Amin Bhatia
Encyclopedia
Amin Bhatia is a recording artist, film and television music score composer
and producer. In 1981 his compositions won the Roland Corporation
International Synthesizer competition for two consecutive years. The judges included Oscar Peterson
, synth veterans Robert Moog
and Ralph Dyck, and Japanese artist Isao Tomita
. The exposure led to projects with David Foster
, Steve Porcaro
and a solo album on Capitol Records
Cinema label called "The Interstellar Suite" which launched his career in music for film and television.
Bhatia is known for lush orchestra
l work with contemporary influences. His early compositions were created strictly with analog
keyboards
and tape, combining and layering hundreds of electronic parts to achieve a warm orchestral sound that was not sampled from an orchestra. In later years, Amin’s strengths in both music and midi synthesizer
programming led him to projects like "John Woo
's Once a Thief" and “Iron Eagle II
”. Over the years Bhatia has moved into actual orchestral work with his film and television scores. The IMAX
film “Jane Goodall
’s Wild Chimpanzees” features members of the Toronto Symphony and Opera Orchestras with hit songs recorded in Africa with Johnny Clegg. The GFT epic war feature “Going Back” was recorded by the Munich Symphony Orchestra
and the animated adventure “Rescue Heroes: The Movie
” (Nelvana
) features players from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
.
In 2005 Bhatia won two Gemini award
s for his music score work in television, and in 2006 Bhatia and co-writer Ari Posner received an Emmy nomination for the Disney animated series "Get Ed". In 2008 Bhatia completed the first season of Flashpoint (CBS/CTV), the feature film "Mysteries of the Great Lakes" and released "Virtuality", the sequel to "The Interstellar Suite".
"Virtuality" is a double concept album exploring the world within computers. Guest artists include veterans Steve Porcaro
and Patrick Moraz as well as detailed liner notes written by synthesizer historian Mark Vail. The album is dedicated to Bob Moog and is endorsed by his family. A portion of sales from every CD go to the Bob Moog Foundation. Of note in this recording is “Bolero Electronica”, a performance of Ravel’s Bolero with 75 years of synthesizers performed in chronological order. Everything from the Theremin (guest performance by Kevin Kissinger) and Ondes Martenot (guest performance by Thomas Bloch) to modern day virtual plug-ins are featured in this work. Album artwork includes a centrefold matrix of the Timeline of Technology used in the recording of this epic piece.
Get Ed (Co-composer with Ari Posner) (2005) Emmy Nomination for Best Music Score, Academy of Arts and Sciences
Queer as Folk (North American TV series) (2005)
King (2003) Gemini Award Best Original Music Score for an Animated Program or Series, Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
Franny's Feet
(with Ari Posner and Meiro Stamm) (2003) Gemini Nomination Best Original Music Score for an Animated Program or Series, Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
The Zack Files
Theme (with Ari Posner) (2001)
Code Name:Eternity (with Trevor Morris) (1999)
Power Play (TV series)
(1999)
John Woo's Once A Thief
, The Series (1997) Gemini Nomination, Best Music for a Series
Tales from the Cryptkeeper
(1993-1999)
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and producer. In 1981 his compositions won the Roland Corporation
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
International Synthesizer competition for two consecutive years. The judges included Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
, synth veterans Robert Moog
Robert Moog
Robert Arthur Moog , commonly called Bob Moog was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.-Life:...
and Ralph Dyck, and Japanese artist Isao Tomita
Isao Tomita
, often known simply as Tomita, is a Japanese music composer, regarded as one of the pioneers of electronic music and space music, and as one of the most famous producers of analog synthesizer arrangements...
. The exposure led to projects with David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
, Steve Porcaro
Steve Porcaro
Steven Maxwell "Steve" Porcaro is an American keyboardist and composer, who was an original member of the rock/pop band Toto....
and a solo album on Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
Cinema label called "The Interstellar Suite" which launched his career in music for film and television.
Bhatia is known for lush orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l work with contemporary influences. His early compositions were created strictly with analog
Analog transmission
Analog transmission is a transmission method of conveying voice, data, image, signal or video information using a continuous signal which varies in amplitude, phase, or some other property in proportion to that of a variable...
keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
and tape, combining and layering hundreds of electronic parts to achieve a warm orchestral sound that was not sampled from an orchestra. In later years, Amin’s strengths in both music and midi synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
programming led him to projects like "John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
's Once a Thief" and “Iron Eagle II
Iron Eagle II
Iron Eagle II is a 1988 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie. It is the first sequel to the 1986 film Iron Eagle, with Louis Gossett, Jr. reprising his role as Charles "Chappy" Sinclair. An uncredited Jason Gedrick also returns as ace pilot Doug Masters in the film's opening scene.Like its...
”. Over the years Bhatia has moved into actual orchestral work with his film and television scores. The IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
film “Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall
Dame Jane Morris Goodall, DBE , is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National...
’s Wild Chimpanzees” features members of the Toronto Symphony and Opera Orchestras with hit songs recorded in Africa with Johnny Clegg. The GFT epic war feature “Going Back” was recorded by the Munich Symphony Orchestra
Munich Symphony Orchestra
The Munich Symphony Orchestra is a German orchestra based in Munich. Kurt Graunke founded the orchestra as the Graunke Symphony Orchestra in 1945. The orchestra acquired its current name in 1990...
and the animated adventure “Rescue Heroes: The Movie
Rescue Heroes: The Movie
Rescue Heroes: The Movie is a Canadian 2003 CGI family film from Artisan Entertainment, based on the Rescue Heroes TV series.-Plot:A series of mysterious lightning storms are wreaking havoc worldwide as they spiral through the atmosphere toward Greenland. Once they collide, they will create one...
” (Nelvana
Nelvana
Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
) features players from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:The TSO was founded in 1922 as the New Symphony Orchestra, and gave its first concert at Massey Hall in April 1923. The orchestra changed its name to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in 1927. The TSO...
.
In 2005 Bhatia won two Gemini award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
s for his music score work in television, and in 2006 Bhatia and co-writer Ari Posner received an Emmy nomination for the Disney animated series "Get Ed". In 2008 Bhatia completed the first season of Flashpoint (CBS/CTV), the feature film "Mysteries of the Great Lakes" and released "Virtuality", the sequel to "The Interstellar Suite".
"Virtuality" is a double concept album exploring the world within computers. Guest artists include veterans Steve Porcaro
Steve Porcaro
Steven Maxwell "Steve" Porcaro is an American keyboardist and composer, who was an original member of the rock/pop band Toto....
and Patrick Moraz as well as detailed liner notes written by synthesizer historian Mark Vail. The album is dedicated to Bob Moog and is endorsed by his family. A portion of sales from every CD go to the Bob Moog Foundation. Of note in this recording is “Bolero Electronica”, a performance of Ravel’s Bolero with 75 years of synthesizers performed in chronological order. Everything from the Theremin (guest performance by Kevin Kissinger) and Ondes Martenot (guest performance by Thomas Bloch) to modern day virtual plug-ins are featured in this work. Album artwork includes a centrefold matrix of the Timeline of Technology used in the recording of this epic piece.
Feature Films
- Mysteries of the Great Lakes (2008)
- Rescue Heroes: The MovieRescue Heroes: The MovieRescue Heroes: The Movie is a Canadian 2003 CGI family film from Artisan Entertainment, based on the Rescue Heroes TV series.-Plot:A series of mysterious lightning storms are wreaking havoc worldwide as they spiral through the atmosphere toward Greenland. Once they collide, they will create one...
(2003) - Detention (2003)
- Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees (2002)
- Going Back (2001)
- Gold Fever (1999)
- Gridlock (1996) Gemini Nomination for Best Music Score
- John Woo's Once A Thief (1997) Gemini Nomination for Best Music Score
- Black Ice (1993)
- Cafe Romeo (1992)
- Primo Baby (1989)
- Iron Eagle IIIron Eagle IIIron Eagle II is a 1988 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie. It is the first sequel to the 1986 film Iron Eagle, with Louis Gossett, Jr. reprising his role as Charles "Chappy" Sinclair. An uncredited Jason Gedrick also returns as ace pilot Doug Masters in the film's opening scene.Like its...
(1988) - Storm (1987) Award for Best Music Score, Alta Motion Picture Assoc.
Television Series
Flashpoint (Co-composer with Ari Posner) (2008-present)Get Ed (Co-composer with Ari Posner) (2005) Emmy Nomination for Best Music Score, Academy of Arts and Sciences
Queer as Folk (North American TV series) (2005)
King (2003) Gemini Award Best Original Music Score for an Animated Program or Series, Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
Franny's Feet
Franny's Feet
Franny's Feet is an animated series for children. It is produced by DHX Media/Halifax Film in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and created by Cathy Moss and Susan Nielsen. The show follows the adventures of four-year-old Frances "Franny" Fantootsie as she tries on various pairs of shoes and travels to...
(with Ari Posner and Meiro Stamm) (2003) Gemini Nomination Best Original Music Score for an Animated Program or Series, Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
The Zack Files
The Zack Files
The Zack Files is a science fiction television program that revolves around a young boy, played by Robert Clark, who is a magnet for paranormal activity and attends Horace White High School for Boys along with his three friends Cam, Gwen, and Spencer. Zack manages to get himself into trouble with...
Theme (with Ari Posner) (2001)
Code Name:Eternity (with Trevor Morris) (1999)
Power Play (TV series)
Power Play (TV series)
Power Play was a Canadian television drama series, which aired on CTV from 1998 to 2000. The series was filmed at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario....
(1999)
John Woo's Once A Thief
Once a Thief (TV series)
Once a Thief was a 1997 Canadian television show inspired by the 1996 film of the same name.-Premise:...
, The Series (1997) Gemini Nomination, Best Music for a Series
Tales from the Cryptkeeper
Tales from the Cryptkeeper
Tales from the Cryptkeeper is an animated series aimed at children made byNelvana Limited, PeaceArch Entertainment, kaBOOM! Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television Animation. It was shown on TVO and ABC,and is still shown near Halloween on Teletoon. It was based on the live-action television...
(1993-1999)