Carlos Rafael Rivera Wins SCL Award for Composing Work on “Lessons in Chemistry”

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Rafael Rivera is celebrating an award-winning lesson…

The 53-year-old Guatemalan Grammy and two-time Emmy winning composer and educator is among the winners at this year’s SCL Awards, which were held at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

Rivera claimed the award for Outstanding original title sequence for a television production for Lessons in Chemistry.

Siedah Garrett hosted the SCL Awards, which are presented by The Society of Composers and Lyricists.

The Society of Composers and Lyricists, which claims nearly 4,000 members, is a leading organization for professional film, television, video game and musical theater composers and songwriters.

Here are the nominees for the 2024 SCL Awards, with winners marked:

Outstanding original score for a studio film
Ludwig Göransson, Oppenheimer

Outstanding original score for an independent film
John Powell, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie

Outstanding original song for a comedy or musical
Billie Eilish O’Connell/Finneas O’Connell, “What Was I Made For?,” Barbie

Outstanding original song for a drama or documentary
Olivia Rodrigo/Dan Nigro, “Can’t Catch Me Now,” The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes

Outstanding original score for a television production
Nicholas Britell, Succession

Outstanding original title sequence for a television production
Carlos Rafael Rivera, Lessons in Chemistry

Outstanding original score for interactive media
Stephen Barton/Gordy Haab, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

David Raksin award for emerging talent
Catherine Joy, Home Is a Hotel

Carlos Rafael Rivera Earns Two SCL Awards Nods from Society of Composers and Lyricists

Posted on December 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Carlos Rafael Rivera has two reasons to smile…

The Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) has announced the nominees for the 2024 SCL Awards, with the 53-year-old Mexican Oscar-nominated and Emmy– and Grammy-winning composer earning two nods.

Rivera is up for Outstanding Original Score for a Television Production and Outstanding Original Score for a Television Title for his work on Lessons in Chemistry.

The awards will be presented on February 13, 2024, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Other categories still to be announced include the Spirit of Collaboration Award, which honors the long relationship between a composer and a director.

The Society of Composers & Lyricists is for professional film, television, video game, and musical theater composers and songwriters. The 78-year-old organization is focused on education and addressing the creative, technological and legal issues affecting the music for visual media community.

The nominees for the 2024 SCL Awards include:

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A STUDIO FILM
Anthony Willis: Saltburn
Joe Hisaishi: The Boy and the Heron
Ludwig Göransson: Oppenheimer
Laura Karpman: American Fiction
Robbie Robertson: Killers of the Flower Moon

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE FOR AN INDEPENDENT FILM
Jon Batiste: American Symphony
John Powell: Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
Daniel Pemberton: Ferrari
Mica Levi: The Zone of Interest
Fabrizio Mancinelli/Richard M. Sherman: Mushka

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE FOR INTERACTIVE MEDIA:
Austin Wintory: Stray Gods
Pinar Toprak: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Stephen Barton/Gordy Haab: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Winifred Phillips: Secrets of Skeifa Island

DAVID RAKSIN AWARD FOR EMERGING TALENT:
Kenny Wood: The Naughty Nine
Hannah Parrott: After Death
Fabrizio Mancinelli: The Land of Dreams
Catherine Joy: Home Is A Hotel
Allyson Newman: Commitment to Life

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG FOR A DRAMA OR DOCUMENTARY
Olivia Rodrigo/Dan Nigro: Can’t Catch Me Now HUNGER GAMES: BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES
Jon Batiste/Dan Wilson: It Never Went Away AMERICAN SYMPHONY
Lenny Kravitz: Road to Freedom RUSTIN
Nicholas Britell/Taura Stinson: Slip Away
Sharon Farber/Noah Benshea: Better Times

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG FOR A COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Billie Eilish O’Connell/Finneas O’Connell: What Was I Made For? BARBIE
Mark Ronson/Andrew Wyatt: I’m Just Ken BARBIE
Diane Warren: The Fire Inside FLAMIN’ HOT
Heather McIntosh/Allyson Newman/Taura Stinson: All About Me
Jack Black/John Spiker/Eric Osmond/Michael Jelenic/Aaron Horvath: Peaches SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A TELEVISION PRODUCTION:
Carlos Rafael Rivera: Lessons in Chemistry
Atli Örvarsson: Silo
Nainita Desai: The Deepest Breath
Kevin Kiner: Ahsoka
Chanda Dancy: Lawmen: Bass Reeves

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A TELEVISION TITLE:
Carlos Rafael Rivera: Lessons in Chemistry
Atli Örvarsson: Silo
Nainita Desai: The Deepest Breath
Kevin Kiner: Ahsoka
Chanda Dancy: Lawmen: Bass Reeves

Guillermo del Toro Earns Nod for Society of Composers & Lyricists’ SCL Awards for “Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio” Track

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo del Toro is getting a little love from the Society of Composers & Lyricists.

The 2023 SCL Awards nominations have been announced from the organization, with the 58-year-old Mexican Oscar-winning filmmaker earning a nod.

del Toro is nominated alongside Alexandre Desplat and Roeban Katz in the Outstanding Song for a Musical/Comedy category for “Ciao Papa,” the track from Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio.

Cristobal Tapia De Veer has also earned an SCL Awards nod.

The 49-year-old Chilean film and television score composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist is nominated in the Outstanding Score for Television for his acclaimed work on The White Lotus.

The awards by the Society of Composers & Lyricists, now in their fourth year, will be presented on February 15, 2023, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Actor-musician Darren Criss is set to host.

The Society of Composers & Lyricists is a leading organization for professional film, television, video game, and musical theater composers and lyricists. The 77-year-old organization is focused on education and addressing the creative, technological and legal issues affecting the music for visual media community.

Here are the nominees for the 2023 SCL Awards:

Outstanding score for a studio film
Alexandre Desplat – Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
Carter Burwell – The Banshees of Inisherin
Michael Abels – Nope
Michael Giacchino – The Batman
John Powell – Don’t Worry Darling

Outstanding score for an independent film
Leo Birenberg, Zach Robinson – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Sharon Farber – Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power
Ryan Lott – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Rob Simonsen – The Whale
Mark Smythe – The Reef: Stalked

Outstanding song for a musical/comedy:
Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, Guillermo Del Toro – “Ciao Papa” From Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
Khiyon Hursey, Sukari Jones, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Mark Sonnenblick – “Good Afternoon” From Spirited
Danny Elfman – “Light the Match” From Central Park
Billy Eichner, Marc Shaiman – “Love Is Not Love” From Bros
Weird Al Yankovic - “Now You Know” From Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Outstanding song for a drama/documentary:
Diane Warren – “Applause” From Tell It Like a Woman
Taylor Swift – “Carolina” From Where the Crawdads Sing
Lady Gaga, Bloodpop – “Hold My Hand” From Top Gun: Maverick
Tems, Rihanna, Ludwig Göransson, Ryan Coogler – “Lift Me Up” From Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross – “(You Made It Feel Like) Home” From Bones and All

Outstanding score for television
Nicholas Britell – Andor
Siddhartha Khosla – Only Murders in the Building
Bear Mccreary – The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Theodore Shapiro – Severance
Cristobal Tapia De Veer – The White Lotus

Outstanding score for interactive media
Nainita Desai – Immortality
Stephanie Economou – Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök
Bear Mccreary – God of War Ragnarök
Winifred Phillips – Jurassic World Primal Ops
Christopher Wiliis – Cat Burglar

David Raksin award for emerging talent
Dara Taylor – The Invitation
Anna Drubich – Barbarian
DeAndre James Allen-Toole – God’s Country
Esin Aydingoz – Simchas and Sorrows
Nami Melumad – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Germaine Franco Wins SCL Awards Prize from Society of Composers & Lyricists for Disney’s “Encanto” Score

Posted on March 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Germaine Franco is celebrating a special recognition…

The Latina composer’s Oscar-nominated score for Encanto won outstanding original score for a studio film at the third annual SCL Awards, which are presented by the Society of Composers & Lyricists this week at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Franco’s score was competing with three other Academy Award-nominated scores — Nicholas Britell’s Don’t Look Up, Hans Zimmer’s Dune, and Jonny Greenwood’s The Power of the Dog.

Franco, the first woman to score a Disney animated feature film, is vying to become the first Latina to win an Oscar for best original score.

Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi, also has reason to smile.

The 38-year-old half-Mexican American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer won outstanding original song for a musical/comedy alongside Nicholas Britell, Ariana Grande and Taura Stinson.

Kid Cudi and the gang won for penning “Just Look Up” from the Netflix film Don’t Look Up.

Meanwhile Cristabel Tapia de Veer took home the outstanding original score for television.

The Chilean-born Canadian film and television score composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist won for his work on AppleTV’s The White Lotus.

The awards were presented about five weeks later than originally planned. They were set to be presented on February 1, but the show was postponed in early January due to the spread of the Omicron variant. With the postponement, the show lost its original host, Emmy winner Darren Criss. Aloe Blacc hosted in his place.

Awards were presented across seven categories for music in visual media (film, TV, streaming, interactive).

The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL) is the primary organization for professional film, television, video game, and musical theater composers and lyricists. The organization is focused on education and addressing the creative, technological, legal, newsworthy issues affecting the music for visual media community.

For more information, visit the SCL’s website or go to thescl.com/scl-awards/.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Outstanding original score for a studio film:
Germaine Franco, Encanto, Walt Disney Pictures

Outstanding original score for an independent film:
Daniel Hart, The Green Knight, A24

Outstanding original song for a musical/comedy:
Nicholas Britell, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Taura Stinson, “Just Look Up,” Don’t Look Up, Netflix

Outstanding original song for a drama/documentary
Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell, “No Time to Die,” No Time to Die, MGM/United Artists

Outstanding original score for television:
Cristabel Tapia de Veer, The White Lotus, Apple

Outstanding original score for interactive media:
Hildur Guđnadóttir & Sam Slater, Battlefield 2042, Digital Illusions CE, Electronic Arts

David Raksin award:
Stephanie Economou, Jupiter’s Legacy, Netflix

Spirit of collaboration award:
Recipients: composer Carter Burwell and filmmakers Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

Germaine Franco to Take Part in ASCAP Experience’s ““Worldly Women in Music” Panel Discussion

Posted on March 3, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Germaine Franco is ready to inspire fellow worldly women…

The Latina award-winning film composer, who was the first woman to score a Disney animated feature film with Encanto, will be among the panelists for “Worldly Women in Music,” a special discussion on March 8 as ASCAP Experience kicks off its 2022 program.

Franco will be among three of the industry’s leading composers and songwriters, part of the PRO’s celebration of Women’s History Month.

She’ll appear alongside Cuban-born Pulitzer Prize winning composer Tania León; and 2016 ASCAP London Songwriter of the Year Amy Wadge.

The celebrated panelists will explore what it takes to make music that crosses borders and cultural boundaries, with Billboard Executive Editor, West Coast and Nashville, Melinda Newman serving as moderator.

The session coincides with International Women’s Day, and kicks of ASCAP’s monthly virtual sessions, which are created to “inspire, educate and connect aspiring songwriters and composers everywhere.”

“We are so excited to launch ASCAP Experience with three phenomenal composers as part of our ‘Women Create Music’ campaign,” comments ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. “We believe that celebrating the achievements of our members through our “Women Create Music” campaign can help create change and ultimately, more opportunity for women in the music industry.”

Details of more ASCAP Experience sessions will be announced shortly, including sessions covering NFTs, exclusive conversations with chart-topping music creators, and more.

Due to the health crisis, ASCAP’s flagship event flipped for the first time to a virtual event in 2020, and again in 2021. Last year, ASCAP Experience’s virtual panels reached over 41,000 views across real-time and on-demand streaming. Those figures equate to a 39% increase in attendance and 53% increase in RSVPs vs. the previous year, reps say.

Franco received a Golden Globes nomination for Best Original Score, an SCL Award nomination for Outstanding Original Score, an Annie Awards nomination for Best Music in a Feature, and an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score for her work on Encanto.

She is the first Latina to join the music branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score.

Leon is an acclaimed composer of both large scale and chamber works. She is also renowned as a conductor, educator, and advisor to arts organizations. She won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Music for Stride.

Kid Cudi Earns Two SCL Awards Nominations from Society of Composers & Lyricists

Posted on January 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Kid Cudi is doubling his chances…

The 37-year-old half-Mexican American apper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, has earned two SCL Awards nominations from the Society of Composers & Lyricists , his first-ever nods from the organization.

Kid Cudi earned one nod in the Song Drama/Documentary category for co-writing “Guns Go Bang,” alongside Jay-Z and Jeymes Samuel for the Netflix film The Harder They Fall.

He’s also nominated in the Song Musical/Comedy category for co-penning “Just Look Up,” with Nicholas Britell, Ariana Grande and Taura Stinson, for Netflix’s Don’t Look Up.

Germaine Franco is also a two-time nominee…

The 34-year-old Latina film composer is nominated in the Studio Film category for her work on Walt Disney Pictures’ Encanto.

She’s also nominated in the Interactive category for her work on Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness.

Lin-Manuel Miranda has earned a nod in the Song Musical/Comedy category.

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican multi-hyphenate is nominated for penning the track “Home All Summer” for In The Heights, the film adaptation of his Tony Award-winning Broadway musical of the same name.

Alberto Iglesias is competing in the Independent category.

The 66-year-old Spanish award-winning composer is nominated for his acclaimed work on Pedro Almodovar’s Spanish-language film Parallel Mothers, which stars Penelope Cruz.

Cristobal Tapia de Veer is a nominee in the Television category.

The 48-year-old Chilean film and television score composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist is nominated for his work on Apple TV’s The White Lotus.

The annual SCL Awards, now in their year, honor music in visual media — film, television, streaming, interactive — spanning seven categories plus the David Raksin Award for Emerging Talent.

The in-person trophy show — COVID-19-permitting — will be hosted by Darren Criss on Tuesday, February 1, at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Composer Carter Burwell and filmmakers Joel Coen & Ethan Coen will receive the Spirit of Collaboration Award for their 17-film team-up along with a musical tribute performance. The live lineup includes Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear and Judith Hill.

The 76-year-old Society of Composers & Lyricists is the primary organization for professional film, TV, video game, and musical theater composers and lyricists.

Here are the nominees for the third annual SCL Awards:

STUDIO FILM

Nicholas Britell
DON’T LOOK UP
Netflix

Hans Zimmer
DUNE
Warner Bros.

Germaine Franco
ENCANTO
Walt Disney Pictures

Alexandre Desplat
THE FRENCH DISPATCH
Searchlight Pictures

Jonny Greenwood
THE POWER OF THE DOG
Netflix

INDEPENDENT FILM

Kubilay Uner
AMERICAN TRAITOR: THE TRIAL OF AXIS SALLY
Vertical Entertainment

Daniel Hart
THE GREEN KNIGHT
A24

Rachel Portman
JULIA
Storyville Films/CNN

Alberto Iglesias
PARALLEL MOTHERS
Sony Pictures Classics

Jonny Greenwood
SPENCER
Neon/Topic Studios

SONG MUSICAL/COMEDY

Nicholas Britell, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Taura Stinson
“Just Look Up” from DON’T LOOK UP
Netflix

Jamie Hartman, Jennifer Hudson, Carole King
“Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” from RESPECT
MGM/United Artists

Amie Doherty
“Fearless” from SPIRIT UNTAMED
DreamWorks Animation

Kris Bowers, Siedah Garrett
“Together All the Way” from DEAR WHITE PEOPLE
Netflix

Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Home All Summer” from IN THE HEIGHTS
Warner Bros.

SONG DRAMA/DOCUMENTARY

Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell
“No Time To Die” from NO TIME TO DIE
MGM/United Artists

Diane Warren
“Somehow You Do” from FOUR GOOD DAYS
Vertical Entertainment

Rufus Wainwright
“Secret Sister” from REBEL HEARTS
Discovery+

Diane Warren
“(Never Gonna) Tame You” from THE MUSTANGS: AMERICA’S WILD HORSES
Virgil Films

Shawn Carter, Scott Mescudi, Jeymes Samuel
“Guns Go Bang” from THE HARDER THEY FALL
Netflix

TELEVISION

Natalie Holt
LOKI
Disney+

Jung Jae-il
SQUID GAME
Netflix

Nicholas Britell
SUCCESSION
HBO

Christophe Beck
WANDAVISION
Disney+

Cristobel Tapia de Veer
THE WHITE LOTUS
Apple TV+

INTERACTIVE

Austin Wintory
ALIEN FIRETEAM ELITE
Cold Iron

Hildur Guđnadóttir & Sam Slater
BATTLEFIELD 2042
Digital Illusions CE & Electronic Arts

Germaine Franco
KUNG FU PANDA: LAND OF AWESOMENESS
Universal Beijing Resort & Dreamworks Animation

DAVID RAKSIN AWARD

Joy Ngiaw
BLUSH
Apple TV+

Anne-Kathrin Dern
THE CLAUS FAMILY
Netflix

Stephanie Economou
JUPITER’S LEGACY
Netflix

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

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