Lennie Moore

“The film [Watchmen Motion Comic] is especially benefitted by a musical score from Lennie Moore...especially evocative in the breathtaking ‘Watchmaker’ episode, where it thrusts its dramatic, epic atmosphere beneath the narration as Jon, Dr. Manhattan, weaves his timeless and timeshifting tale. Moore gives the story much of its emotive vitality and expressiveness, aided by the voice performance and sound effects.” —Randall Larson's Soundtrax

COURSES TAUGHT

  • Applied Lessons
  • Tools, Techniques and Analysis
  • Orchestration for the Media Composer

EDUCATION

  • BM, Berklee College of Music

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

  • Best Soundtrack Album, G.A.N.G. Awards, 2011
  • Best Interactive Score, G.A.N.G. Awards, 2011
  • Best Audio — Other, G.A.N.G. Awards, 2008

What is your hometown?

Santa Rosa, CA

What is your favorite recording?

Igor Stravinsky, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, CBC Symphony Orchestra — “Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky”

What are you passionate about outside of music?

Building computers, video games, and fermenting foods and beverages.

Who were your major teachers?

Michael Gibbs, David S. Mash, and William Kettering.

What is a favorite quote that you repeatedly tell students?

"Failure is an option."

What question do you wish students would ask sooner rather than later?

“Who am I as an artist?”

What was the defining moment when you decided to pursue music as a career?

As someone who wrote big band arrangements during study time in junior high school English, I never had to decide. I just knew this was what I wanted to do. I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

What was a turning point in your career?

My first video game score for “Outcast” in 1998. This is where I discovered one of my favorite forms of composing for media, along with the amazing people in that industry.

If you weren't a musician or teacher, what do you think you would be doing now?

Building something.

What is your daily practice routine?

I utilize the mornings for composition and creative work. Afternoons and evenings for technical work (creating demos, templates, mixing) and limit emails/social media for lunch break and at the end of the day.

If you could play only three composers for the rest of your life, who would they be?

Igor Stravinsky, Beethoven, and Don Grolnick.

From a music history perspective, what year and city are most important to you?

Paris, 1913 (premiere of Le Sacre du printemps)

What are your most important collaborations?

Working with Franck, Yann, and Yves on “Outcast”; the Halo Combat Evolved/Halo 2 Anniversary projects; and the music team of Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Who are three students you have had the privilege of teaching?

Kyle Randall, Jim (Sky) Schuyler, and Daria Novoliantceva.

What recordings can we hear you on?

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (Original Soundtrack), Sumthing Else Music Works
Halo 2 Anniversary (Original Soundtrack), Microsoft Corporation
Rising Storm, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam Original Soundtracks, Tripwire Interactive

What is your unrealized project?

My big band album.

Biography

For decades Lennie Moore has been a proven force as an accomplished composer, arranger and orchestrator of music for video games, commercials, film, and television. His credits include Outcast, Outcast: Second Contact, Star Wars: Battlefront 2*, Call of Duty: WWII*, DOTA2: The International 2016, Counter Strike: Global Offensive Artist Music Pack, Halo Combat Evolved 10th Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Kinect Disneyland Adventures, Red Orchestra 2: Rising Storm, Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, The Walking Dead Motion Comic, Watchmen Motion Comic, Fighter Within, MTG: Duels of the Planeswalkers, Dirty Harry, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian*, Dragonshard, and War of the Ring (* = additional music). Lennie has also developed and taught courses in Composing for Video Games at USC, UCLA Extension, and currently teaches composing for media in the Technology and Applied Composition program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Degrees and Programs - TAC - Faculty