Why would a composer choose musical theatre over film and TV?
In this video, I explain why I focus on writing full-scale original musicals instead of chasing the cinematic scoring world – and how that decision shapes everything in my studio.
I’m currently developing a new dark orchestral rock musical called Grimmwood – a vampire-inspired stage production blending symphonic orchestration with heavy rock influences inspired by bands like Rammstein, Nightwish, and Ayreon….this is not your nana’s musical!
🎭 What I Cover In This Video:
- Why I chose musical theatre over film & TV
- Writing orchestral + rock hybrid scores
- Developing a full original stage musical from scratch
- Using AI vocals for demo production (then replacing with real singers)
- My hybrid workflow using hardware + software
- Why I focus on composing – not mixing
🎹 My Studio Workflow
My studio is built around the Yamaha Montage 8 and REAPER, combining:
- Hardware synthesis and tactile control
- Custom REAPER scripts and track templates
- MIDI note channel articulation workflow
- AI-assisted vocal demos
- A digital mixing console for hands-on balance
🎶 Why Musical Theatre?
Musical theatre allows for:
- Character-driven composition
- Large orchestral arrangements
- Rock and symphonic fusion
- Emotional storytelling across full-length works
- Complete creative ownership
It’s not the most commercial path – especially here in New Zealand – but it’s creatively limitless.
If you’re a composer interested in stage musicals, hybrid orchestration, AI-assisted workflow, or building a serious writing-focused studio, this channel is for you.
