On February 24, 2018 at Valley College, ASMAC was pleased to present a Master Class by the amazing Ladd McIntosh and moderated by Kim Richmond. Ladd is a prolific and well-respected Hollywood film orchestrator with over 125 major feature films to his credit. Working frequently with composers, Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell, among others, Ladd shared his techniques and insights on such film scores as, “Crimson Tide,” “Gladiator,” and “The Prince of Egypt,” including the Oscar-winning song, “When You Believe.”
Ladd detailed many of the finer points and subtleties of orchestration, such as how to most effectively handle repetitive and sustained passages without exhausting the musicians. Among many other things, he also showed how voicing can affect the intonation of the players.
Additionally, Ladd shared many anecdotal stories of his personal history and real-life, practical applications of his art, as well as his interactions with composers. All told, it was an excellent Master Class!
– Sylvester Rivers, Director, ASMAC Master Class Series