James Seymour Brett
# James Seymour Brett

James Seymour Brett (born 3 April 1974) is an English composer and conductor.

## Early career

After graduating from the Royal Academy of Music in 1997, Brett was immediately hired by composer Michael Kamen. Brett's further contribution to film scores includes writing collaborations with Kamen on features such as The Event Horizon, What Dreams May Come, The Iron Giant, Frequency, X-Men, and the mini series, Band of Brothers produced by Steven Spielberg. In this period Brett also co-produced and provided additional score on Paramount's Against the Ropes.

In 1999 Brett helped produce the concert that saw Metallica pair up with The San Francisco Symphony Orchestra as assistant Musical Director. The album has since sold over five million copies worldwide. In 2002 Brett went on to plan and execute, again as assistant Musical Director and in close partnership with the BBC, Party at the Palace (part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Celebrations). This event was broadcast live to a multi-million audience worldwide with a gold CD in less than a week. Brett co-ordinated and arranged many of the collaborations both with traditional rock pairings and new orchestral interpretations.

## Film and television

Brett has written extensively for film and television, including scores for TriStar Picture's Planet 51 and the 13-part NBC primetime series, Crusoe. Brett's collaborative work as composer, conductor and orchestrator with Harald Kloser can be heard in the feature film 2012 and the thriller Anonymous (film) directed by Roland Emmerich. Brett became a part of the creative team behind the film 10,000 BC. Brett also scored the music for the horror feature Outpost, directed by Steve Barker. In addition, Brett has written, orchestrated and conducted for the 2007 releases of Transformers for DreamWorks and The Nanny Diaries for The Weinstein Company.

In May 2013, Brett once again collaborated with Roland Emmerich on his major film White House Down. Brett also spent the summer working on One Chance (The Weinstein Company) working closely with Paul Potts and James Corden producing their vocal performances and arranging the material. Brett also composed the score to Stephen Frears film Lay the Favorite.

## Walking With Dinosaurs - The Live Experience

Brett travelled to Australia to collaborate on Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular. Working with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra he composed and conducted over 80 minutes of music to score the live arena show. The show features 20 life-size, animatronic dinosaurs, as they battle through evolution. It has recently finished a worldwide tour seen by over eight million people in 217 cities having won numerous awards since its opening in 2007.

## Disney - Imagination Parks

To mark the global relaunch of Disney Stores, Brett was asked to write music designed to thrill both children and parents alike. The "Imagination Parks" introduced new interactive zones, live events and mini theatres, which opened officially in Madrid on 6 July 2011.

## Batman Live

Brett's music can again be heard in arenas across the world in the stage show Batman Live. The score to accompany the DC superhero incorporates full symphonic forces, including choir. The show premiered in Manchester, UK in July 2011 and toured North America in 2012.

## Queen's Diamond Jubilee/Party in the Palace

Working with the BBC and Gary Barlow in 2012, Brett composed and conducted the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, celebrating the 60-year reign of the Queen alongside Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox and Stevie Wonder. Brett's Diamond Jubilee collaboration followed on from the 2002 BBC 'Party in the Palace', where he served as Assistant Musical Director as part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations.

## Credits

### Film and television

| Year | Title | Director | Studio(s) | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2020 | Waiting for Anya | Ben Cookson | Goldfinch | Composer |
| 2018 | Here Comes the Grump | Andrés Couturier | Ánima Estudios | Composer |
| 2018 | The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society | Mike Newell (director) | Studio Canal | Musical Director and Additional Music |
| 2017 | Eat Locals | Jason Flemyng | Evolution Pictures | Composer |
| 2017 | Alien: Covenant | Ridley Scott | 20th Century Fox | Orchestrator and Additional Music |
| 2016 | The Promise | Terry George | Survival Pictures | Musical Director and Additional Music |
| 2016 | Independence Day 2: Resurgence | Roland Emmerich | 20th Century Fox | Orchestrator |
| 2015 | Sweat | David Allain | Saetre Films | Composer |
| 2015 | In the Heart of the Sea | Ron Howard | Warner Bros. | Conductor and Score Arranger |
| 2014 | August: Osage County | John Wells | The Weinstein Company | Additional Music |
| 2013 | White House Down | Roland Emmerich | Columbia Pictures | Conductor and Orchestrator |
| 2013 | One Chance | David Frankel | The Weinstein Company | Musical Director and Operatic Music Arranger |
| 2012 | Lay the Favorite | Stephen Frears | Emmett/Furla Films | Composer |
| 2012 | L'Historie De Nos Petites Mort | David Chidlow | Campfire Stories | Composer |
| 2011 | Anonymous | Roland Emmerich | Studio Babelsberg | Conductor and Orchestrator |
| 2009 | 2012 | Roland Emmerich | Columbia Pictures | Conductor and Orchestrator |
| 2009 | Planet 51 | Jorge Blanco | Sony Pictures | Composer |
| 2008 | Crusoe | Prods. Marc Van Buuren & Justin Bodle | NBC | Composer |
| 2008 | Outpost | Steve Barker | Matador Pictures | Composer |
| 2008 | 10,000 BC | Roland Emmerich | Warner Bros. | Conductor and Orchestrator |
| 2007 | The Golden Compass | Chris Weitz | Warner Bros. | Music Arranger: End Credits - "LYRA" Performed by Kate Bush |
| 2007 | Transformers | Michael Bay | DreamWorks | Choir Conductor |
| 2007 | The Nanny Diaries | Shari Springer Berman / Robert Pulcini | The Weinstein Company | Orchestrator and Additional Music |
| 2006 | Die Stormflut | Jorgo Papavassiliou | teamWorx Produktion | Orchestrator |
| 2005 | Don't Just Dream It | Prod. Ben Rigden | Prospect Pictures | Composer |
| 2005 | Mrs. Harris | Phyllis Nagy | Number 9 Films | Orchestrator |
| 2005 | The Island | Michael Bay | DreamWorks | Additional Programmer |
| 2005 | Woman on the Beach | Catherine McCormack | Woman on the Beach Ltd. | Composer |
| 2004 | Alien vs. Predator | Paul W. S. Anderson | 20th Century Fox | Conductor, Orchestrator and Additional Music |
| 2004 | Gladiatress | Brian Grant (director) | Icon Entertainment | Conductor and Orchestrator |
| 2004 | Ella Enchanted | Tommy O'Haver | Miramax | Conductor, Orchestrator/ Arranger and Additional Music |
| 2004 | The Life and Death of Peter Sellers | Stephen Hopkins (director) | Labrador Films | Arranger |
| 2004 | Hex: Seasons 1 & 2 | Brian Grant (director) | Sky One | Composer |
| 2004 | Daniel and the Superdogs | André Melançon | Zephyr Films | Composer |
| 2003 | TR American Lion | David de Vries | Greystone TV | Composer |

### Concerts/Arena Shows

| Year | Title | Studio(s) | Credit | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2018 | Fast and Furious Live | Universal Pictures | Composer | Currently touring |
| 2016 | Disneyland Tokyo: Frozen Forever | Disney | Composer, Arranger and Orchestrator | N/A |
| 2014 | Frozen: Holiday Wish | Disney | Composer, Arranger and Orchestrator | N/A |
| 2012 | Queen's Diamond Jubilee Celebrations | BBC | Conductor, Arranger and Orchestrator | Concert at Buckingham Palace |
| 2010 | Batman Live | Warner Bros DC Comics | Composer | Arena Tour 2010-2013 |
| 2010 | Disney Stores - Imagination Parks | Disney | Composer and Conductor | First store opened in Madrid, followed by a worldwide launch. |
| 2007 | Walking with Dinosaurs - The Arena Spectacular | BBC | Composer | Currently touring |
| 2002 | Party at the Palace | BBC | Assistant Musical Director | Live concert in Buckingham Palace Gardens. Arranger/ Coordinator of Music Live beacons event |
| 2002 | 2002 Winter Olympics opening ceremony | NBC | Co-producer, Assistant Musical Director | Live event & Album |
| 2001 | EMI 'When Love Speaks' RADA Benefit Album | EMI | Co-Producer, Assistant Musical Director | Live concert launch & Album |
| 1999 | Metallica S&M (album) | Metallica | Assistant Musical Director | San Francisco, Berlin, New York |

### Commercials

* Flora - Voyage
* Virgin Trains West Coast – Falling in Love
* Stella Artois - Circus
* Virgin Atlantic – Kitty Hawk
* Vodafone – Work and Play
* Vodafone – Speech Bubbles
