The SoundWorks Collection talks with Composer Trevor Morris in his Santa Monica studio to explore a few of his recent projects and his unique approach to scoring his TV and film projects.
Emmy Award-Winning Composer, Trevor Morris received his 4th Emmy nomination in 2012 for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) for Showtime’s THE BORGIAS, making him the most Emmy-Nominated Composer of the last two years. Morris is a prolific composer, scoring for both film and television. Most recently, he scored the music for director Antoine Fuqua’s highly anticipated thriller, OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, starring Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett and Aaron Eckhart.
Morris has earned multiple Emmy and Gemini Nominations and Awards for his work on Showtime’s THE BORGIAS, THE TUDORS and Starz Entertainment’s THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH. He won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, the first one in 2007 for THE TUDORS, the second one in 2011 for THE BORGIAS. Morris won two Gemini Awards in both 2010 and 2011 for Best Original Music Score for a Program or Series for THE TUDORS. In addition to Morris’ Emmy and Gemini wins, he was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special for THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, and was nominated for two Gemini Awards for Best Original Music Score for a Dramatic Program, Mini-Series or TV Movie for THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, and Best Original Music Score for a Program or Series for THE BORGIAS.
In October 2012, 300-plus members from the World Soundtrack Awards nominated Morris as Discovery of the Year for his work on IMMORTALS. The illustrious award recognizes film’s rising composing talent from the previous year in Ghent, Belgium. Oscar-winning composers Gustavo Santaolalla (“Brokeback Mountain”) and Michael Giacchino (“Up”) have received the award in the past.
In June 2012, Morris participated in The International Film Music Festival of Cordoba. At the Festival, guests and fans from all over the world gathered to celebrate music composed for film and television in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The Festival included several symphony concerts featuring last year’s best scores and classic scores. Only a few days after returning from Spain, Morris was in San Diego for the fan-favorite “Behind the Music with CW3PR” panel at Comic-Con. He also participated on the ASCAP Expo panel “Inside the Composer’s Studio with Trevor Morris.”
Morris is currently composing music for the next season of Showtime’s THE BORGIAS, History Channel’s VIKINGS, and ABC’s BODY OF PROOF. Morris’ music has also been heard in films and TV shows such as Relativity’s action-packed film, IMMORTALS; ABC’s 666 PARK AVENUE; SyFy’s ALPHA’S; NBC’s THE FIRM; Fox Atomic’s THE HILLS HAVE EYES II; NBC’s E-RING; Columbia and Warner Bros pictures’ SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE; Anchor Bay’s BEAUTIFUL BOY; NBC’s CHASE; CBS’ MOONLIGHT; CBS’ MIAMI MEDICAL; NBC’s KINGS; FOX’s JUSTICE; and Interactive Games such as EA’s NEED FOR SPEED: CARBON and COMMAND AND CONQUER.
The Canadian composer was born in London, Ontario, a few hours outside Toronto. At 13 years old, Morris was commissioned by his school, St. Mary’s School of the Arts, to score an original composition piece in honor of Pope John Paul’s visit to Canada. He was paid $50 and his music was performed on piano and by a 4-part choir at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Later, Morris attended Fanshawe College’s “Music Industry Arts” program, Canada’s most prestigious school for recording and production. Graduating at the top of his class, he moved to Toronto to work in music production. Morris eventually turned away from production and began to focus full-time on composing music for television commercials.
In 1999, he moved to Los Angeles to score for films and television. Morris has collaborated with some of the best directors in the business, including Jerry Bruckheimer, Neil Jordan, and Tony and Ridley Scott. In November 2011, the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles held an event in honor of Morris’ body of work.
An avid wine connoisseur, Morris is a certified Level 1 Sommelier, and also maintains a production company in Toronto with his business partners. He finished building a state-of-the-art Scoring Studio in Santa Monica that will rival any studio in the country. Morris resides in Los Angeles with his family.
