About

Jared on the podium My name is Jared Banta, and I’m a composer from the Boulder, Colorado area.

I aspire to write music based on strong, memorable ideas: music that explores the depths of the human experience and the complexity of emotion, be it serious or comedic, and that makes some sort of statement and impression on the viewing audience. I love the challenge of writing to picture and incorporating the ideas of the director while staying true to my own voice and writing music that is… well, musical.

I have been privileged to work closely with some wonderful directors so far, and I’m continuously looking for opportunities to produce memorable scores to complement and enhance great film projects.

Biography

I began taking piano lessons at the age of 7, and my instructor immediately recognized that I had a propensity for composition when I began writing simple solo pieces for the piano. By the age of 13 I developed a fascination with orchestral film music, and subsequently composed my first piece for concert band, having it performed at my middle school. In high school I developed an interest in jazz, playing bass in several of the school’s jazz ensembles.

In 2002, I attended Berklee College of Music, where I had the privilege of studying jazz composition with renowned composer and trumpeter Greg Hopkins. While gaining control of the technical side of composition, I still managed to take classes in orchestration, and I owe a lot to film scoring chair Don Wilkins for rekindling my interest in film music.

In 2011, I was accepted into the prestigious scoring program at the University of Southern California, where I had the privilege of studying under luminaries such as Bruce Broughton and Chris Young, and where I was mentored by the great Alan Silvestri. I had the opportunity to work closely with many wonderful directors from the legendary film school at USC, where I learned a great deal about how to score films efficiently and effectively.

Filmography

Composer

Guardians (2012) — dir. Abby Helstrom. Animation, Short.
Listen to Me (2012) — dir. Cheng Feng. Short.
Huey and Viola (2012) — dir. Jhanvi Shriram. Short.
Bounce (2012) – dir. Tim Astor. Short.
The Grift (2011) — dir. Kelly Nygaard. Short.
Treasure Hunt (2011) — dir. David Gero. Short.
Avarice Blade (2011) — dir. Bryce Kho. Short.
Lords of Pain (2010) — dir. Albert Cook. Animation, TV Pilot.
Zombie Blood Chaos (2007) — dir. Albert Cook. Short.
A Poodle Called Alfonzo (2005) — dir. Perry Kroll. Radio Drama.
For Whom the Phone Rings (2000) — Short.

Songwriter

Christmas Party (2011) — dir. Stephanie Rancier. Short.
Zombie Blood Chaos (2007) — dir. Albert Cook. Short.

Music Assistant

Tunnel Vision (2012) — dir. Delila Vallot. Music by Michael John Mollo. Short.

Awards and Recognition

2012 Harry Warren Endowed Scholarship for Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television. USC.
2005 Wayne Shorter Award for Excellence in Jazz Composition. Berklee College of Music.
2000 John Philip Sousa Band Award. Fairview High School.

Education

2012 Graduate Certificate, Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television. University of Southern California.
2005 Bachelor’s of Music, Jazz Composition. Berklee College of Music.