Today we’d like to introduce you to Pano Fountas.
Hi Pano, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My musical journey started when I was about eight. My parents had an extensive collection of classical music records that caught my attention. I experienced my first musical shock when I listened to Mozart’s symphonies and concertos for piano. At age ten, I started piano lessons at the local conservatory in Sparta, Greece.
I remember how eager I was to learn pieces fast, to see “what’s next”. Meanwhile, the music of Disney and Harry Potter movies flooded my childhood dreams. Studying the classical repertoire helped me discover how classical music found its way into some of the most iconic film scores. When I was 20, I was accepted to the Gnesin Academy of Music in Moscow, one of the leading educational institutions in Russia. Studying at one of the epicenters of classical music was instrumental in developing my musical skills and, most importantly, my personality as an artist. Toward the end of my piano studies, I started studying orchestration and practicing scoring short films I found on YouTube. Those first attempts got me accepted to the NYU Steinhardt Screen Scoring program, one of the top programs in our field. At NYU, I studied and collaborated with some of the best in the industry, and I am fortunate that this experience led to opportunities after graduation.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Far from smooth! I had to make a lot of hard decisions along the way, like dropping out of Athens University, where I studied Mathematics, to pursue my piano studies in Moscow. I struggled the most when I suffered a right-hand injury resulting in a substantial loss of finger dexterity. My dream of becoming a concert pianist was shattered so I took a gap year to recuperate and rethink my choice of career. That is when I rediscovered the magic of film music through the soundtracks that marked my childhood and decided to make my first attempts at scoring to picture. Coming from an average Greek family, I also struggled with the cost of living and studying in the US.
Thankfully, I had the honor to receive the Alan Menken scholarship, which helped me make it to the end of my second year at NYU. I was chosen from a competitive pool of NYU graduate students by 8-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken himself, who personally reviewed my portfolio. This award was very special to me because Alan’s music is part of a tradition that has profoundly influenced my musical taste.
Finally, I had to meet very high standards in order to be allowed to pursue a career in the US. I would not have made it without my family’s support, my mentors at NYU, and the friends I made there, with whom I have been working ever since.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a classically trained pianist, composer, and orchestrator who works in composing, orchestrating, and arranging music for films, documentaries, musical theater, commercials, and trailers. I have composed music for award-winning films that have received publicity and premieres at international film festivals, including the New York City Independent Film Festival, the New York Film Awards, and the Los Angeles Film Awards, among others. I have submitted pitches for commercial clients such as Apple and the New York Times through leading production house Found Objects and have composed trailer music tracks for Fight or Flight Music, whose credits include blockbusters Dune and Avengers: Endgame. In collaboration with Greg Pliska, I contributed orchestrations to the inaugural Ability Beyond Disabilities concert (Pasadena, CA) that featured notable musicians and singers and was a synthestrator for the off-Broadway production of The Alchemist, which was featured in TimeOut and the New York Times.
I also collaborated with Mark Suozzo on an episode of PBS’s American Experience, the most-watched historical series on television. The most enjoyable aspect of my job is the exploration of various musical genres. I recently co-composed the score for the historical drama 1805 written and directed by award-winning director Dan Jacobson. The score combines 20th-century avant-garde with modern synths/soundscapes and features experimental string techniques/textures that I orchestrated and notated for the soundtrack recording with a 22-piece string ensemble. On the other hand, I drew inspiration from 19th-century classical music to compose the score for the upcoming short drama Leave Your Toys (dir. Sam Barnett), which tells the moving story of a Holocaust survivor.
Writing for orchestra is my greatest joy. Throughout my career, I have recorded scores with distinguished musicians and ensembles in New York, Prague, Budapest, Sydney, and Athens. In March 2022, I was commissioned to compose an original work for strings that was performed by the Athens State Orchestra and the Friends of Music Society Youth Orchestra at the Athens Concert Hall and the 1st Halki International Music Festival.
A significant part of my work takes place “in the box” and involves using premium sample libraries to create realistic renderings of my compositions. I have spent years teaching myself how to use virtual instruments and mixing techniques to deliver a polished final product. All my tracks for the Fight or Flight catalog are sample-based and of the highest production level possible to meet industry standards. This is ensured by veteran producer and mixer Greg Townley, who is capable of designing sonic worlds beyond anything I could ever imagine.
Every project is a unique journey, and it is my job to be a reliable companion whose goal is to support the director and help them realize their vision. I believe that my work ethic combined with high music production quality has helped me build and sustain collaborative relationships over the years.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Modern film scoring requires complex sequencing software and sophisticated production techniques to meet modern film industry standards. Therefore, beginning composers should learn as much as possible about DAWs, music production, mixing, etc., so that they can present their musical ideas in the most convincing way possible. A strong background in traditional orchestration is essential for writing realistic-sounding parts for virtual instruments. It is also worth investing in high-quality sample libraries, though no one library can fit every scoring scenario. Audio plug-ins, such as equalizers or reverbs, are equally important components of a successfully produced track. Although it might be hard to give general advice, I strongly recommend making friends with fellow composers and even teaming up to pursue projects together. I have learned a lot working with composers of diverse musical backgrounds and have been involved in numerous projects that I would not have pursued on my own.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.panofountas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panofountas/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pano-fountas-5933b2197/
