Composer Tom Holkenborg, best known to viewers as Junkie XL, is launching the SCORE Academy, which is a program designed to train aspiring film composers. In his career that spans two decades, Holkenborg has lent his talents to a variety of projects, most notably blockbusters such as Mad Max: Fury Road, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Deadpool. It was recently confirmed he’d be scoring this November’s Terminator: Dark Fate, which reunites him with director Tim Miller.
As one of the more distinct artists working in his field today, Holkenborg continues to entertain and thrill audiences with his soundtracks, which frequently complement and enhance the scenes they play with. Undoubtedly, his work has inspired and influenced numerous people looking to break into the industry today, and now the Hollywood composers of tomorrow will have a terrific opportunity to learn tricks of the trade from Holkenborg.
Today it was announced Holkenborg, along with ASCAP, launched the SCORE Academy. It’s a free year-long program with a curriculum of Holkenborg’s design that covers various aspects including film scoring, sound mixing, and the business side of things. Those interested can apply online at score-academy.org, but it’s worth mentioning the program is specifically built for students at the highest level. According to the website, the “right applicant” should have a masters degree in film scoring or music or “be self-taught and supremely talented.”
This initiative is the latest example of Holkenborg’s dedication to education. He also produces a free online series called Studio Time for his YouTube channel and served as an Associate Professor for the ArtEZ Academy of Music. It goes without saying Holkenborg is one of the busiest people in the industry, but it’s great to see him take the time to set SCORE Academy up. On-paper, it sounds like it will be a very valuable program to help the next generation of film composers perfect their craft so they can deliver the next wave of memorable themes that audiences love. SCORE Academy looks to be extremely well-rounded, covering all corners so students are prepared for what’s next.
What’s even better is SCORE Academy isn’t just positioned as a one-off experiment. It’ll be an annual program, so hopefully it finds a great deal of success and builds a sizable student body over the next several years. This is a great opportunity for those looking for a big break, giving them access to tremendous resources and contacts that could pay off in the future.
More: Junkie XL On Uniqueness of Deadpool & Epicness of Batman
Source: Tom Holkenborg
