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My cousin's been busy. . . .


Uni
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I think I mentioned something on this a few years back, but I'm a cousin to Kevin Kaska, one of the founders of the Boston Metropolitan Orchestra. He's worked with John Williams and the Boston Pops on projects in the past (the two of them collaborated on the CD that has Williams' Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra back in 1996). I haven't had the chance to catch up with him in a while, so I wasn't aware how much he's moved into the arena of filmusic recently. I knew he'd done an extensive amount of orchestrating for John Debney--in such films as Chicken Little, Mummy 3, Evan Almighty, Swing Vote, and Zathura, among others--as well as some orchestration work for Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight, Angels and Demons, Madagascar 2, and Monsters vs. Aliens).

I got a Christmas letter from his family updating me on some of his more recent work. After doing some orchestration for the Transformers video game, Steve Jablonsky brought him on board to do an extensive amount of it for the movie Transformers 2. Most recently, however, he's been asked to do some original compositions for big films. After writing the big band piece "Ballroom Bounce" (as well as another piece) for the movie Public Enemies with Johnny Depp, he was asked to do supplemental compositions for the new Sherlock Holmes movie when things fell behind schedule. They say to look for his name in the credits.

I'm hoping this will lead to even bigger movie jobs in the near future. He's still the music director and conductor for the Boston Met, but one of these days he may get the call to do an entire score for himself. We're crossing our fingers. . . .

- Uni

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he also wrote adtional music for LAIR, didnt he?

Yep. I guess he's done a few games in the past couple of years.

- Uni

He can fake Johnn Williams rather well.

He's the next John Williams?

I don't think either of these are accurate. Seeing his talent (he's always been considered a prodigy), Williams selected him out of the Boston Pops musicians to orchestrate for him, then elected to share an album of concertos with him. My guess is that if John considered him a second-rate hack, he wouldn't have taken this course.

However, there are a lot of musical prodigies out there, and I don't think any of them have what it takes to be the "next John Williams." Those shoes are a little too big for anyone. Kevin's got promise, though. He could be another David Arnold, or the like.

- Uni

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I don't think either of these are accurate. Seeing his talent (he's always been considered a prodigy), Williams selected him out of the Boston Pops musicians to orchestrate for him, then elected to share an album of concertos with him. My guess is that if John considered him a second-rate hack, he wouldn't have taken this course.

You misunderstand me.

In his contribution to Lair, he very acuratly, and delibratly emulates certain stylistic elements common in John Williams' orchestration.

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Thanks for posting that Ini, I hope things continue to go well for him.

I don't think either of these are accurate. Seeing his talent (he's always been considered a prodigy), Williams selected him out of the Boston Pops musicians to orchestrate for him, then elected to share an album of concertos with him. My guess is that if John considered him a second-rate hack, he wouldn't have taken this course.

You misunderstand me.

In his contribution to Lair, he very acuratly, and delibratly emulates certain stylistic elements common in John Williams' orchestration.

Yes there are several cues that sound like Williams could have composed them.

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You misunderstand me.

In his contribution to Lair, he very acuratly, and delibratly emulates certain stylistic elements common in John Williams' orchestration.

Ah. . . ! My bad. Hard to tell with you sometimes, Cos. . . . :thumbup: And of course, that isn't in itself a bad thing, I suppose. People have been trying to emulate the sound of The Great One for years now. . . .

Thanks for posting that Ini, I hope things continue to go well for him.

My brothers Meeny, Miny, and Moe said you're welcome. :lol: And thanks in return for your well-wishing, Mark.

- Uni

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Thanks for posting that Ini, I hope things continue to go well for him.

My brothers Meeny, Miny, and Moe said you're welcome. ;) And thanks in return for your well-wishing, Mark.

- Uni

Oops, well in my defense the "I" is next to the "U" on the keyboard. ;)

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