ASA BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: VICE PRESIDENT REUVEN HERMAN

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE ASA EVENT/MEMORY OR SOMETHING YOU'VE LEARNED 

Too many to count! But one great event that we put on was the score study of John William's Catch Me If You Can. On a whim, I checked Facebook to see if I had any connections to Dan Higgins, who had played all the sax solos on the score. After reaching out, Dan graciously agreed to come speak about his experience working with John!

 

BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER AND/OR ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS

I am a film and visual media composer, conductor, and orchestrator, living and working in Los Angeles. I've composed music for multiple films, television shows, and video games, including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Jane the Virgin, AMC's Hell on Wheels, and the Activision title James Bond: 007 Legends.

I studied at the Rimon School of Music in Israel, then continued my studies at Berklee, where I was selected to conduct The Fellowship of the Rings in fronth of Howard Shore. The following year, my original composition, Now What, was chosen by popular vote as the commencement processional performed at my own graduation ceremony.

While living in Boston, I also served as the inaugural conductor of the VGO Video Game Orchestra, including orchestra, choir, and rock band, dedicated to playing music from well-known video games. In 2016, I was among the first class of Fellows of the LA Film Conducting Intensive, and conducted my own music in concert in Veracruz, Mexico, in 2019.

Since moving to Los Angeles in 2009, I've worked on music for films, television, and video games, as well as producing multiple soundtrack albums. I've collaborated with composers including Kevin Kiner, Penka Kouneva, and David Schwartz, and my music has been featured in numerous hit television series.

I've been serving as the Vice President of the Academy of Scoring Arts since 2014.

 

NAME ONE COMPOSER OR MUSICIAN THAT HAS INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST 

How could I not answer John Williams?

 

ANY LIFE OR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY?

We are blessed to get to do what we love, and cursed to have to do what we love. It's not easy, and giving into despair and cynicism is a constant danger. But don't give up! Be kind to yourself and to others, and make yourself an active part of the community. There are many of us out there who share this passion for film music, and we are stronger and better when we're together, supporting each other and lifting each other up.

 

WHAT ARE SOME NON-MUSIC RELATED INTERESTS YOU HAVE? (IF ANY!)

I'm a pretty big gearhead. (My original dream was to be a car designer!) Also love movies and video games, and I am doomed by my family roots to cheer for Detroit sports teams, which is mainly an exercise in patience and frustration.