User:MattheFerraroMusic
Matthew Ferraro, an American composer, producer and conductor, was born in Chicago.
Education
He attended the University of Southern California on a full scholarship for music and academics. There, he studied under Dr. M. Lauridson and A. Lutoslawski. From USC, Ferraro ventured overseas to London, studying music at the Guildhall School of Music and performing arts at the University of Kent at Canterbury where he received a diploma in Visual and Performing Arts. While in Europe, he composed music for the theatrical adaptation of The Hard Man, a work for scaffold percussion performed by the Gulbenkian Theatre. He also performed jazz with various artists including Hugh Masekala, Jim Mullen, Jean Toussant, and Gerard Presencer.
Chicago
From 1990-1998, he lived in Chicago, continuing his studies with C. Colnott, and F. Mantooth, while composing and producing original soundtracks for numerous national advertising campaigns. He also wrote music for the popular multi-media game, You Don’t Know Jack. His first film score for the film The Mind’s Treasure Chest won a Gold Plaque Award at the Chicago International Film Festival.
Hollywood
In 1999, Ferraro was called by Hollywood to work as an orchestrator, producer and ghost writer. He orchestrated music for the Academy Award nominated film, The Insider. In 2000-2001 he orchestrated and produced music for Simpson’s creator Matt Groening’s, Futurama, and the Christmas tale, Olive the Other Reindeer. That year, Ferraro scored the Lionshare Pictures film, Southern Man. In 2001, he co-wrote, orchestrated and produced music for the Sci-Fi television series, Dune and for the ABC minibiographical1series, Anne Frank, the Whole Story. He scored the movie trailer and accompanying video game music for the blockbuster films, Spiderman, X-Men, and Steven Spielberg’s, Minority Report, as well as contributing orchestrations to Spielberg’s game, Medal of Honor, and Lucas Arts, Secret Weapons Over Normandy. In 2003, Ferraro composed the original score for film, Mango Kiss, which won the Gold Medal for Director’s Choice of Music at the Park City Film Music Festival at Sundance. In 2004 he continued working as a ghostwriter and orchestrator in Hollywood, contributing his work to the Disney/Pixar hit, The Incredibles.
Commissioned Works
Commissioned by the Catholic Church to compose and produce music celebrating the Jubilee year of the Jesuits in 2006, Ferraro went to Spain, where he lived in seclusion with the Jesuits. The choral hymn A.M.D.G. was recorded in London with the Crouch End Festival Chorus and is published and distributed by Boosey & Hawkes. In 2007 Ferraro was commissioned to compose a large-scale choral piece, 470 voices plus orchestra, to commemorate Dr. Walter Lamble and start a scholarship fund in his name. The world premiere of “Dream I Dream” took place in Chicago, March 12th 2007, along with Ferraro’s debut as a conductor. The performance was received with rave reviews.
The Tension of Opposites
Ferraro’s interest in issue-oriented subject matter fueled his large-scale “non-symphony” called “The Tension of Opposites, for orchestra, mixed chorus, children’s chorus, soloists and pre-recorded sound. Excerpts from the work were used in association with Oliver Stone’s “World Trade Center” in 2006. The California Arts Council and Americans for the Arts endorsed the work, deeming it a “new art form”. The multi-media work premiered in London, on March 1, 2009 to standing ovations. Some have called Ferraro’s style “orchestral journalism,” because he interviewed people and placed their testimony in parts of his new music. In another movement concerning religious beliefs, Ferraro’s goal was to establish a dialog among people of the five great world religions. The grand opus also highlighted the work of charities in the US and the UK.
Currently, Ferraro is composing music to the unpublished prayers of Pope John Paul II.
Published music: Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam, Boosey & Hawkes, 2006 Composed to mark the 450th anniversary of St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
Selected Filmography:
World Trade Center Trailer / COMPOSER 2006 Sparkhill Productions For Paramount Pictures Directed by Oliver Stone
The Incredibles / CO-ORCHESTRATOR 2004 Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Written by Brad Bird Directed by Brad Bird Oscar for ‘Best Animated Film’
Mango Kiss / COMPOSER 2004 Mango Me Productions Directed by, Sascha Rice Winner of Director’s Choice for Music Park City Film Music Festival at Sundance
Anne Frank the Whole Story / CO-WRITER MUSIC 2001 ABC Television Directed by Robert Dornhelm Nominated for 3 Golden Globes Emmy Winner “Outstanding Mini-series”
Dune (Mini-series) / CO-WRITER MUSIC 2000 Sci-Fi Channel Directed by John Harrison Winner of 2 Emmys
The Insider / ORCHESTRATOR 1999 Touchstone Pictures 7 Academy Award Nominations Directed by Michael Mann
Futurama / ORCHESTRATOR/MUSIC PRODUCER 1999 20th Century Fox Created by: Matt Groening
Selected Discography
A.M.D.G.
The Incredibles
Mango Kiss
The Looking Glass / COMPOSER 2005 EMI/KPM Music Producer Peter Cox
Video Games
Call of Duty / ORCHESTRATOR 2003 Activision Written by, Michael Schiffer
Spider-Man The Game , Trailer / COMPOSER 2002 Activision
X-Men The Game / COMPOSER 2000 20th Century Fox Directed by Bryan Singer
Medal of Honor Underground / ORCHESTRATOR 2000 Entertainment Arts Created by, Steven Spielberg
You Don’t Know Jack / COMPOSER 1995 Jellyvision, Inc. Produced by, Harry Gottlieb
External links Official websites: http://www.matthewferraro.com/ http://www.thetensionofopposties.com/ Matthew Ferraro www.matthewferraro.com