Meet Alex Lu | Film Composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Lu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?
I read a book years ago in college called “What to Listen for In Music,” by the American composer Aaron Copland. In a few pages, he describes the four types of classical music composers. The first type, the “spontaneously inspired composer” such as Schubert, are those whose ideas seem to flow effortlessly. Their output is prolific and concentrated on shorter forms. Schubert is recognized as a master of the art song, of which he wrote more than 600! I think of these as the prodigies, the Mozarts of the world. Beethoven was a genius in a different way and approached composition as a “constructionist.” He would toil and obsess over his musical ideas, exploring all possibilities, painstakingly piecing together a symphony like a puzzle. Take for example the 5th Symphony and its famous opening 4 notes that obsessively weave in and out of each other. The great J.S. Bach was more of a traditionalist, for a lack of a better term. He took the framework of what was happening in Baroque music and mastered it to perfection – a true craftsman. The fourth type are the pioneers. Debussy and John Cage broke conventions and invented new sounds and methods. Cage, in a period of his work, employed the Chinese text “I Ching” to create pieces from chance. Think of it as rolling dice to determine what notes came next!

To a young musician trying to find his “voice,” this process of discovering and being comfortable with who you are was exciting and reassuring. The craft of honing and refining tradition should be celebrated just as much as innovation and experiment. I think of the sushi chef who spends her entire life trying to perfect rice! A simple omelet, cooked to perfection, could be just as delicious and important to the culinary arts as the latest techniques in molecular gastronomy. I don’t think artists set out on their careers deciding they want to be one type or another, they just create what naturally inspires and challenges them.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve spent the majority of my life in music. After many years of piecing together a living through teaching and performing, I found my way to a career as a film composer. I’ve worked on projects for Amazon, Fox, Universal, Netflix, National Geographic, Apple TV+, among others, and continue to look for opportunities to broaden my scope. It hasn’t been a straight shot to get where I am, and I still have many goals I want to achieve, but what I have found most rewarding and inspiring are the people and stories I’ve encountered along the way. As a first generation Taiwanese-American, I am drawn to the stories of immigrants and the experiences of the BIPOC community, especially told through film. I was fortunate to score two recent documentaries: “Seadrift”, a film about Vietnamese refugees in Texas and the conflict that arose with the KKK; and “Punch 9,” about Harold Washington, the first Black mayor of Chicago and the blatant racism he faced. I am excited about the wealth of stories like these waiting to be shared and contributing to these through music.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A trip to LA would not be complete without a meal in the San Gabriel Valley, where the best Asian eateries are found in the country, hands down. I’d start off with breakfast at Four Sea with a Chinese donut dipped in hot peanut soy milk. Or, I could go for a bowl of pho at Vietnam Kitchen, if I don’t feel like the wait at Golden Deli. Since we’re in the area, let’s go up north for a hike in Sierra Madre, a little gem of a town hidden in the foothills. After a good workout, always replenish with plenty of fluids, so we’ll head west to Old Town Pasadena and grab a few beers at Lucky Baldwin’s before checking out the flea market at the Rose Bowl.

I love Peruvian food. My favorites are Mamita in Glendale and Rosty in Highland Park – cool neighborhood, too. Plenty of thrift stores and antique shops where I’m always keeping an eye out for rare and unusual instruments. I’d then see if a colleague would let us sit in on a session at Warner Bros or at the Fox Newman Scoring Stage to witness the astounding LA musicians at work.

Some of our favorite dinner spots are in Pasadena – Union, Fish Wives, and Santorini top the list. After a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, we could cap off the night with a drink at the historic Far Bar in Little Tokyo. During the Japanese internment, the basement served as storage for the belongings of the imprisoned Japanese-Americans. Reflect on that as you sip on an old fashioned (they make the best IMHO).

How many meals have we had? No matter, must hit the taco truck.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife Rosalind deserves a whole lot of credit for her support and encouragement. She works in fashion design, managing both the creative and logistical process of production. I often lean on her experience in navigating my own business and goals. I’m also fortunate to have worked with filmmakers and musicians from all over the globe. Each collaboration tunes my sensibilities in some way and I’m constantly learning and being challenged.

Website: www.alexlumusic.com

Image Credits
Ryan Cleveland, Joel Henderson