BIOGRAPHY
Brendan Child is a composer and conductor whose work inhabits the intersection of cinematic storytelling and contemporary concert music. Writing across mediums that include film scores, orchestral works, wind ensemble literature, percussion ensemble repertoire, and choral compositions, his music reflects a broad artistic practice shaped by both classical tradition and modern media scoring.
Central to Child’s musical voice is an exploration of rhythm, timbre, and sonic architecture. Drawing on his background as a percussionist, his works frequently employ layered rhythmic structures and an expansive palette of percussive colors. His film scores combine traditional orchestral writing with contemporary production techniques, synthesizers, and global instrumental influences, creating soundscapes that move fluidly between acoustic and electronic worlds.
Child’s concert music similarly reflects this hybrid aesthetic. His percussion ensemble compositions, known for their inventive instrumentation and experimental textures, have been performed by competitive ensembles that have gone on to win state championships in both Utah and Georgia. These works integrate traditional percussion writing with electronic elements and unconventional sound sources, expanding the expressive capabilities of the ensemble medium.
His career as a composer developed alongside his work as a conductor and musical director. While serving with the Layton Utah YSA Choir, Child directed an 80-voice ensemble and produced large-scale performances that featured his own arrangements and original compositions. Among these were performances of his arrangement of Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing and the original choral work My Prayer to Thee, presented before audiences numbering in the thousands. His musical leadership often incorporated instrumental ensembles alongside choir, bringing a symphonic sensibility to the choral tradition.
Beyond composing, Child has conducted and presented clinics with youth choirs, percussion ensembles, and wind ensembles, emphasizing both musical craftsmanship and collaborative artistry. His work with emerging performers reflects his commitment to developing new repertoire and cultivating the next generation of musicians. Child earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition for Film, Television, and Video Games from Berklee College of Music in 2024 and completed a Master of Music in Film Scoring through Berklee Online.
He is a member of ASCAP, the Society of Composers and Lyricists, and the International Conductors Guild.
