Robert Duncan is a three-time Emmy-award-nominated[1] Canadian composer of film and television music,[2] who has composed music for such TV series as Buffy the Vampire Slayer,The Unit, Lie to Me and Castle; as well as films such as Butterfly on a Wheel and Into the Blue 2: The Reef.[3] He has received six ASCAP awards.
Early life[]
Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Duncan was born into a family with deep musical history.[3] His great-grandfather arranged music for silent films in England and other relatives were closely affiliated with two of England's prominent composers, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Benjamin Britten.[3] As a child he attended the Claude Watson School of the Performing Arts and in sixth grade he composed his first piece of music.[1] At age 16 in high school, he landed his first gig scoring a promotional video for the local Board of Education.[1] As an extra curricular activity, Duncan studied the pipe organ and trumpet[1] before later earning a bachelor's degree in music at York University.[3]
Career[]
After graduating, Duncan spent the next 5 years apprenticing with two Canadian composers[4] and participated in the ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop.[1] He wanted to do more, wanted to write scores for live orchestra but he thought the chances of succeeding in Canada were slim[4] so in 2001[5] he moved to Los Angeles, Hollywood.[4] Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, Duncan was hired as a series composer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.[1] The show later ended, but soon after he started to land his own television and film scoring assignments.[3] Landing many small screen projects including "The Chicago Code", "Terriers", "The Gates", "Lie to Me", "The Unit", Point Pleasant, and "Tru Calling",[5] it is his work on "Castle" that he is best known for.
Castle[]
The process of composing for an episode of "Castle" include sitting down with directors, producers, and creator Andrew Marlowe and watching an episode that has already been shot and edited.[5] The group will all voice their own musical ideas for the episode and it is up to Duncan to create the score accordingly.[5]
Instruments[]
Duncan uses a variety of traditional and peculiar objects and instruments to create his scores. These objects include; grand pianos, deconstructed pianos, metal brushes, hot rod exhaust pipes, fire extinguishers, trumpet, guitar, pipe organ, a variety or drums, and even objects from junk yards all over Los Angeles.[1]
Cameos[]
Duncan made an on screen appearance on "Castle" Season 4, Episode 14 “The Blue Butterfly” in the opening scene as a jazz club pianist on the baby grand piano.[6]
Duncan's television series scores[]
- 2016 The Family
- 2016 Mad Dogs
- 2012 Last Resort
- 2012 Missing
- 2011 The Chicago Code[3]
- 2010 The Gates[3]
- 2010 Terriers[3]
- 2009 Lie to Me
- 2009 Castle
- 2006–2009 The Unit[3]
- 2006 Vanished
- 2005 Point Pleasant
- 2003 Tru Calling
- 2002–2003 Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- 2001 Starhunter
- 2001 Blue Murder (co-composed with Lou Natale)
- 1996 PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal (co-composed with Lou Natale)
Film scores[]
- 2011 The Entitled
- 2009 Into the Blue 2: The Reef[3]
- 2007 Butterfly on a Wheel
- 2005 Return of the Living Dead: Rave from the Grave
- 2005 Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 60: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 60: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Robert Duncan at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 60: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 60: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 60: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
External links[]
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