Stephen Principato Bio Early Summer 2010
Stephen grew up on Long Island just southeast of New York City. He started playing classical guitar at the age of 6. Throughout his school years he studied classical, jazz and popular music. He was involved in numerous bands, orchestras, ensembles, and combos and toured the Caribbean as a performing musician. Steve has performed with Chuck Mangione (recording artist), Billy Mitchell (renowned jazz tenor saxophonist), Bob Cunningham (Bassist for Freddie Hubbard) and Eddie Daniels (renowned jazz clarinetist).
During the mid 1970’s Steve earned a Bachelor of Music from Hofstra University. His electronic music mentor was Herbert Deutsch, co-inventor of the first Moog Synthesizer. Steve studied piano and music theory with Morton Estrin, the noted American pianist. He also had the opportunity to study with jazz guitar legend, Joe Pass. His experiences with Joe Pass inspired him to continue to pursue his lifelong interest in finger-style, multi-voiced guitar composing and arranging. Naturally, with his penchant for electronic music, synthesis and computers, Mr. Principato transferred his knowledge and love for guitar composition and arranging to scoring for film, television, multimedia and the web.
Through the 80’s he continued performing in several music venues and secured a public school teaching position, teaching Guitar, Electronic Music and other courses. He also provided numerous music educators with in-service training in music and computer applications. He also earned a Master of Music with an emphasis in music, physics and writing.
During the 90’s Steve decided that film composing was where he could best utilize his full knowledge, combined experiences and love for films to their fullest. He started his corporation Sound Music Productions, Inc. Steve owns and operates a state of the art ProTools Studio utilizing Macintosh and PC platforms. He composes and produces music in a variety of genres using MIDI, digital audio and live musicians, up to a full orchestra in size.
Steve’s interest in sound and sound design has led him to learn and implement the finest sound design tools in the field. These software tools include CSound, MAX!, Metasynth, and Peak. His sound design prowess was the envy of forty NYC television composers at a meeting of the Los Angeles Film Music Network.
Steve is a member is a member of the AFM, Local 802 (American Federation of Musicians), ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and the Los Angeles Film Music Network.
Mr. Principato has scored several New York University and the School for the Visual Arts student film projects. Steve has worked closely with Filmmaker/Director Neil J. Colligan on numerous projects and a commercial for Jet Set children’s clothes. Stephen has composed and conducted music for PBS on a television show titled, Lights on For Education.
Steve has recently collaborated on several projects with Ben Fiore, an imDb screenwriter and director. Steve scored Mr. Fiore’s award winning screenplay and independent short entitled, The Hit. This film was accepted to the Long Island Film and Television Foundation’s Big Fish Film Festival. Steve's other projects include the scoring and sound design of a Long Island sports radio talk show for Frankie The Sports Guy, a local sports radio talent. Steve’s music can be heard on the live webcast of Frankie The Sports Guy’s Radio Show on the Internet.
Steve worked also scored music for a television show titled, Off The Lot. This program showcased numerous independent films which were a part of the Long Island International Film Expo. Numerous episodes of Off The Lot aired on New York Cablevision. Off The Lot is a production of the Long Island Film and TV Foundation and the Nassau County Film Commission. In addition, music from Off the Lot was used to accompany all winning entries at the 2009 Long Island International Film Festival.
Steve has scored two additional short films with Ben Fiore. The first is called, Appointment With Death, an official selection of the 2009 Long Island Film Festival. Steve composed original music and created sound design for this film. Steve also worked with Mr. Fiore composing original music and sound design for another short titled, Traffic Stop, an official selection of the 2009 Long Island International Film Expo. This short film is a production of Garman Productions, LLC of Garden City, NY.
Steve is scoring a documentary film about Fire Island, New York. This film is a production of McKeon Studios of Hicksville, New York. Steve is excited about the scoring of this documentary because of the opportunity to “show off his different music stylistic chops" and the prospect of it becoming a Travel Channel broadcast. Steve has also scored a web video for McKeon Studios which is on Goldman Sachs' International Website (Individual Asset Management).
“The Plan Doctor, a short film created by director Ben Fiore and Garman Productions is completed and has been chosen as a"official selection" of 2010 The Long Island International Film Expo.
Screening
Thursday, July 8, 2010
9:30pm
222 Pettit Ave. (adjacent to Sunrise Highway)
Bellmore, NY
Steve's most recent work includes scoring a documentary which will be airing on PBS. The documentary is titled, Telephone Warriors, and is a production of Red-Horse Native Productions in Tarzana, California.
Steve's most exciting and challenging score to date is for "Honey", a production of Aspire Films in Sayville, New York. This film has no dialogue... lots of music! This film is going to be entered into numerous festivals. Aspire Films also has distribution channels.... exciting!
Originally Written by Leslie Lotto: ‘Whatever…Talent Agency’. Los Angeles, California, 2009.
| |
