10 March 2015). "Ori and The Blind Forest - Review". IGN. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- ^ a b "2016 AWARDS CATEGORY DETAILS". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ Hamilton, Kirk (1 January 2016). "The Best Video Game Music Of 2015". Kotaku. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ Silverman, Ben (12 March 2015). "Review: Beauty Meets the Beasts in Mesmerizing 'Ori and the Blind Forest'". Yahoo. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ Moyer, Phillip (16 March 2020). "Gareth Coker on Creating Ori and the Will of the Wisps' Tear-jerker Soundtrack". The Escapist. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Howard, Gerard. "'Ori and the Will of the Wisps' Composer Gareth Coker Dives Deep on the Philosophy of Sound, Technique, and Snoring Bunnies". Gerard Howard III. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ Maniglia, Valentin (20 December 2017). "Dinosaurs, Orchestras and Indian Flutes - An Interview with Video Game Composer Gareth Coker". score it. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ a b Savery, Richard (21 September 2017). "Gareth Coker Interview". audiogang. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Remington, Katie (4 October 2018). "Gareth Coker's Music Makes Norse And Egyptian Mythology Come Alive". WSHU. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Corbett, Noelle (3 March 2021). "Immortals Fenyx Rising Composer Gareth Coker Discusses the Game's Epic Score". CBR. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Chesler, Josh (16 June 2021). "In Immortals Fenyx Rising, Gareth Coker Finally Got the Chance to Score an 'Over-The-Top, Epic' Video Game". Spin. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Grimshaw, Jack (9 June 2021). "Gareth Coker opens up on 'Halo Infinite': "Fans will be very interested to see how we use past material and expand upon it."". NME. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Maher, Cian (28 July 2021). "Gareth Coker On Ori, Halo Infinite, And What It Takes To Make "Great Game Music"". The Gamer. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "YOKO SHIMOMURA, GRANT KIRKHOPE AND GARETH COKER Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (Original Soundtrack)". Light in the Attic. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Ombler, Mat (26 December 2022). "3 Music Legends Collaborated on One Nintendo Game. Sparks Flew". WIRED. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ McClure, Deven (10 January 2024). "Exploring Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown's Music With An Exclusive New Track". Screen Rant. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
- ^ Blain, Louise (30 October 2015). "Ori And The Blind Forest wins Best Audio at the Golden Joystick Awards". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
- ^ Feinberg, Scott (10 October 2015). "Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Sam Smith, Lady Gaga, Brian Wilson Among Nominees". Billboard. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- ^ "Games - Music in 2016". British Academy Games Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- ^ Dornbush, Jonathan. "SXSW Gaming Awards 2016 winners". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Best Score and Music I Nominees". The Game Awards. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Gareth Coker Awards". IMDB. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ "IFMCA Award Nominations 2020". IFMCA International: Film Music Critics Association. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ "2021 Awards Category Details Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ Ankers, Adele (21 March 2021). "SXSW Gaming Awards 2021 Winners". IGN. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ Garcia, Thania (18 May 2023). "Ivor Novello Awards 2023 Winners List: Wet Leg Named Songwriters of the Year, Raye's 'Escapism' Takes Center Stage". Variety. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
- ^ ""I am happy to announce that I'm scoring @Halo Infinite alongside @cschweitzer"". Twitter. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
- ^ "綠野幻夢 OST on Apple Music".
- ^ "沙中之火 (Original Soundtrack) on Apple Music".
- ^ "水月與深藍之樹 (Original Soundtrack) on Apple Music".
- ^ "Two very different tracks, both of which you heard in the @survivetheark II trailer shown at @thegameawards . Presented here in full". Twitter. 11 December 2020. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
External links
[edit]- Gareth Coker at IMDb
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