As a composer working across concert music \, film\, television\, theme parks\, and video games\, Oregon-born Chris T homas moves between mediums that demand fundamentally different approaches to how music functions. A concert work stands on its own\, a film score s erves the story\, and a video game score must respond in real time to play er choice.
\nIn this talk\, Chris pulls back the curtain on how he w rites for these different contexts\, exploring what changes from medium to medium&mdash\;and what doesn&rsquo\;t. Through stories from his own work\ , he traces how musical ideas take shape\, evolve\, and are shaped by coll aboration\, constraint\, and purpose.
\nBut beneath these difference s lies a harder truth: writing for any medium isn&rsquo\;t just about mast ering its rules. Technique can be learned. Trends can be studied. What act ually determines whether music works is something less tangible&mdash\;the composer&rsquo\;s ability to recognize their own voice\, trust it\, and b ring something honest into the work. Across every medium\, the most import ant throughline is not the format&mdash\;it&rsquo\;s the composer&rsquo\;s voice.
\nAbout the Presenter:
\n
Chris Thomas\, an Oregon native born in Pendleton and now based in Bend\, is a world-renowned composer for film\, theme parks\, and video games\, and a T ED speaker. Raised in a musical family\, he began playing piano as a toddl er and chose the cello in elementary school&mdash\;an instrument he still plays today with the Central Oregon Symphony. His early fascination with c omposers like Beethoven led him toward composition at a young age\, suppor ted by an unusual gift later identified as synesthesia\, in which sound an d color are experienced together.
\nHe went on to study music compos ition and political science at the University of Oregon before being selec ted&mdash\;one of just 12 out of 2\,500 applicants&mdash\;for the USC Scor ing for Motion Pictures program. While there\, he contributed to projects including \;Lost \;and began building a career composing for film\ , television\, video games\, and theme parks.
\nChris has won a Holl ywood Music in Media Award\, an American Prize in Composition\, and a Glob al Music Award. He has written music for several Emmy-nominated films\, an d for the film \;Woman Rebel\, which was shortlisted for an Academy Aw ard. In television\, he works as a composer\, orchestrator\, and conductor for productions such as \;Lost\, \;CSI: NY\, \;Found\, \; The Kardashians\, and \;Vice. In the realm of video games\, Chris has worked with \;Fortnite\, The Void (4D Games)\, Kitaru\, and \;Hyde &rsquo\;s Haunt &\; Seek.
\nHis work can be heard in theme parks around the world\, including Evermore Adventure Park\, Universal Studios\, Knott&rsquo\;s Berry Farm\, Queen Mary Chill\, Dreamland Theme Park (UK)\ , Los Angeles Haunted Hayride\, and Seismique. His concert music has been performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall\, the Sydney Opera House\, and t he Hollywood Bowl\, and his \;Malheur Symphony \;was the subject o f his 2019 TED Talk. His works are published with Alfred Music\, Walton Ch oral\, Wingert-Jones Publications\, and Carl Fischer Music.
\nNow li ving in Bend\, Chris continues to travel regularly to Los Angeles while re maining active in Central Oregon&rsquo\;s music community. He notes that p erforming as a cellist with the Central Oregon Symphony continues to shape his work as a composer.
\nAbout OLLI:
\nThe Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Oregon (OLLI-UO) in Central Oregon invites community members to participate in our Friday Tal ks in partnership with the Deschutes Public Library. OLLI-UO is an intelle ctual and social community of engaged adult learners\, connecting members to university faculty and professionals in respective fields. A six-month or yearlong membership allows participation in a variety of lectures\, cou rses\, peer-led study and discussion groups\, educational tours\, field tr ips\, and social events.
\nQuestions? Contact \;lizg@deschuteslibrary.org \;
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