Sandro Morales-Santoro: award-winning Film Composer from Venezuela

Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

07/22/23

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104m

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This episode features the Venezuelan composer Sandro Morales-Santoro who composes for film, tv and new media and is based in L.A. In this episode you’ll hear lots of music and our in-depth conversation during which Sandro tells the inspiring story of how he learned to read and write music while attending law school in Venezuela, then was accepted into the Berklee college of music, and was awarded their achievement scholarship, then how moved to L.A. and created community both professionally and personally. Sandro is on the Executive committee for the Composers’ Diversity Collective and we talked about biases in the industry and increasing exposure for composers from diverse backgrounds. Sandro is the fourth film and tv composer I’ve featured so far on this podcast, please take a look at my complete catalog of episodes to check out episodes you may have missed. Like all my episodes, this is available wherever you listen to podcasts, is also a video on my YouTube channel, and the transcript is also linked: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/sandro-morales-santoro

I've included detailed timestamps below.

Please help me with a tip: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

Sandro Morales-Santoro Website: https://www.sandromorales.com/

Composers Diversity Collective: https://www.composersdiversitycollective.org/

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:25) Sandro’s start in music and family’s resistance to his aspirations

(07:27) studies with Angel Balan to learn composition, getting into Berklee after law school

(18:33) The Shadow of the Sun

(19:04) music clip Slices of Bread from The Shadow of the Sun

(23:16) using Venezuelan traditional styles, different South American instruments, various influences

(30:07) music clip A Decent Job from The Shadow of the Sun

(32:12) process of writing music for The Shadow of the Sun

(34:08) music clip Late for Work from The Shadow of the Sun

(35:14) Vela, Dayana Gauthier, emigration experience

(41:50) trailer to Vela

(42:57) the making of Vela

(45:39) prejudice, and the founding of the Composers Diversity Collective

(52:04) please help support this series with a tip! Ko-fi link in the description

(52:20) Composers Diversity Collective, Michael Abels, Amanda Jones

(57:30) learning about the film industry, making Vela, the role of the film composer

(01:05:07) writing for orchestra, use of synthesizers

(01:11:20) benefits of modular synthesizers

(01:13:19) demo of Eurorack synth

(01:16:56) feeling and expressing emotion in music and acting, The Shadow of the Sun

(01:22:07) creating community

(01:28:26) Restaurants at the End of the World, including 3 music clips by David Benjamin Steinberg and Sandro Morales-Santoro, National Geographic Disney+

(01:40:09) reflections on different careers in music, other film composers

Previous Episode

Kavisha Mazzella: Building Community and Finding the Fearless Note

July 15, 2023

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98m

I have in-depth conversations with a fascinating diversity of musicians worldwide, and I hope these personal stories highlight the incredible breadth and depth of a life in music for listeners everywhere. Like all my episodes, you can listen to all this on your favourite podcast player, watch the video, and read the transcript, all linked here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/kavisha-mazzella Kavisha Mazzella is a renowned Australian songwriter and singer who has won both an ARIA award and an Australia Day Honor. We talked about her work through the lenses of social justice, community building, and the search for deeper meaning and connection. This is a personal, in-depth conversation with lots of beautiful singing in both Italian and English. You can use the detailed timestamps to jump to a song or a topic, but I encourage you to listen through and listen to the stories behind “The Fearless Note”. I’m an independant podcaster who needs my listeners help to keep this huge project going; every dollar helps: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Kavisha Mazzella website: https://www.kavisha.com/ Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:09) Italian songs, “The Joys of the Women” (10:34) Italian song: “Mamma Mia Dammi Cento Lire” (15:13) emigration, Kavisha’s family’s migration stories (25:13) Kavisha’s childhood and music, I Papaveri, “The Joys of the Women” (28:23) Kavisha’s projects with refugees, children, Musica Viva (33:14) song: “My Brown Yarra” by Frank Jones, dealing with sadness and trauma through music (35:26) I really do need my listeners’ help: Ko-fi link in description (35:42) learning confidence as a performer (38:29) intro to “Philosophy Man” (40:42) “Philosophy Man” by Kavisha Mazzella (45:39) teaching singing to community groups (52:11)experiences of the benefits of meditation, Empty Sky album and performances (59:32) art school and why Kavisha turned to music full-time (01:04:08) ARIA award Fisherman’s Daughter, Mick Thomas (01:05:23) intro to Sing for No One, Sing for Everyone (01:07:24) Sing for No One, Sing for Everyone by Kavisha Mazzella (01:11:07) Kavisha’s song-writing process and influences from Italian songs (01:15:18) Linsey Pollak (01:17:42) Women’s Anthem “Love and Justice” commission The Victorian Women’s Trust (01:23:21) great advice from Liam Clancy, Luka Bloom, Ronan Ó Snodaigh (01:28:36) “The Fearless Note” by Kavisha Mazzella (01:34:41) the importance of community

Next Episode

Bukhu Ganburged: Mongolian throat singer and morin khuur player

July 29, 2023

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60m

Bukhu Ganberged is an incredible Mongolian-Australian musician who is a master of both the Morin Khuur, the Horsehead fiddle, and Khuumii, the Mongolian Overtone Throat Singing. This episode features a lot of special music, and Bukhu’s personal story of growing up in Mongolia and emigrating to Australia. Like all my episodes, this is available as both a video with Closed Captions, a transcript, and a podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, the link to my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/bukhu-ganburged

Please do consider supporting this series; every dollar helps: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

At the beginning of this episode Bukhu explains how he learned overtone throat singing and demonstrates different styles. You’ll then hear some incredible music on Morin Khuur, the horsehead fiddle and learn about Mongolian culture and Bukhu’s experiences in Australia where he’s gone from busking on the street to performing at the Sydney Opera House and being featured on The Voice. I have included detailed timestamps below.

I encourage you to listen to Bukhu’s albums wherever you listen to your music! ⁠https://www.horsefiddle.com/⁠

Bukhu’s audio was captured by his phone directly in Australia (I generally avoid recording over the internet) but the mic placement wasn’t ideal to capture the beautiful complexities of both the horsehead fiddle performances and Bukhu’s singing. However, he has also allowed me to also share within the episode a couple of his recordings both solo and with his group Equus, so you’ll be able to hear him explain about different regional styles of singing and playing in the episode as well as hear the studio quality recordings.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:36) khoomei Mongolian throat singing, how Bukhu learned and different styles

(14:23) some of Bukhu’s albums

(16:00) Equus

(18:00) Huurhun Haliun with Equus

(22:28) please support this independant podcast!

(22:46) Bukhu’s immigration to Australia

(26:20) Morin khuur horsehead fiddle, different regional styles

(37:55) legend of Khuhuu Namjil

(41:11) morin khuur with khoomei Mongolian throat singing “Khuhuu Namjil”

(45:06) Mongolian nomadic culture with animals, weeping camel