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From Television To '10 Cloverfield Lane,' A Composer Plays With Surprise — And Luck

Composer Bear McCreary is known for scoring popular television shows like Battlestar Galactica and The Walking Dead. His first film score is for 10 Cloverfield Lane. Kevin Porter & Anton Seim/Tim Greiving hide caption

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Kevin Porter & Anton Seim/Tim Greiving

Music News

From Television To '10 Cloverfield Lane,' A Composer Plays With Surprise — And Luck

When a film starts, "you have anywhere from two to 10 seconds to get the audience's attention," score writer Bear McCreary says. He gained this and other advice from his mentor, whom he met by chance.

From Television To '10 Cloverfield Lane,' A Composer Plays With Surprise — And Luck

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Review

Director's Cuts

Director's Cuts: Dads and Kids

Weekend Edition Sunday music director Ned Wharton reviews the work of two artists with famous musician dads who're blazing their own unique paths: Emilie Berstein, daughter of film score composer Elmer Bernstein, and pianist Peter John Stoltzman, son of Grammy-winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman.

Director's Cuts: Dads and Kids

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Music

Composer Bernstein

Pat Dowell reports on Elmer Bernstein who, after composing scores for more than 200 movies, is moving to writing concert music. Bernstein regrets the state of film music today — which he says lacks emotion, and is included primarily to create an atmosphere, rather than impart a grand musical theme.

Composer Bernstein

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Obituaries

Oscar-Winning Composer Elmer Bernstein, 82, Dies

Prolific Hollywood composer Elmer Bernstein, who wrote the scores for such films as The Ten Commandments and The Magnificent Seven, dies at age 82. Nominated for an Oscar 14 times, Bernstein won once.

Oscar-Winning Composer Elmer Bernstein, 82, Dies

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