Chris Lennertz

BMI Scores at USC

2008-02-21T22:03:01-05:00

BMI Film/TV Executives Doreen Ringer Ross and Ray Yee were guest speakers at the University of Southern California’s (USC) Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television class taught by author Jon Burlingame. BMI Composer Chris Lennertz joined the two in speaking about the role of the composer as well as his career.

BMI Conducting Workshop Celebrates Ten Years of Honing Talent

2007-07-27T13:26:01-05:00

BMI’s Conducting Workshop recently celebrated 10 years of teaching composers the art of conducting musical scores. BMI Classic Contribution Award-winner, conductor and composer Lucas Richman once again led the program. Conducting for the Film Composer is a two-week course taught by Richman and designed for eight BMI composers who seek to refine their conducting skills. The class is taught at the American Federation of Musicians Local 47 in Hollywood, CA and is free to the accepted participants.

Conductor Lucas Richman (l) and composer Tim Wynn.

This year’s students are an exemplary group of working film and television composers: Kathryn Bostic (Sundance Fellow, Beyond the Ring, Contradictions of the Heart); Kris Carter (Justice League, Teen Titans); Eric Colvin (NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience, Bark!); Claude Foisy (The 4400, White Noise); Corey Jackson (Left in Darkness, Starting Over); Dave Reynolds (Cruel Intentions 3, Tides of War); Craig Richey (Friends with Money, Lovely & Amazing); Tim Wynn (Reflections of Venice, Chasing the Light). The class is coordinated by BMI’s Senior Director of Film/TV Relations, Ray Yee, and BMI’s Film/TV Relations staff.

The whole group pauses for a photo: (l-r, front): BMI's Ray Yee, composer Kathryn Bostic, conductor Lucas Richman and composer Kris Carter; (back) composer Corey Jackson, BMI's Linda Livingston, composers Tim Wynn and Eric Colvin, BMI’s Doreen Ringer Ross, composers Craig Richey, and Dave Reynolds, contractor David Low, composer Claude Foisy, BMI's Anne Cecere and Philip Shrut.

BMI recently recognized accomplished conductor and composer Lucas Richman with the 2007 Classic Contribution Award for 10 years of service leading BMI’s celebrated Conductor’s Workshop. A BMI composer, Richman has led the workshop since its inception. Presently Music Director and Conductor for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Richman is a leading expert in conducting and composing, having fashioned an outstanding career as a conductor with numerous symphonies and orchestras in the U.S. as well as collaborator with numerous film composers as their conductor for such films as the Academy Award-nominated As Good As It Gets, Face/Off, Seven, Breakdown, Anastasia and The Village.

Past participants in the highly touted lab, include composers Cliff Martinez, Stewart Copeland, Camara Kambon, Danny Pelfrey, Richard Gibbs, Bill Brown, Bennett Salvay, Rolfe Kent, Julie and Steve Bernstein, Anthony Marinelli, Alex Wurman, Gary Kuo, Tyler Bates, Nate Barr, James Venable, Mervyn Warren, Chris Lennertz and Laura Karpman.

Photos: Anna Maria DiSanto

Game Music Comes to Life at Hollywood Bowl

2006-10-17T05:00:00-05:00

BMI's Anne Cecere was on hand to celebrate the return of Video Games Live to the Hollywood Bowl with an all-new show. This unique event is an immersive concert featuring music from the some of the biggest video games of all time, including "Halo," "Mario," "Zelda," "Warcraft," "Final Fantasy," "Arcade Classics" and others. With music performed by the Bowl Orchestra and exclusive video footage and music arrangements, synchronized lighting, solo performers, electronic percussionists, live action and unique interactive segments, Video Games Live is an explosive one-of-a-kind entertainment experience.

BMI's Anne Cecere (center) is pictured with Video Games Live co-creator Tommy Tallarico and BMI composer Chris Lennertz

BMI Offers Alternatives at Entertainment Summit

2004-06-15T18:00:01-05:00

BMI sponsored the "Alternatives for Music in Film and Television" panel at the Global Entertainment Media Summit held at the LAX Hilton. BMI's Ray Yee moderated the highly productive panel, which focused on new career opportunities and strategies for placing music in film and television, as well as other alternatives for distribution.

Shown after the panel are Nelson Bae, Music Supervisor, SonicFusion; BMI's Ray Yee; Shannon Madden, Publisher, Nettwerk; Jojo Villanueva, Music Supervisor, Format; BMI composer Chris Lennertz; and Louis Clark, Music Supervisor, Bunim-Murray.

USC Alums Show Team Spirit

2004-01-14T17:00:00-05:00

BMI film composer Chris Lennertz (left) got together recently with fellow University of Southern California alumni and friends to take in the USC vs. Michigan football game held at the Rose Bowl.

Lennertz, who attended USC's Composers School, has scored for indie films and made for TV projects including A Diva's Christmas Carol, America!, Beer Honey, Brimstone and Clive Barker's Saint Sinner. Other credits include work as conductor or orchestrator on The Jungle Book and 101 Dalmatians, as well as scoring music for the Electronic Arts videogame sequel, "Medal of Honor: Rising Sun."

Showing their team spirit at the game are BMI's Ray Yee, Universal Music's Carianne Brown and BMI film composer Chris Lennertz.

USC Film Scoring Program

2002-03-13T17:00:00-05:00

The University of Southern California’s Film Scoring Program invited BMI execs Doreen Ringer Ross and Ray Yee to guest teach two of its classes in February. BMI composer and program alumnus Chris Lennertz also participated in the class.

Pictured are BMI's Ray Yee; Chris Lennerz; Brian King, composer, instructor; BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross; and Buddy Baker, composer/director of the program.