Timothy Schmidt

Every piece has a story

Most of my music is conceived with some kind of narrative in mind. This style, coined program music in the 19th century, uses a theme, idea, or event outside of the music as an impetus for its creation and development. In pieces with no explicit program, I tend to explore specific musical parameters such as contemporary compositional processes and instrumental techniques.

Music as a craft

While music is traditionally considered an art form, its usage in films and other media lends it a more utilitarian purpose. My compositions, whether for media, worship, or the concert hall, usually tilt toward the craft side of the spectrum because of my desire to serve specific subject matter. As a result, I consider myself more of a artisan than an artist, especially when working with other creatives.

The origin of story and craft

I delved into music composition as a teenager to bring to life book ideas that I struggled to author. I found that creating musical themes for characters came easier to me than paragraphs, and that writing the underscore of a plot point was more plausible than writing pages of descriptions and conversations. So from the very beginning, my music was crafted to serve a story. This motivation continues to this day.

Biography

Timothy Schmidt is a Kansas-born composer based in Norman, Oklahoma. An aspiring composer for media, Schmidt provided additional music for award-winning independent drama film Hawks Ridge and won first place in the Score the World 2 Film Scoring Contest. He has also worked on several student films, most recently contributing scores to two films showcased at the Red Carpet Film Festival. Outside of media scoring, Schmidt has released several albums, most notably "Septemundos" (2024), a large-scale, multi-movement, hybrid orchestral work. Through his position as organist and choir director at Trinity Lutheran Church in Norman, Schmidt regularly performs and conducts many of his sacred compositions. He has also written a number of concert pieces performed and recorded at the University of Oklahoma and by ensembles such as the Baker University String Orchestra and the Chicago-based Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra. Schmidt holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition from OU.

Biography (Long)

Timothy Schmidt is a Kansas-born composer based in Norman, Oklahoma. Writing music during his teen years as a way of capturing story ideas, Schmidt developed a broad portfolio of programmatic works that led ultimately to his recruitment as additional music composer for award-winning independent drama film Hawks Ridge. This opportunity reinforced Schmidt’s passion for media scoring and inspired him to enter several competitions, most recently winning first place for his submission to the Score the World 2 Film Scoring Contest. Schmidt continues to seek out scoring opportunities and build a career out of making music for and inspired by various visual mediums.

In parallel to these media ventures, Schmidt has released several albums. "Constellations" (2020), a suite for string orchestra, has received partial performances by the Olathe East Concert Orchestra and the Chicago-based Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra, the latter of which came about as a result of a first place finish in the 2021 Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra Student Composition Contest. "Contemporary Studies" (2022), a compilation of more experimental works, features performances by over 30 student musicians, all recorded throughout Schmidt's time as an undergraduate student in music composition at the University of Oklahoma. And "Septemundos" (2024), a large-scale, multi-movement, hybrid orchestral work, combines 9 soloists, 2 choirs, string quartet ATLYS, and the Czech National Symphony Orchestra with an array of virtual instruments, synthesizers, and sound design into one massive project that completes the musical ideas Schmidt started in his early years as a composer.

In addition to writing music, Schmidt is a pianist and organist and serves as music director of Trinity Lutheran Church in Norman. He often takes part in performances of his own works during church services as either keyboardist, conductor, or on rarer occasions, a member of the choir. When he is not immersed in music, Schmidt enjoys graphic design, movies with friends, and following hometown soccer team Sporting Kansas City.

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