Kathryn Bostic

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Kathryn Bostic
GenresFilm score, orchestral
Occupation(s)Artist
Years active2001–present

Kathryn Bostic is a composer and artist known for her work on award-winning films, TV, and live theater.

She is a recipient of numerous fellowships and awards including the Sundance Institute/Time Warner Fellowship, which in part funded the development of The August Wilson Symphony (along with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, which premiered it in 2018),[1] Sundance Fellowships for Feature Film Scoring, Sundance/Skywalker Documentary Film Scoring,[2] BMI Conducting Fellowship, and Best Music in Film by the African American Film Critics Association.

In 2016 she became the first female African American score composer to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.[3] Bostic was the vice president of the Alliance for Women Film Composers from 2016 to 2018.

Bostic's scores and songs can be heard in productions with a lineup of award-winning directors and writers. She scored the critically acclaimed documentary Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, which premiered at Sundance 2019, followed by a theatrical release with Magnolia Pictures. The film won Best Biographical Documentary at the fourth annual Critics' Choice Documentary Awards and Bostic's score received a News & Documentary Emmy Awards nomination for "Outstanding Music Composition".[4][5] Bostic also wrote and performed its end-title song "High Above the Water", which was shortlisted for "Best Original Song" for the 2020 Oscars.[6] Her score was nominated for a 2019 Hollywood Music In Media Award. At the Society of Composers & Lyricists' inaugural awards in January 2020, Bostic was awarded Outstanding Score for an Independent Film, while "High Above the Water" was nominated for Outstanding Original Song for Visual Media.

For the Sundance Grand Jury Winner Clemency, released with Neon Pictures in December 2019, Bostic provided the original score, wrote and performed the featured original song "Slow Train," and served as executive producer.

In the concert world, Bostic most recently premiered a new work at a Masterworks concert "Tovaangar: Coronation and Chaos," commissioned and performed by the Bangor Symphony Orchestra.

Bostic has written for Broadway, most notably collaborating with the award-winning playwright August Wilson on Gem of the Ocean and various productions of his last play Radio Golf as well as the Mark Taper production of Joe Turner's Come and Gone directed by Phylicia Rashad.[7] Consequently, Bostic was asked to score the PBS American Masters program August Wilson: The Ground On Which I Stand.[8] Reflecting on Wilson's career, this documentary inspired her to write "The August Wilson Symphony," which received its world premiere in January 2018 by the Grammy Award-winning Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Grammy Award-winning conductor and composer Lucas Richman.[9]

In addition to her work with August Wilson, Bostic's work on Broadway includes Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo with Robin Williams by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph. Her score garnered a win in the sound design category for this collaboration. She has been nominated for several additional awards including the Ovation Award, NAACP Theater Award, and Drama Desk nomination for "Outstanding Music in a Play."[10] As a solo artist, Bostic toured extensively in festivals and venues including the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's, Birdland, Tokyo and Osaka Blue Note, and The Pori Jazz Festival.[11] Also a vocalist, Bostic recorded and performed with many artists including Nas, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and David Byrne.

Awards and nominations[]

Year Organization Category Nominated work Result
2020 News & Documentary Emmy Awards Outstanding Music Composition Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am Nominated[4][5]
2019 Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am Won[12]
2019 Outstanding Original Song for Visual Media - "High Above The Water" Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am Nominated[13]
2019 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Outstanding Score Documentary Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am Nominated
2015 Black Reel Awards of 2015 Black Reel Outstanding Score Award Dear White People Nominated
2013 Black Reel Awards of 2013 Black Reel Best Original Score Award Middle of Nowhere Nominated
2012 African-American Film Critics Association Awards 2012 African-American Film Critics Best Music Award Middle of Nowhere Won
2011 Drama Desk Award Drama Desk Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo Nominated

References[]

  1. ^ "Sundance Institute and Time Warner Foundation Select Ten Fellows for 2015 Artist Support Grants". www.sundance.org. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  2. ^ "Sundance Institute and Skywalker Sound Announce New Collaboration to Support Independent Filmmakers and Film Composers". www.sundance.org. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  3. ^ "NEW MEMBERS 2016: ACADEMY INVITES 683 TO MEMBERSHIP". Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 2016-06-29. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "American Masters Celebrates 3 News & Documentary Emmy® Nominations for Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am | Blog | American Masters | PBS". American Masters.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "What You Need To Know About EMMY Nominee Kathryn Bostic, Composer Of Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am". Soundtracks, Scores and More!. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Original song Oscar contender Kathryn Bostic is flying 'High Above the Water'". Los Angeles Times. 2019-12-31. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  7. ^ Hofler, Robert (2013-05-09). "Legit Review: 'Joe Turner's Come and Gone'". Variety. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  8. ^ "August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand | Music in August Wilson's Work | American Masters | PBS". American Masters. 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  9. ^ "World premiere of The August Wilson Symphony featuring Phylicia Rashad". NEXTpittsburgh. 2018-01-15. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  10. ^ "Kathryn Bostic". www.pittsburghsymphony.org. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  11. ^ "Kathryn Bostic | Goodman Theatre". www.goodmantheatre.org. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  12. ^ Burlingame, Jon (8 January 2020). "Women Win Big at Inaugural Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards". Variety. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  13. ^ Grein, Paul. "Hildur Gudnadóttir & Kathryn Bostic Are Double Nominees at Society of Composers & Lyricists' First SCL Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 1 February 2021.

External links[]

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