Interview With Atli Örvarsson

On today’s show, Jason Drury interviews composer Atli Örvarsson.

Originally from the small town of Akureyri, Atli Örvarsson became established in the local music scene at a young age. He earned three platinum and two gold records as a member of the Icelandic band Sálin hans Jóns míns before studying film composing at Berklee College of Music and the North Carolina School of the Arts.

He excelled in composing and was awarded the Pete Carpenter Fellowship, which brought him to Los Angeles. He began working alongside TV veteran Mike Post on NYPD BLUE and three LAW AND ORDER brands. Soon after that, Atli met composer Hans Zimmer, who extended an invitation to join his team at Remote Control Studios.

Atli’s accolades include winning the HARPA Nordic Film Composer Award for his acclaimed score to Rams, several ASCAP & BMI Film & TV Music Awards, a “Breakthrough of the Year” nomination with the IFMCA Awards in 2009, plus he was nominated for the prestigious World Soundtrack Academy’s “Discovery of the Year Award” for his score for Babylon A.D in 2009 and his score for Ploey: You Never Fly Alone was nominated for a “Public Choice Award” in 2018.

Atli’s credits include orchestrating and writing music for some of Hollywood’s biggest projects, including the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

As a composer, Atli Örvarsson displays musical diversity throughout his action-film scores in THE EAGLE, VANTAGE POINT, THICK AS THIEVES, THE FOURTH KIND, the Nicolas Cage medieval fantasy SEASON OF THE WITCH and HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS amongst others.

Atli also worked with Hans Zimmer to contribute music to Zack Snyder’s superhero blockbuster, MAN OF STEEL.

Atli’s most recent credits include THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD starring Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds, the coming-of-age film THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN, the Icelandic drama about two stubborn brothers RAMS as well as on TV FBI, CHICAGO FIRE and CHICAGO PD.

His latest assignment is the Apple TV+ thriller series DEFENDING JACOB, which premiered globally on the streaming platform on April 24th, 2020.

In April 2020, for the CINEMATIC SOUND RADIO NETWORK, Jason talked to Atli via Skype at his home in Akureyri, Iceland. During the interview amongst other things, we talked about how he scored DEFENDING JACOB, how he got into composing for film and TV, his relationship with Hans Zimmer and his forthcoming new solo album YOU ARE HERE.

Also during the interview, you will be hearing music from Atli’s score for DEFENDING JACOB as well as his new single “Hum”taken from his album, YOU ARE HERE, and more.

Enjoy!

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