Biography

New Zealand & Europe based, 3 times Emmy award nominated composer and producer of over 100 soundtracks since 2000; working internationally as composer and performer.

In Brief:

Trevor Coleman was born and bred in Dunedin, New Zealand where he studied piano, trumpet and composition from an early age. He was selected for principal trumpet in the National Youth Orchestra, solo cornet in the National Youth Brass Band, as pianist for the National Youth Jazz Big Band and was actively engaged in the jazz, rock and experimental music scenes of Dunedin and Wellington during the 1970s and early 80s. After receiving a Bachelor of Music from Otago University he was awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA, where, alongside studies in jazz piano and composition, he completed a Diploma majoring in Film Scoring. On returning to New Zealand in 1982 he began his career in Film Music with Wild South, later known as NHNZ. From 1985-2000 he was based in Germany, performing jazz throughout Europe with the Trevor Coleman Group and other ensembles including 15 years with the music comedy group Mark’n’Simon & the Professor. From 1992-2000 he was engaged as resident composer, musical director and performer for the Choreographisches Theater (dance-theatre) in Freiburg and Bonn. Relocating to Dunedin in 2000, he worked for 13 years composing film music worldwide, receiving 3 Emmy nominations for his documentary scores, and has continued performing jazz and improvised music. From 2013 he undertook a Doctorate in Musical Arts concentrating on his compositional work with Polycycles, graduating in 2016. Since 2017 based in Seville, Spain, promoting his Polycyclic Trilogy and concepts in live performance and new recordings.

CV:

Pre 2000

Trevor Coleman, b.1959, Dunedin, New Zealand, started composing at early age (first radio broadcast age 15: symphonic poem "Novus Deus" national radio), member National Youth Orhestra (principal trumpet), Youth Brass Band (solo cornet) and Youth Jazz Orchestra (piano), studied classical and modern piano, active in Dunedin & Wellington Rock and Jazz scene, and received Bachelor of Music in Trumpet & Composition from Otago University 1979.

1980-81

Berklee College of Music, Boston USA, graduated with Diploma in Film Scoring. (QE11 Arts Council Grant). Supported studies as keyboardist in the New England area.

1982-85

Dunedin/Wellington NZ, as teacher (Otago Uni. Music Dept., Logan Park High, private); Jazz musician (played with Jonathan Crayford, Paul Dyne & Roger Sellers etc) & TV composer incl. numerous Documentary scores for "Wild South" (+theme for the series) e.g. "2 days to soft rock café", "Garbage of Eden", "Snares", "Kowhai Bush".

1985-99

Europe-Germany, based in Munich, Freiburg & Bonn/Cologne.
- as Performer:
- Jazz: Trevor Coleman Group (CD: Kiwi Love, festivals eg: Jazz Ost-West, BRD; Karlovy Vary, Tschechai; Karkov, Urkraine); with Muneer Abdul Fataah (Configuration Series; Radio broadcasts, NDR, DRS).
-Pop/Comedy: Mark´n´Simon MusicComedy, as "Professor" (multi-instrumentalist), 15 years perfomance throughout Europe (Dublin to Istanbul), TV appearances, CD and video productions.
- Studio musician: Munich scene eg: Falco, Mal Lukas productions.

- as Composer/Producer:
Film: documentaries (eg: ZDF- "Abenteuer Forschung", Sat3, WDR- "Arktis/Antarktis"&"Procida" d: B. Pfletchinger); short films (eg: "The Rose" d: K. McDonnel);
CD productions; Modern Jazz Ensembles; theatre; dance;
Dance/Theatre- resident composer/musical director/musician from ´92 to ´00 for Pavel Mikulastik´s "Choreographisches Theater" - Stadttheater Freiburg & Oper Bonn (11 stage productions, 7 CD productions, guest performances throughout Europe).

-as Filmmaker: "The Sound of Cuba" (2011);
Various music videos for the Polycyclic Trilogy visit www.youtube.com/hybridology

-as Author: "Dunedin Soundings", chapter 7, "Reflections from a Reformed Exile", Otago University Press (2011);
"Into The Mix", "Subject2change: Sustaining fluidity in studio manipulations of a polymetric jazz fusion comprovisation", IASPM-ANZ (2015);
"Polycyclic Comprovisation", Doctorate exegesis, Otago University Press (2016)

- as Father: 2 daughters.

AWARDS:

2007 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival Finalist Best Original Music Score
Equator: Challenge of Change

Emmy Award Nomination

for best Music and Sound 2007:
Equator: Rivers of the Sun

Emmy Award Nominations

for best Music and Sound 2006:
Equator: Power if an Ocean
Buggin with Ruud: Madagaskar

RECENT FILM SCORES ( since 2000 ):

2013
Coral Triangle - a 3 part documentary series for Wild Fury, Nat Geo, ZDF
Zwischen Den Linien (Between the Lines) - German short film

2012
Weapons of the Wild - a 6 part documentary series for Wild Fury, Nat Geo, ZDF
Journey to Truth - 90min Documentary, Chesapeake Films, USA
The Cream - commercial for skin cream, USA

2011
Primeval New Zealand - NHNZ, TVNZ

2010
Mutant Planet / Life Force - a 6 part documentary series for NHNZ / NHK (Japan) / Discovery
Linker Zeh - German feature film

2009
Awesome Pawsome 2 - 2 hours - Discovery - Animal Planet
Wind Dancer - Independent

2008
Shark Nicole - National Geographic
Shaolin Monks - National Geographic
Ice Vegas - National Geographic
Paradise - short film, drama
Snip - short film, drama

2007
Chernobyl Reclaimed - Off The Fence, BRD, Discovery Int.
Top 5 Eaten Alive - Discovery Networks International and US
Circus on Ice - International Distributor
Chinese Circus - International Distributor

2006
Ultimate Disasters - 4 films:
Tsunami, Earthquake, Tornado, Volcano - National Geographic
Growing Up: Panda - Discovery - Animal Planet
Growing Up: Gorilla - Discovery - Animal Planet
Shanghai Makeover - International Distributor
Tui Tuia - Independent

2005
Buggin with Ruud - 13 films - Discovery - Animal Planet
Equator: Africa - NHK , International Distributor
Equator: Andes - NHK , International Distributor
Equator: Coral - NHK , International Distributor
Equator: Borneo - NHK , International Distributor
Equator: Amazon - NHK , International Distributor
Growing Up: Hyena - Discovery - Animal Planet
Growing Up: Moose - Discovery - Animal Planet
Growing Up: Seal - Discovery - Animal Planet

2004
Equator: Pacific - NHK , International Distributor
Mutants - National Geographic
Animal Face Off - 12 films - Discovery Networks International and US

2003
Love Around the World - Discovery Health Channel
Natures Warzone - National Geographic, Digital Dimensions
Pandas - Discovery Networks US, Discovery HD Theater, Tan Xiangjiang,
Hong Kong Garrison - International Distributor
Spinner Dolphins - Canal Azul, Fox International, National Geographic International
Tigers Fight Back - National Geographic International

2002
Naughty By Nature - Discovery - Animal Planet
Tarsiers - National Georgraphic International
Hot Science - National Geographic
Built for the Chase- National Geographic
Yukon Quest - National Geographic International

2001
Atlantic Oasis - Canal Azul
Forgotten Atol - Canal Azul
Animal Inventors x3 - NDR, Germany
Pirate Patrol - International Distributor
SOS - International Distributor

2000
Siberian Survivors - Discovery, NHK
Awesome Pawsome - Discovery - Animal Planet.

all of the above mentioned are full film scores - there are many more not listed for which music tracks have been provided.

RECENT WORKS:

The Polycyclic Trilogy - a series of chamber music and jazz compositions;
Equator - A Symphonic Suite in 7 movements for orchestra, voice, choir and electronics
with projected images (premiere march 24th, 2007 Dunedin, NZ;
Dunedin Symphony - watch here)
Cambio Series - Subject 2 Change - A collection of compositions from 2002 to present
for the Jazz Fusion ensemble, subject2change

DISCOGRAPHY: listen to on Music pages

all compositions by Trevor Coleman

2017 -
PolyKarma (polycyclic chamber music)
PolyNation (polycyclic jazz)
One Moment (polycyclic world music)

2014 -
Voyager (ethno-orchestral)

2011 -
Weird Edens: Hidden Paradise (electro-acoustic orchestral)
Weird Edens: Strange Fruit (electro-acoustic orchestral)
Weird Edens: Epic Crusades (electro-acoustic orchestral)
Weird Edens: Ambivalent Spheres (electro-acoustic orchestral)

2009-
InDia (orchestral/world/fusion)

2008-
Shaolin Kung Fu (chinese flavoured hip hop and fusion)

2007-
Equator: Challenge of the Sun - A Symphonic Suite (orchestral)
Chernobyl Reclaimed (orchestral)
Chinese Circus

2006-
Colors of the Apocalypse (music for natural disasters)
African Tracks (west african feel)

2005 -
Buggin: Quirky (music for bugs)
Buggin: Funky (music for bugs)
Equator V&VI - Andes/Africa (orchestra & samples)
Equator IV - Coral (orchestra & samples)
Equator III - Borneo (orchestra & samples)
Equator II - Amazon (orchestra & samples)
Equator I - Galapagos (orchestra & samples)

2004 -
Animal Face Off (metal&orchestral)
Fragilization (electronica)

2003 -
Nature Fights Back (Russian, Indian and Indonesian flavour)
Pan Dan Ursery (playful and dramatic with a chinese flavouring)
Spinner Dolphins (Brazilian flavour)

2002 -
Naughty By Nature (mostly funk, jazz & cartoon music)
Tarsier (Philippines flavour)
Hot Science (drum n bass & electronica)
Yukon Quest (Irish & 1st Nations flavour)

2001 -
Forgotten Oases (Brazilian & New Age flavour)
Survivors (Malaysian flavour rescue music)

1999 -
Tanzpalast - New World Circus (music for dance/theater)

1998 -
places & spaces (compilation of theatre music)

1997 -
Meditation on a Rocket (Meditation music)
Die Nashörner (Rhinoceros) (music for dance/theater)

1995 -
La Strada - New World Circus (music for dance/theater)

1994 -
Tanz und Liebesstunde (Dance and Love Lessons) (music for dance/theater)

1992 -
The Quiet African (recordings from The Gambia mixed with Synthesizer & Trumpet with narrated excerpts from Doris Lessing's "Hunger")

1991 -
Live at the Katerina Ruine - CD2 - Trevor Coleman Group (2 CDs - Jazz)
Live at the Katerina Ruine - CD1

1990 -
Kiwi Love - Trevor Coleman Group (Jazz)
Stages - MarknSimon (pop)

1989 -
1st Impressions - Trevor Coleman Group (LP - Jazz)

1988 -
In Transit 88 - Paul Hutchins & TrevorColeman (new age folk)

Discography:
recently featured on other recordings

2016 -
One Night In Sevilla - Jono Heyes

2014 -
Fisherboy - Jono Heyes

2011 -
The Verlaines - Untimely Meditations

2009 -
The Verlaines - corporate moronic

2007 -
Dr Glam - Hang Drum music with Ian Chapman, Frank Gibson Jr. & Rob Burns

2005 -
New Zealand Composers on Screen (DVD)

and far too many other recordings to remember now