Derek Baird

Music for film

Derek Baird has composed music for PBS’s Wide Angle and Emmy-winning series, Exposé: America’s Investigative Reports. He has also composed and arranged music for Bill Moyers, Farheed Zakaria, and other PBS features.

His score for Hurley, a film directed by Derek Dodge and produced by Patrick Dempsey, explores analog and modular synthesis. Modular pulses and percussion lay the groundwork of tension and speed for Hurley's story of a fast-paced yet hidden life. Warm analog synth timbres bring us into the dark inner world of the difficult lives of sports heroes, who, in order to succeed and survive, are often forced to hide who they are.

Nevermind is a biofeedback-enhanced video game, with more than two hours of music which spans a vast range of styles. The award-winning game hops through time, character, and feel with ease as the music helps transport us into the lives of PTSD patients. With music ranging from cinematic, to traditional orchestral, to abrasive noise, to aleatoric and serial processes, the score pushes boundaries, while keeping the heart of the story close at hand.

In Exile, a documentary by Tin Win Naing, was selected for The Toronto International Film Festival. This subtly dramatic score features a warm and sparse ensemble of chamber strings/harp/guitar, underscoring the tense and pensive atmosphere of the film. The score eludes any specific nods to genre and weaves together a unique, minimal backdrop of color, bringing to life the humbly beautiful cinematography and pensive, personal narrative.

Caffeinated, an award-winning film playing festivals and TV around the world, exudes a colorful score. The music is a sonic journey, highlighting the explorative nature of the film. It focuses on small eclectic ensembles with sharp character and movement. Charango and ukulele give way to jazz and reflective acoustic guitar, rounded out by minimal electronic rhythmic elements. Caffeinated is currently available on iTunes and Amazon.

Derek studied at the graduate Screen Scoring program at The University of Southern California. Additionally, he had undergraduate studies at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and composition classes with Conrad Cummings at Juilliard Evening Division. Bringing a wealth of styles and perspectives, Derek strives for authenticity and dramatic connection in music, with an affinity for wedding score to screen effectively in a variety of genres.