Composer Information

Name:
Ken Harrison

Biography

It's almost impossible to watch television anywhere in the world without hearing the music of Ken Harrison. Savannah, Melrose Place, MacGyver, Models Inc., Legend, Guns Of Paradise, Heartbeat, Dynasty, Dallas, Fantasy Island and numerous Movies For Television - his music was a part of all of them and more. For eighteen years Ken has been writing music for television and films. He's been prolific at his work, sought after and awarded. He has frequently won the ASCAP award for "most performed background scores for a surveyed year". Not bad for a young Canadian who thought he'd grow up to become a medical illustrator.

Creative and energetic, Ken studied illustrating in college. Music was a sidelight. In 1974, that all changed. Hired by CBS as a copyist, Ken quickly moved through the creative ranks - head copyist, librarian, music supervisor of the 1974 and 1977 Emmy Awards, orchestrator (Dallas, Knotts Landing, etc.). In 1978, Ken got his first "solo" gig as a composer. He wrote the underscore for a Columbia Television series called "American Girls". The series didn't take but Ken's career sure did. Snapped up by the producers of Fantasy Island, the perfect association for an eager but inexperienced writer was launched. Over the seven years Fantasy Island aired, Ken wrote jazz, rock, country, classical and contemporary music. Many other series, movies and projects have expanded his musical repertoire. Using todayıs highest technology in synths and recording equipment, Ken has augmented an orchestra with prerecorded tracks from his studio to fill out the "Indiana Jones-like" action-adventure sound. He's created the sounds of the "street" or "rap" to light orchestral styles using keyboard and string samples alone.

For the producer who enjoys being involved with the score, Ken sends them a rough dub of the music, dialog and picture on a video tape every other day showing the progress of the score. That way they can talk of any changes or concepts at their leisure and includes the producer in the process. With this communication between composer and producer, it ultimately leads a successful and trouble-free dubbing.

Ken is a new resident of Washington State. Presently, he is composing series and Movie Of The Weeks for various networks and is required to fly to LA periodically to view the show with producers. There, it is decided where to add music to the film. He then returns home to compose, perform, record and mix the music. It is then sent back to LA or Vancouver for the final dubbing. Ken has also recorded orchestral scores in both LA and Vancouver, B.C. More and more projects are Canadian Content where a Canadian composer is required. Ken has dual citizenship with the US, Canada and even Britain which qualifies him to work on any co-production with the US, Canada and many countries in Europe.