Christmas Ransom - New Feature Film Score by Jamie Messenger and Chiara Costanza

I have just finished working on a joint collaboration with fellow composer Chiara Costanza writing the musical score for a delightful family movie called Christmas Ransom, to be released on STAN on December 1. 

It was really exciting as it was the first time I got to work on a film with another composer.  Our orchestral and electronic styles really complemented each other, and by combining them both we quickly came up with a sound world for the film that was a fresh spin on the traditional Christmas soundtrack.  The ransom aspect of the film allowed us to go down the classic 90s Die Hard orchestral score road but we still managed to get in a few Christmas Carols as well. 

Directed by Adele Vuko, and produced by Every Cloud Productions, this Australian Christmas romp was extremely well acted (with familiar faces like Matt Okine and Amanda Tapsell) and will keep the whole family laughing until the final scenes.  

I feel very honoured to have been a part of this delightful film.  Check out the official trailer above, and tune in to Stan on December 1 to join in the fun.

Christmas Ransom

Ed Oxenbould as Pete _ Bridie McKim as Shez _Matt Okine as Derrick_Genevieve Lemon as Nan

© 2022 Every Cloud Productions 2 Pty Ltd, Stan Entertainment Pty Ltd.jpg

Christmas Ransom

Genevieve Lemon as Nan_Miranda Tapsell as Gladys_Bridie McKim as Shez

© 2022 Every Cloud Productions 2 Pty Ltd, Stan Entertainment Pty Ltd.jpg

After 37 years, nearly 9,000 episodes, 68 deaths, 63 births and plenty of street cricket, Neighbours has come to an end

Tonight the final ever episode of Neighbours airs. I’ve been lucky enough to work on the show for the past 4.5 years. In that time I’ve composed and placed music for 1108 thirty-minute episodes of television. That’s 554 hours of television.

I’ve composed the soundtrack for weddings, funerals, betrayals, declarations of love, action scenes, comedy scenes, countless arguments, murders and of course it’s a soap, so yes… there was even memory loss in there too. All in all I composed 2661 music cues.

In 2020 I was also given the opportunity to arrange what is now the final ever rendition of the Neighbours theme, sung by Bonnie Anderson.

Since working on the show I’ve been impressed by the inclusivity of the storylines. I know for most of the show’s life it was very white, but in recent years they’ve worked hard to get the show to actually reflect multicultural Melbourne. My time on the show saw regular characters from many different ethnic backgrounds, indigenous characters, characters with a disability, gay, lesbian, bisexual, non-binary, trans and polyamorous characters. The thing I loved about their inclusion was that the character’s sexuality or ethnicity wasn’t the main feature of the storyline. It was a part of who that character was, but it didn’t define their story and as a result if just felt very natural.

My time on the show was very much an all consuming one. In the beginning I worked 100 hour weeks just to get the job done composing for 6 episodes a week. As time moved on I found ways to improve my work flow and built up a library of tracks I could re-use and repurpose for different scenes. Finally after about a year, I was able to get it down to close to the 50 hours a week that I was actually rostered on for.

Needless to say I could not have got it done if it wasn’t for the constant encouragement and understanding of my wonderful partner Natasha. She has always been supportive and remarkably also actively encouraged me to continue working on my orchestral projects (on top of my Neighbours work!) Thank you lovely.

Another special mention to Judith Robbins who meticulously helped me out each week to deliver my music cue sheets for each episode.

Neighbours is an Australian icon and it’s departure is going to leave a massive hole in the industry. I learnt so much working on the show and I am honoured to have composed music for tonight’s finale.

The 90 minute Neighbours finale airs tonight on Channel 10 at 7:30.

The Teskey Brothers & Orchestra Victoria - Live At Hamer Hall album is finally out today!!!

Orchestral Arrangements by Jamie Messenger

It’s absolutely incredible that this album exists. It was recorded in the pandemic when we were just coming out of a lockdown. All the musicians on stage were socially distanced which makes it so much harder to perform as players rely on being able to hear each other clearly for intonation and phrasing. Despite these challenges Orchestra Victoria and The Teskey Brothers pulled a rabbit of a hat and managed to record an album that I’m immensely proud of.

Click here to listen/buy: https://smarturl.it/LiveAtHamerHall

Thanks to Orchestra Victoria under the baton of Nicolas Buc for your spectacular performance. You really brought my orchestral arrangements to life.

 Thanks to Naomune Anzai for recording, mixing and mastering the album. It was a pleasure fastidiously going through the mix with you to make sure all the elements of my arrangements could be heard. Thanks also to Nicolette Fraillon from OV for lending your ears to the mix.

Thanks so much to Nathan Smith, Sara Pheasant and the rest of the OV team for all your incredible work in making this happen. Thanks to Hamer Hall and the Arts Centre.

Finally a very big thank you to The Teskey Brothers for trusting me with your amazing songs. I hope that my orchestral charts cut right through to the soul and heart of your music.

MSO's Perfect End to 2020

Send off 2020 – the year when it felt like time ceased to exist – in unfiltered comedic style.

Say bon voyage and give the year that we wish never was the middle finger in this MSO.LIVE exclusive concert. Host Eddie Perfect and the MSO are joined by an embarrassment of comedic talent, including Sammy J, Michelle Braisier, Tripod, Ali McGregor, and more!

All orchestral arrangements by Jamie Messenger

Artists

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
Nicholas Buc conductor
Eddie Perfect host
Sammy J
Ali McGregor
Christie Whelan Browne
Margot Tanjutco
Michelle Brasier
Gillian Cosgriff
Jude Perl
Tripod
Jamie Messenger arranger / piano

Program

Messenger A Very Christmas Overture
Sammy J Pink Clouds
Perfect Uncle Harry’s Christmas Anthem
Perfect Trampoline in the Dark
Tanjutco I Am Trumpet
McGregor A Dream of Christmas Day
Perfect I Wanna Catch Christmas
Brasier Aladdin
Cosgriff A Silent Desire
Perl Hamish
Tripod The Only Shepherd

The Orchestra voted top 10 in AACTA's Short Of The Decade

WE'RE NUMBER 7 !!

Thank you to all who voted in Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)'s Short Of The Decade.

Covid Series by Jamie Messenger

I’ve just finished the last piece from my Covid Series… for now.

It was such a pleasure writing these five piano pieces. I’ve been greatly encouraged by the kind words, love and interest people have shown in them. I was thrilled to find out a few people had availed themselves of the scores and have begun learning to play them. I’ve even been lucky enough to see a couple of videos of people playing them. It’s so nice to hear other people’s interpretations of my music.

I’m hoping to continue the series in the near future, after all I’ve kind of backed myself into a corner with the names for them. Surely I’ve got to at least get up to Covid 19?

I wanted to conclude this part of the series on a positive note, and wanted it to feature a melody which kept pushing forward. As a result the piece took a bit longer to come out, but I’m suitably pleased with the final result.

You can listen to all 5 pieces in the Covid Series and download the scores here

Covid-1 by Jamie Messenger

A couple of weeks ago I had an opportunity to compose a series of 5 piano pieces. I hadn’t written anything solely for myself in a very long time.

Life is so difficult right now. Amazingly, it’s a hardship everyone in the world is experiencing at the same time. 

I decided to compose a series of short pieces for people to listen to, but also hopefully play. They’re not overly complicated and they’re certainly not pushing any boundaries of composition. Their simple intention is to provide a pleasant distraction from the constant coronavirus news cycle.

I also challenged myself to not go down the obvious route and just write a bunch of pieces in a minor key. I do intend for the pieces to be cathartic at times, but most of all I want them to be uplifting.

I’ve attached the piano score in the link below. Please feel free to print off and have a play.

#jamiemessengercovid1

Ben Folds with MSO String Quartet - Cancelled Covid-19

Ben Folds has been a strong influence upon my piano playing over the years. I finally got a chance to work with him and then coronavirus happened. 2020 is the gift that keeps on giving.

I arranged a few Ben Folds tracks for string quartet for an intimate concert which unfortunately had to be cancelled.

Stand Up Symphony with the MSO - Cancelled

A unique one-night-only Melbourne International Comedy Festival event.

Music meets orchestra in this line-up of laughable comedic acts, led by legendary comedian and ABC Melbourne Breakfast host Sammy J.

Spoken word and song from Randy Feltface, Tripod, Anne Edmonds, Michelle Brasier, Jude Perl, Andrew Hansen will keep you laughing while the full Melbourne Symphony Orchestra perform with conductor Benjamin Northey. All orchestral arrangements are by Jamie Messenger

Straighten your bow tie, adorn yourself in your best after-five number and enjoy the banter while you soak up the sounds in this musical comedy spectacular.

Disney & Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Today I had the joy of arranging some of my favourite ever movie tracks into one hell of an orchestral medley. Featuring tracks from Disney, Pixar, Fox, Marvel and Star Wars.

The medley was for a Disney Showcase and featured a cut-down version of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra or as I like to call them - Bonsai MSO.

I played keyboards along with the orchestra. The performance aptly took place at Marvel Stadium.

Jamie Messenger preparing to play keyboards with the MSO at Marvel Stadium for Disney Showcase

Bikes Of Wrath Feature Film

The Bikes Of Wrath Feature Film was launched around Australia this month. Directed by Cam Ford (The Katering Show), the film features an original soundtrack by Jamie Messenger.

Since its premiere in 2018, The Bikes of Wrath has received over a dozen awards at film festivals around the world. It most notably won the coveted People’s Choice Award at the 2018 BANFF Mountain Film and Book Festival, beating-out blockbuster films The Dawn Wall and Free Solo. It has won multiple Best Film, Best Director and Audience Choice awards in Europe, North America and Australia.

The film has since been released theatrically on 300 screens across the globe.

The documentary filmed In 2015 follows five friends from Australia who set out to bike from Oklahoma to California the same route the families traveled in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. The friends did this on a budget of just $420 which is the equivalent to the $18 each family had on average that made the same trek during the dust bowl. They were overwhelmed by the generosity of the people in the states they biked through which are known as Red States. During the editing process of the documentary they realised this trek was more about the people they met than the actual trek.

Jamie joins Neighbours

We’re delighted to announce that Jamie Messenger began working on the long running television series Neighbours in the role of both composer and music supervisor. Produced by Fremantle Australia, Neighbours is Australia’s longest running drama series and has been sold to over 60 countries around the world.

In this role Jamie composes and places music for over 250 half hour episodes of television every year.

Symphonica: Armand Van Helden with the MSO

Jamie Messenger is joining forces with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and international house music legend Armand Van Helden for the inaugural Symphonica concert this Australia Day weekend. Teaming up with fellow Australian composer Joe Twist, the two composers will be arranging for the 70 piece symphony orchestra his long list of house anthems including the likes of "U Don't Know Me," "My My My", "Bonkers (feat. Dizie Rascal) and his legendary remix of Tori Amos' "Professional Widow".

For tickets and further details click the image below.

Sol3 Mio: A Very Merry Christmas

The idyllic cabin Messenger stayed in, across the water from the studio.

In August Jamie Messenger had the pleasure of working with three incredible singers from New Zealand, the multi-platinum award winning vocal group Sol3 Mio.

Jamie arranged, conducted and produced a mixture of string quartet and full symphony orchestra arrangements for their upcoming Christmas album: A Very Merry Christmas. Featuring a host of your favourite Christmas songs as well as a couple of Sol3 Mio originals, the album ranges between fun, upbeat string & ukulele tracks up to full orchestra. 

The album was recorded at the absolutely incredible Grove Studios just out of Sydney, (the studio where many platinum selling artists including Silverchair, The Whitlams and Something For Kate have recorded their albums at).

Check out the not-too-shabby lodgings at the studio (see pic opposite).

The album will be released on Nov 10

Getting into the Christmas Spirit... in August 

String Quartet courtesty of String Source

The Whitlams 25th Anniversary Tour

Upon returning from California, Jamie Messenger scored four orchestral arrangements for The Whitlams' upcoming 25th Anniversary Tour with orchestras around the country. Jamie had the pleasure of attending the sold out Melbourne show featuring none other than the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

The Whitlams with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

From Melbourne To California

Jamie Messenger has recently returned from a successful (and what looks like very fun) trip to California. He travelled with director/animator Mikey Hill to the Sonoma International Film Festival where their animated film collaboration The Orchestra won the Best Animation Award and also the Audience Award for Best Animation.

Mikey Hill and Jamie Messenger accept Best Animation Award at Sonoma International Film Festival

Jamie Messenger's impromptu performance in the festival lounge

After the festival Jamie and Mikey both traveled to Los Angeles for a number of meetings with studios including Cartoon Network, Fox Studios, Animal Logic, Warner Bros and Dreamworks Animation. 

📷 by Hannah Gart 

Triple J Hottest 100

Two of the tracks Jamie Messenger worked on with the Hilltop Hoods just earned themselves a place in Triple J's Hottest 100! 

Higher came in at number 49 and 1955 made it all the way to number4! 

Jamie composed the string parts for both tracks and conducted a string section from the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Holy cow! Thanks for voting for us guys. Huge congrats to @actualmontaigne, @TomThummer, @1_Above & @jamiemessenger! https://t.co/o6kOAXao9p

— Hilltop Hoods (@hilltophoods) January 26, 2017

ARIA Award win!!!

So glad to announce the Hilltop Hoods won The ARIA for Best Australian Live Act. I was very proud to be musical director, composer and keyboardist for the tour. It was a phenomenal experience to work with the best musicians and singers in the country. 

A big thanks to the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra and all the fabulous people behind the scenes for joining us on the tour.

Thanks also to our wonderful singers that joined us along the way. You really were the icing on the cake - Adelaide Chamber Singers, Sydney Chamber Choir, Queensland Show Choir, Polyphonic Voices and The Giovanni Consort.

And of course - The Hilltop Hoods. This is the 10th year I've worked with you guys and it just keeps on getting better. Thanks so much for the opportunity to work with you again on this crazy album and tour. It was so much fun joining you guys on stage playing keys.

#ARIAS #OSCARS

It's been an exciting week!

First of all, on Wednesday the Hilltop Hoods were nominated for 3 ARIA awards.

Song of the Year
- Hilltop Hoods - 1955 feat. Montaigne & Tom Thum
Best Video
- Hilltop Hoods - 1955 feat. Montaigne & Tom Thum
Best Australian Live Act
- Hilltop Hoods - The Restrung Tour

Jamie composed and conducted the string parts for 1955 and was musical director, composer and keyboardist for the Restrung Tour. It was such a phenomenal experience and we're proud to have it nominated.

As if that wasn't enough, director and animator Mikey Hill submitted his and Jamie's film collaboration The Orchestra to the Oscars!!!!!

Fingers are well and truly crossed.

#ARIAS
#OSCARS

Winner of Best Soundtrack Awards!!!

We are delighted to announce that Jamie Messenger's soundtrack to director and animator Mikey Hill's latest film, The Orchestra has recently won two awards.

First of all, the soundtrack won the award for Best Original Score at the St Kilda Film Festival. In case you can't tell from the picture below, Jamie was pretty darned excited!!!

Best Original Score - Jamie Messenger

Following on from St Kilda Festival, Jamie was greatly honoured to receive word he had been awarded a prize at the prestigious Film Music Festival in Malaga, Spain. Unfortunately Jamie wasn't able to attend in person to accept the Jerry Goldsmith Awards for Best Original Score in an Animated Short Film. It did however mean he was able to film his first ever video acceptance speech. You can check it out on Jamie's Facebook page.

Jerry Goldsmith Awards