“Composing music for video games is one of the top-10 fastest growing jobs in America.” (USA TODAY, Geekwire)
That’s music to the ears of composition students. But only those who speak its singularly sophisticated scoring language will earn the opportunity to compete for these jobs.
For interested students and members of the public alike, the IU Jacobs School of Music is opening the door to opportunity at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16, in Sweeney Hall. The Jacobs School’s Center for Electronic and Computer Music in collaboration with the IU Media School is hosting blockbuster video game composer, educator, and entrepreneur Chance Thomas for a one-night only event, “Composing Music for Games: The Art, Tech, and Commerce of Video Game Scoring.”
This special free guest lecture will offer students an extraordinary opportunity to learn vital music design principles, revolutionary adaptive scoring techniques, and powerful entrepreneurial strategies from one of the game industry’s most innovative and successful composers.
How does music change seamlessly to follow the action in DOTA 2? Come and learn how. What is the single most powerful piece of technology available to video game composers today? Come and find out. What should every composer take into every single business pitch? Come and discover answers to all these questions and many more as we delve into the complex and fascinating world of music scoring for games!
The Sweeney Hall lecture will be followed by a one-hour question and answer session in Simon Music M242.
This event is funded in part by the Sweetwater Computer Music Lecture Series.
About Thomas
Thomas helps students and professionals navigate the intersection of music scoring, technology, and business. His music has underscored blockbuster commercial success and critical acclaim, including an Oscar, an Emmy, and billions of dollars in video game and film sales worldwide.
Last year, four million people bought Chance’s original music score for the DOTA 2 compendium. His top video game credits include Lord of the Rings Online, James Cameron’s Avatar, Heroes of Might and Magic, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Peter Jackson’s King Kong, and many more.
His music can be heard on hit television shows like Pawn Stars, The Bachelorette, and America’s Most Wanted. His movie scores include the Academy Award-winning animated short film The ChubbChubbs! from Columbia Pictures.
Chance is a director of the Game Audio Network Guild and serves on several advisory boards. His business interests range across studios, publishing, and audio services, successfully supporting an active composing career spanning more than 20 years.