Thomas Bergersen

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Thomas Bergersen
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Background information
Birth nameThomas Jacob Bergersen
Born (1980-07-04) 4 July 1980 (age 43)
Origin Trondheim, Norway
Occupation(s) Composer
Instrument(s)
Years active2002–present
Website www.thomasbergersen.com

Thomas Jacob Bergersen (born 4 July 1980, Trondheim, Norway) is a Norwegian composer, multi-instrumentalist, and the co-founder of the production music company Two Steps From Hell. [1] [2] He is among the worlds most streamed artists in the classical crossover genre, and has over 2 million streams per month on Spotify. [3] Bergersen's compositions have featured in many motion picture campaigns, such as Avatar , Pirates of the Caribbean , The Twilight Saga , The Chronicles of Narnia , Harry Potter , Da Vinci Code , The Mummy , The Dark Knight , Tron: Legacy and hundreds more. Bergersen has scored over one thousand soundtracks and film trailers. [4]

Contents

Career

He started his musical career as a demoscener, writing tracked modules under the name Lioz in the group Index. [5] [6] [7] Bergersen worked with fellow Norwegian artist Boom Jinx on the 2007 trance single "Remember September". [8]

In May 2010, Bergersen and his business partner, Nick Phoenix, released a debut public Epic Music Two Steps From Hell album titled Invincible . [9] Several additional commercial album releases followed, including Archangel and SkyWorld . [10] Bergersen also performed in a 2013 live concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. [11] In 2010 Bergersen composed the original music for the movie The Human Experience . The Soundtrack CD was released on 29 March 2011.

Bergersen released a solo-produced soundtrack titled Illusions in 2011. [12] His second solo album, Sun , was released in September 2014. He has also released several commercial singles since 2011, including "Heart" and "The Hero in Your Heart," which were intended to provide disaster relief in the wake of the Tōhoku earthquake and Typhoon Haiyan, respectively.[ citation needed ]

In March 2020, the album series Humanity was announced. Humanity is intended to be a seven-part set exploring all aspects of human emotion. On 1 July 2020, Humanity - Chapter I was released. Humanity - Chapter II was released on 11 November 2020, followed by Humanity - Chapter III . Humanity - Chapter IV was published on 2 September 2021, and on 21 April 2023 Humanity - Chapter V was released. [13]

Two Steps From Hell went on their first tour in 2022, performing with a live orchestra and choir at thirteen venues across Europe, and went on to release a live concert album that same year. They performed at the Wacken Open Air music festival in 2023, kicking off a second live tour.

Personal life

Bergersen was born and raised in Trondheim, Norway. He moved to the US in 2009 to pursue a musical career. Bergersen said he moved from Los Angeles to Miami, and then to Seattle between 2010–2014 in the liner notes of his album Sun . The song "Cassandra" on the same album was inspired by his then-girlfriend. Bergersen considers himself a gamer and plays games such as Duke Nukem 3D , Doom , Quake and Hitman: Absolution. [14]

Music

Bergersen stated that he has been influenced by musicians from many genres, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Katy Perry. However, he stated that Gustav Mahler is among his primary influences. He dislikes the concept of music genres, which he thinks limit music to certain structures for the purpose of classification. For this reason he generally avoids following genres and industry conventions and follows his own intuition instead. [15]

He draws inspiration from his personal emotions and events in romantic relationships, [14] and anything "unique and beautiful" in his surroundings. [15]

While Bergensen uses some publicly available sample libraries, most of his sounds are bespoke. He has sampled many orchestras, world instruments, and other sounds himself from all over the world, and those samples are available only to him. He uses Steinberg's Cubase to compose music.[ citation needed ]

Discography

Solo

Studio albums

Symphonies

Two Steps From Hell

Studio albums

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Globus is a Santa Monica-based movie trailer music-inspired band consisting of a mix of producers, musicians, and vocalists. The band is led by composer and producer Yoav Goren.

Two Steps from Hell was a production music company based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 2006 by Thomas Bergersen and Nick Phoenix, a pair of composers born in Norway and England respectively. They created the company to make trailer music demos to be circulated exclusively within the movie advertising industry for the purpose of licensing; and were partnered with Extreme Music who handled licensing arrangements. The duo were among the most successful in their field, having supplied background tracks for thousands of film trailers and TV commercials. They composed separately but released their creations together. Typically, their music was orchestral and choral based, but with modern complements and structured similar to pop songs. The stentorian nature of their works led the frequent use of a contemporary label, "epic music", to define their style.

<i>Invincible</i> (Two Steps from Hell album) 2010 studio album by Two Steps From Hell

Invincible is the first public album by the group Two Steps From Hell, released in May 2010. It consists of 22 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. The tracks are a collection of fan favourites from prior demonstration albums previously only available to the industry, "represent[ing] the very best of Thomas and Nick’s first few years at Two Steps From Hell". Two tracks, however, are brand new compositions.

Nick Phoenix is a British composer, pianist, and co-founder of the production music company Two Steps from Hell. He has written music for a number of trailers, with over 1,200 scores and placements in total.

<i>Illusions</i> (Thomas Bergersen album) 2011 studio album by Thomas J. Bergersen

Illusions is the first studio album by Norwegian composer Thomas J. Bergersen, of Two Steps From Hell fame. It was released in June 2011. It consists of 19 tracks and features vocal performances by Vladislava Vasileva, Elitsa Todorova, Merethe Soltvedt, Kate St. Pierre, Jenifer Thigpen and Colin O'Malley, as well as instrumental performances by cellist Tina Guo, and the Capellen Orchestra. The album cover and artwork are designed by Jesper Krijgsman, inspired by visuals from Beauty and the Beast. Initially a digital release, the CD was made available in March 2012. It has sold over 1 million copies worldwide.

<i>Archangel</i> (Two Steps from Hell album) 2011 studio album by Two Steps from Hell

Archangel is the second public album by the group Two Steps from Hell, released in September 2011. It consists of 26 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. All the tracks are from prior demonstration albums previously only available to the industry; 14 are from the album, Nero.

<i>Power of Darkness</i> 2010 demo album by Two Steps From Hell

Power of Darkness is a demonstration album by the music production group Two Steps from Hell, originally released exclusively to clients in the motion picture and advertising industry for the purpose of licensing in March 2010. It was uniquely distributed on a flash drive, rather than a physical disc. It includes 32 principal tracks, split into two themed volumes. Additionally, it contains a large collection of alternative versions; therefore, in total, Power of Darkness consists of 77 tracks. They are composed by Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. The album was recorded in Prague, Czech Republic, in Los Angeles, and in Utah, United States. The cover artwork and the sleeve are designed by Steven R. Gilmore.

<i>Halloween</i> (Two Steps from Hell album) 2012 studio album by Two Steps From Hell

Halloween is the third public album by the group Two Steps from Hell, released in September 2012. The album contains 48 tracks, written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. All the tracks, apart from To Die on Halloween, are from prior demonstration albums previously only available to the industry. This is their first public album to feature tracks with English vocals.

"Heart of Courage" is a song by the American production music company, Two Steps from Hell; it was composed by co-founder Thomas Bergersen. It originates from the "drama"/second disc of their 2008 trailer music demo album, Legend, circulated exclusively within the movie advertising industry for the purpose of licensing. The track was subsequently made available for public purchase on the group's first commercial album, Invincible, released on 3 May 2010.

<i>SkyWorld</i> 2012 studio album by Two Steps From Hell

SkyWorld is the fourth public album by the group Two Steps from Hell, released in October 2012; their third major release following the success of Invincible and Archangel. The album contains 22 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. All tracks, except for "Dark Ages", are brand new original tracks. This is the second of their albums featuring tracks with English lyrics, namely Titan Dream, The End is the Beginning, and Back to the Earth. Recording took place in both Brno, Czech Republic and Los Angeles, United States.

<i>Classics Volume One</i> 2013 studio album by Two Steps From Hell

Classics Volume One, also stylised as Classics, Vol. 1, is the fifth public album by the group Two Steps From Hell, released in June 2013. It consists of 23 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. This album is the first of their public albums available in lossless audio. All songs except "Return from Darkness" and "Path to Earth" are from their previous demonstration albums. The album also features an extended version of "Eternal Sorrow" from the Nemesis album, as well as tweaked versions of "Magnan Imus", "White Witch", and "The World Is Mind".

<i>Miracles</i> (Two Steps from Hell album) 2014 studio album by Two Steps from Hell

Miracles is the sixth public album by the group Two Steps From Hell, released in June 2014. It consists of 21 tracks written entirely by composer Thomas J. Bergersen. This album predominantly features material selected from earlier demonstration albums, including Dreams & Imaginations, Illumina, Two Steps From Heaven, and Volume One. However the title track, "Compass", and "Stay" are brand new tracks. The previously unreleased tracks "Sun Gazer," "Eyes Closing," "My Freedom," "Perfect Love", and "Wind Queen" appear with various tweaks and embellishments.

This is the discography of Thomas J. Bergersen, a composer whose music has been used in trailers of Hollywood blockbusters such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, Interstellar and many others.

<i>Sun</i> (Thomas Bergersen album) 2014 studio album by Thomas Bergersen

Sun is the second studio album by Norwegian composer Thomas Bergersen, of Two Steps from Hell fame. It was released in September 2014. It consists of 16 tracks, featuring vocal performances by Merethe Soltvedt, Molly Conole and The Choir of Sofia, as well as instrumental performances by Chris Bleth and Bergersen himself. The album cover and artwork are also designed by Bergersen himself. The tracks "Empire of Angels," "Final Frontier," and "Starchild" were made available as preview tracks on iTunes prior to the full release.

<i>Battlecry</i> (Two Steps from Hell album) 2015 studio album by Two Steps from Hell

Battlecry is the seventh studio album by the group Two Steps from Hell, released on 28 April 2015. It consists of 26 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. The album features all-new tracks, except for Amaria from the demonstration album of the same name. It features vocal performances by Merethe Soltvedt, Nick Phoenix and Felicia Farerre.

<i>Classics Volume Two</i> 2015 studio album by Two Steps From Hell

Classics Volume Two, also stylised as Classics, Vol. 2, is the eighth public album by the group Two Steps From Hell, released in June 2015. It features 15 previously unreleased tracks from prior demonstration albums composed by Thomas J. Bergersen, and 10 entirely new tracks from Nick Phoenix. The album features tracks containing vocal performances by Felicia Farerre and Aya Peard.

<i>Vanquish</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Two Steps from Hell

Vanquish is the ninth studio album by the group Two Steps from Hell, released on 2 December 2016. It consists of 17 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. The album is the first major public release to include no material from industry album releases. It was recorded live by Capellen Orchestra under the supervision of Petr Pololáník, and features vocal performances by Felicia Farerre, Asja Kadric, Jenifer Thigpen, and Linea Adamson.

<i>Unleashed</i> (Two Steps from Hell album) 2017 studio album by Two Steps from Hell

Unleashed is the tenth studio album by the group Two Steps from Hell, released on 22 September 2017. It consists of 56 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix. The album is the longest released to the public by Two Steps from Hell. It features vocal performances by Merethe Soltvedt, C.C. White, Felicia Farerre, Úyanga Bold, Nick Phoenix and Linea Adamson. The cover artwork and the sleeve are designed by Steven R. Gilmore.

<i>Dragon</i> (Two Steps from Hell album) 2019 studio album by Two Steps from Hell

Dragon is the eleventh studio album created by the music production company Two Steps from Hell, released on 18 January 2019. It consists of 19 tracks written by composers Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix, and features vocal performances by Merethe Soltvedt, Felicia Farerre and Úyanga Bold. Chris Bleth and Claudio Pietronik are also credited for specific instrumental performances. The cover artwork and the sleeve are designed by Steven R. Gilmore.

<i>Live – An Epic Music Experience</i> 2022 live album by Two Steps from Hell

Live – An Epic Music Experience is a live album created by the music production company Two Steps from Hell, released on November 4, 2022. It is distributed by Sony Classical Records digitally, on CD, and vinyl. It is the group's first and only live album, and their final commercial release before disbanding in 2024.

References

  1. ↑ Hellerová, Šárka (11 December 2019). "Hudební skladatel Thomas Bergersen: Tíhnu k dramatické hudbě". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  2. ↑ Rome, Emily (8 April 2012). "Their movie trailer music is proudly commercial". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "Thomas Bergersen". Spotify. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  4. ↑ Demerly, Tom (27 July 2018). "China's new video of its naval-aviation forces blows 'Top Gun' away". Business Insider . Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  5. ↑ "Welcome to nginx!". Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "LioZ - Nectarine Demoscene Radio". Scenemusic.net. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Amiga Music Preservation". Amp.dascene.net. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "Boom Jinx feat. Thomas J. Bergersen – Remember September (CDr) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  9. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ↑ "Music". Two Steps from Hell. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  11. ↑ Rome, Emily (15 June 2013). "Movie trailer music composers Two Steps From Hell perform live". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  12. ↑ "Illusions". Thomas Bergersen official site. Retrieved 23 April 2019.[ self-published source ]
  13. ↑ "Thomas Bergersen, "Humanity - Chapter V"". Apple Music. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  14. 1 2 Riley, Luke (2 September 2013). "Interview: Thomas Bergersen, Composer". Starburst . Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  15. 1 2 Wright, Chris (6 May 2016). "Meet Thomas Bergersen — Master of Powerful, Epic Music". Gear Patrol. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
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