Jon Lee: Capitalist Turned Composer

profile picSo how does one of the top television-scoring professionals in the business get to where he is today? 

If you’re Jon Lee, first you run a hedge fund for 15 or 20 years…

Huh?

You’ll have to forgive Jon for not taking a more traditional route to the top of the film and television-scoring business. He found his true calling a bit later in life than most. But that hasn’t stopped him from making quite a name for himself in the field.

Although Jon started out in finance, it became a job he ended up “totally hating.” During his last few years in the business, he decided to do something about it and began pursuing his avocation: learning to play music. He took piano lessons, which eventually led him to composing. With the music bug firmly in his system, he soon enrolled at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, where he studied with many well-established composers.

Jon got his Graduate Certificate in Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television, marking the formal end of his career in finance, and set out to land some initial gigs. He soon connected with fellow USC alum Timothy Michael Wynn, a hardcore SONAR user who co-founded the music production company Sonic Fuel. Jon went to work with Tim and his partner Chris Lennertz for about a year, “’til they kicked me out and said ‘go get a career,’” as Jon jokingly recalls.

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Kevin Kern Augments Late Night Laughs with SONAR

kevin kernIf you’re late night TV fan, you’ve probably heard Kevin Kern’s music flowing from your television set. A pianist, composer and recording artist, Kevin’s music was recently featured on the Late Show with David Letterman during a parody featuring smarmy comedian Chris Elliott in The Curious Case of Bennington Butterworth.  No stranger to the television scene,  Kern’s music has been heard as part of Live! With Regis and Kelly, Oprah, NPR, PBS and more. Legally blind since birth, Kevin relies on SONAR’s assistive technology to record and produce his own music.

Hear Kevin’s latest tracks as part of his new podcast on Itunes, Piano Stories (click on the News tab to subscribe).

Brooke Hogan's 'Redemption' Is A SureFire Hit

Brooke HoganBoston’s Surefire Music Group landed a role in mainstream TV this summer as their music was featured on the first 4 episodes of VH-1’s Brooke Knows Best (Season 2).  While Brooke’s television popularity continues to grow, Surefire Music Group is also responsible for 2 songs on the reality TV star’s brand new album, Redemption.  Surefire produced the sexy pop banger Handcuffed, and a heartfelt classic, One That Got Away. Brooke’s producers state that “this album is quite different from her last release, this time encompassing the drama of Brooke’s life on and off the television screen while showing her niche for infectious pop melodies and captivating stories within quality lyrics.”

Surefire Music Group use SONAR 8 Producer in studio, pointing out that V-Vocal and SONAR’s audio and midi capabilities make it a “very powerful platform”. Visit Surefire Music Group online for more information.

Motown Records: 'The Best of William Goldstein'

Recording artist, composer and award-winning producer William Goldstein is celebrating the Motown Records release of ‘The Best of William Goldstein,’ now available worldwide. This SONAR 7 fan is credited with over 50 film and television projects. His scores include those of FAME, Guys and Dolls, The Miracle Worker, and Twilight Zone. Since 1975, Goldstein has composed music for numerous documentaries, mini-series, television specials, concert scores, and professes the arts of ‘Improvisation and the Creative Process’ in his own masterclass. He is also the founder of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, California. With no sign of slowing down, Goldstein in currently working on two musicals in New York City as well as working on a variety of film projects. To hear the new album and learn more about the accomplished William Goldstein, visit http://www.williamgoldstein.com/.