In this week’s podcast, I got the chance to chat with composer Nate Barr, who recently made Emmy history being the first composer to ever have a double nomination in the Main Title category in the same year!

Nate received two Emmy nominations in 2013 for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for his work on The Americans, which airs on ITV in the UK, and Netflix’s Hemlock Grove. In addition to working on the second seasons of both of these shows, Nate has scored all six seasons of HBO’s Emmy-winning show, True Blood (airs on Fox in the UK), and is currently also working on kids TV show Tumbleleaf for Amazon.

Barr, who began his career with Hans Zimmer, has composed music for more than 30 feature films in addition to his television experience. He has worked with some of the most highly respected directors in the business, including Alan Ball and gore-horror master Eli Roth. Roth and Barr have collaborated on Hemlock Grove and five films, including Dimension Films and Vivendi Entertainment’s Grindhouse, Screen Gems and Lionsgate’s Hostel, Hostel 2, Cabin Fever, and Lionsgate’s The Last Exorcism.

In 2012, Barr composed original music for Lionsgate’s comedy The Big Wedding, which starred Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Amanda Seyfried, Katherine Heigl, and Topher Grace. In 2011, Barr scored IFC Films’ The Ledge, a drama/thriller starring Liv Tyler and Terrance Howard, and directed by Matthew Chapman. It premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Also among Barr’s diverse credits: 20th Century Fox’s Shutter, Warner Bros. The Dukes of Hazzard, and Film for Thought’s Hood to Coast, a documentary that follows four teams on their epic journey to conquer the world’s largest relay race.

In addition to writing his scores, he performs many of the instruments heard in his compositions, and is skilled in many styles and genres ranging from orchestral to rock. Barr is also known for his collection and inclusion of rare and unusual instruments from around the world such as: a human bone trumpet from Tibet, dismantled pianos, a rare Glass Armonica and gourd cellos, among many others!

You can find more info on Nate at www.nathanbarr.com

Geektown Podcast 06: Interview with Composer Nate Barr

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( Editor/Owner ) Dave has over 20 years experience in the digital industry, and is founder and editor of Geektown. Obviously a huge geek himself, he can often be found in front of the latest tv show or movie, on various video games, or with his head in a comic book.