BIO & RESUME
Christopher Spelman is a New York based composer whose soundtrack work has received high praise from reviewers and fans alike. He has scored four films for James Gray, including Armageddon Time, which premiered recently to outstanding reviews at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. He began his film career with student shorts and then worked as a musical consultant with Gray on the director’s The Yards (2000) and We Own the Night (2007). The soundtrack album of his score for The Lost City of Z was released by Filmtrax in June of 2017.
Spelman grew up in the western part of Massachusetts where he began formal piano lessons at age four, eventually switching to violin in elementary school. As a teenager he became a self-taught guitarist and developed a love for the blues that has stayed with him ever since. He first studied orchestral classical music as a student at Columbia University (which is also when he became infatuated with opera), and most recently his ongoing musical education has taken him to Juilliard.
Resume
Composer
Armageddon Time (2022) Feature film directed by James Gray. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway, Jeremy Strong. Music by Christopher Spelman. Composed all original music for the film and arranged pieces by Mozart and Puccini for guitar.
The Lost City of Z (2017) Feature film directed by James Gray. Starring Charlie Hunnam,
Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland. Music by Christopher Spelman. Composed all original music for the film. Original Motion Picture Soundtrack available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon.
The Immigrant (2013) Feature film directed by James Gray. Starring Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner. Music by Christopher Spelman. Composed all original music for the film and arranged pieces by Puccini, Ravel, and Wagner etc. for full orchestra and small ensembles.
Clint Curious (2013) Student television mini-series directed by Brad Leyden. Music by Christopher Spelman.
Case’s Quick Fixes (2010) Student short directed by Phil Singleton. Music by Christopher Spelman.
Arranger/Adapter/Guitarist
Two Lovers (2008) Feature film directed by James Gray. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow. Arranged and adapted pieces by Puccini for small ensembles.
Musical Consultant
We Own the Night (2007) Feature film directed by James Gray. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Eva Mendes, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall. Consulted on source cues, orchestral recordings, score placement.
The Yards (2000) Feature film directed by James Gray. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Joaquin Phoenix, James Caan, Faye Dunaway. Consulted on source cues, orchestral recordings, score placement.
Skills
Composition (full orchestral, small ensembles/solo, synth/midi), orchestral arrangement, guitar, music history (classical, jazz, blues, rock).
Education
The Juilliard School, Duke University, Columbia University