Interview – Rossano Galante

Name: Rossano Galante

City, State of Residence: Santa Clarita, CA

Occupation: Film Score Orchestrator

Favorite Instrument to Play: Trumpet

Born in Buffalo, New York, Rossano Galante received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Trumpet performance from SUNY Buffalo in 1992. That same year he was one of 19 people from around the world to be accepted to the University of Southern California’s Film Scoring Program. He studied with the late Jerry Goldsmith, who won an Academy Award for his film score for The Omen. In 1999, Mr. Galante moved to California to pursue a career in composition and film orchestration. Since then he has worked with two-time Oscar nominated composer Marco Beltrami, Christophe Beck, Brian Tyler, Christopher Lennertz, and Wolfram de Marco.

Mr. Galante has composed music for the films Bite Marks, The Last Straight Man, Monday Morning and Channels. He has served as orchestrator for over 60 studio films including A Quiet Place, The Mummy, Logan, Sausage Party, Smurfs: The Lost Village, First They Killed My Father, Ben Hur, The Shallows, Fantastic 4, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Gods of Egypt, Prisoners, The Wolverine, 3:10 to Yuma, A Good Day to Die Hard, Trouble with the Curve, The Thing, Final Destination 5, The Homesman, Don’t be Afraid of the Dark, Knowing, Max Payne, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Live Free or Die Hard, Red Eye, Die Bluthochzeit, The Tuxedo, and Tuesdays with Morrie, among many others.

For his large-scale Wind Ensemble compositions, he has been commissioned by the Federation of Gay Games-Paris 2018, Atlanta Freedom Band, Lake Braddock High School Band, Hofstra University Symphonic Band, Nebraska Wind Symphony, the Amherst Chamber Orchestra, Trenton State College, SUNY Buffalo, Grand Island Middle School, Syracuse Youth Symphony, Point Pleasant Borough High School, North Tonawanda High School, Lockport City School District, Edward Town Middle School, Duxbury High School Wind Ensemble, Allegro: The Chamber Orchestra of Lancaster, Franklin & Marshall College, West Genesee High School Wind Ensemble, East Stroudsburg High School, Grissom High School, Hafabra Publishing, Desert Winds Freedom Band, Starpoint High School Band, Francis T. Maloney High School Band, The Erie County Wind Ensemble, The Solano County Honor Band, and The Buffalo Niagara

Concert Band, with many others in the works.

Mr. Galante has 30 published compositions between G. Schirmer, Alfred, Hafabra, Rundel Music, and Dehaske/Curnow.

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Village Virtuoso: As a little background, could you please describe the basic differences between a film score composer and a film score orchestrator?

Rossano Galante: There is a huge difference between a film composer and film orchestrator. A film composer actually meets with the director of the movie and they both decide when the music starts and stops. They also decide what type of music should be written for each scene. The composer goes to his studio and creates the entire score in a midi file that simulates the orchestra. The orchestrator does not compose or create the melodies, harmonies or instrumentation. The orchestrator creates the conductor score based on the midi file created by the composer. All the music is in that file, but it needs to be expanded for the score. Orchestrators will handle voicing, dynamics and sometimes add wind sections based on the string material. The orchestrator will also double certain lines to add more power to the sound of the orchestra.

VV: Was there a particular movie or composer that inspired you to follow this path?

RG: After I saw the film, “E.T.” and heard John Williams’ riveting score, I really wanted to become a film composer. I did not end up becoming a film composer because I tried it for a while and realized I didn’t enjoy the process and the intense stress. I’m more of a film score fan. Film composing is for a specific type of musician who can handle composing music very fast and very good as well.

VV: You’re also a band music composer and some might say that much of your original concert band music tells a story, and therefore sounds like it belongs in a film, likely due to your orchestration work. What do you think of this opinion?

RG: I agree. I am inspired by the epic sound of a film score. Film scores can be very emotional and powerful. I want to create that with my band music.

VV: You’re also a self-taught conductor. Have you found this to feel the same (other than obvious instrumentation differences) as when you’re conducting a film score orchestra?

RG: I actually have never conducted a film score. A film score conductor is very different than a conductor for a symphony or concert band. A film score conductor mainly keeps time and then relays notes given by the composer. Film score conducting is not flashy. It’s straightforward.

VV: Aside from playing ability, is there anything about directing an amateur ensemble that was different from what you expected?

RG: No.

VV: Do you think concert bands might carve out a small niche in the film score world, or will orchestras maintain their monopoly?

RG: Orchestras will always maintain their monopoly in the film score world. The reason for this is that a film score needs that string color. Strings are also capable of creating many effects that are necessary to a film, especially horror films.

VV: Anything else you want to tell us about community bands, from your film industry perspective?

RG: I feel community bands have the potential to be superb. The only issue is that musicians don’t practice enough (I play trumpet in a community band and I am also guilty of that). If each person practiced a little bit each day, the ensemble will reach higher levels of performance. Hopefully we all can practice a little bit more. Thank you!