Filipe Leitão

One of the most valuable experiences for a young composer is hearing music move from the computer and the page into the hands of real musicians. This week, three of my VCU Media Scoring students — Henry Bingman, Deiandre Fernandez, and Isis Romine — had their original compositions rehearsed and recorded by the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, conducted by Jessica Altarriba. Each student brought a very different musical idea to the orchestra. Their pieces explored imagery ranging from the...

When we think about heroic trumpet writing, it is easy to focus on the obvious things: high register, strong dynamics, bright orchestration, and powerful brass chords. But those elements alone do not explain why some trumpet writing feels so alive. A large part of the character comes from the performance inside the phrase. The rhythm, the weight of the attacks, the way repeated notes are shaped, the slight differences between one note and the next, and the sense of movement toward the next...

Today was a very special day. Lottie Dottie Chicken – The Movie (Galinha Pintadinha – O Filme) had its premiere in São Paulo, Brazil, and after four months working on the orchestral score, I finally had the opportunity to experience the finished film on the big screen — surrounded by the filmmakers, their families, guests, and a full audience. At the São Paulo premiere of Lottie Dottie Chicken – The Movie. Watch the Official Trailer Take a look at the official trailer for Lottie Dottie...