Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Beggs.
Hi Katherine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I sang in the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus for most of my youth, which was my main introduction to the world of music. In the choir, we performed with the LA Philharmonic and LA Master Chorale. We sang from the works of composers like John Williams. After this, I felt a strong desire to write my own music. So, I applied to a young composer’s program in my hometown of Pasadena, where I wrote music for the Pasadena Master Chorale, our local choir. When I heard my music performed live for the first time, I knew I had to pursue composition. I decided to study music composition at Brown University. In college, I wrote music for many student films. I discovered my love for scoring here as it allowed me the versatility to work in multiple genres of music and become a storyteller. In 2020, I assisted media composer Mark Roos remotely for a summer. We worked so well together that he invited me to join his music team called “Cutting Room Music” with Adonis Tsilimparis, another talented media composer. At Cutting Room Music, we write for advertisements, television shows, and film. This job helped me realize how much I enjoyed composing for the screen. I decided to go to NYU as a graduate student for screen scoring to further hone in on my skills and become the best media composer I could be.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been smooth; I think the biggest challenge was choosing a career that went against the social norms of what I was “supposed” to be doing. When I told my parents I wanted to pursue composition full-time, they were a bit puzzled at first. The rest of my family was also confused, especially as to why I was going to graduate school for film scoring specifically. Even as an undergraduate at Brown University, I felt like the odd one not pursuing a more traditional career path than my peers who were doing finance, law, medicine, etc. It was hard when my career in music was written off as something that was “fun” yet impractical by the people around me. I had to have a bit of blind faith in myself that it would work out in the end. Ultimately, I am grateful that I believed in myself and did not get discouraged from doing music.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a film and television composer, producer, and singer-songwriter. I love writing hybrid scores with electronics, instrumentals, and my voice, which I often incorporate into my film scores. I am also a songwriter as well. I produce, arrange, and perform all of my music. In both my scoring and songwriting, I am ultimately a storyteller. I believe the stories I help tell can foster empathy and social awareness, which humanizes people. Music brings these stories to life. I am proud that my music contributes to this higher cause. As a female Asian composer and musician, it is also important to me to provide proper representation in the industry for women, POC, and other marginalized identities. I am proud that I am forging this path for myself, and I intend to bring others along with me.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I sometimes surprise people with the sheer versatility of genres that I have to write in. For example, in one of my latest projects, I had to write a hard trap beat for a reality TV show. When I showed my friends how I programmed my drumbeats, they were shocked since they were used to hearing my traditional film scores. As a media composer, you have to be able to wear multiple hats, which is part of the fun.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://katherinebeggs.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katherinebeggs/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-beggs-a04552177/
- Other: https://cuttingroommusic.com/
Image Credits
Allison Fenton
Laurent Hurt
