Christian Biegai
Encyclopedia
Christian Biegai is an award winning film composer, sound designer and saxophonist. He studied music at the Berlin University of the Arts
, the Royal College of Music
in London and at Rutgers University
in New Jersey
, United States.
He has written film scores for feature films, documentaries, TV drama and animated films. Whistle (2002) , directed by Duncan Jones
, was shown at festivals around the world, including several broadcasts on Film Four. In 2004, he refined his audio-post production skills under the leadership of Frank Verderosa at Planet V, New York
. Working with digital artist and multimedia producer Helena Bulaja
resulted in composing and recording the score for the fairytale Regoch (2006), which can be heard on the release of "Croatian Tales of Long Ago, Part Two" and collaborating in Helena Bulaja's latest project about Nikola Tesla, which features Laurie Anderson
and Terry Gilliam
amongst other artists. Christian composed the score for director Marc Meyer's film Sunday, in August, which was broadcast on France 3
, and won the Minister of Art Promotion Prize at the Film Festival in Dresden in 2005. The same year he teamed up with New York-based director Matthew Timms, sound designing and scoring the film How I know you (2005). Working at Park Road Post
as an editor in 2006, Christian contributed also a string quartet piece for Academy Award nominee, Taika Waititi
's feature film "Eagle vs. Shark" (2007) alongside the original soundtrack by the Phoenix Foundation. In 2007 he composed the score for Marc Meyer's feature film debut: "Wir Sagen Du! Schatz."(2007) and the music for Paul Swadel
's TV One New Zealand documentary "The Big Picture" (2007) in collaboration with Dave Whitehead and Riki Gooch, which won "Best Original Score" at the Qantas Television Awards
2008. The same year, he completed the score for Brigitte Bertele's award winning feature film: "Nacht Vor Augen"(2008), which premiered on the 58th Berlin International Film Festival
2008 and one episode of the classic German crime show "Tatort
", directed by Didi Danquart. Christian recently wrote the film music to Brigitte Bertele's second feature film Brand"(2010) which won for "best director" at the Montreal World Film Festival
2011, and to Juraj Lerotic's short film I See Tanja" (2010), which won in the category "Checkers" at the Zagreb Film Festival 2010.
As a saxophone player, Christian has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
, clair-obscur saxophone quartet, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
, Auckland Philharmonia, Mendelssohn Kammerorchester Leipzig, DM Stith
, Antony and the Johnsons
and the artist collective Edison Woods amongst others. He performed with Michael Nyman
at the Berlin Film Festival 2000 where he premiered the film music for Fernand Léger
's Ballete Mechanique (1924). In 2005 he recorded the score for 3:20, written for solo saxophone by Gerald Busby, best known for his soundtrack of Robert Altman
's Three Women
. After the collaboration, Gerald dedicated Speak for Christian, that he premiered in Carnegie Hall
.
Berlin University of the Arts
The Universität der Künste Berlin, UdK is a public art school in Berlin, Germany, one of the four universities in the city...
, the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London and at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States.
He has written film scores for feature films, documentaries, TV drama and animated films. Whistle (2002) , directed by Duncan Jones
Duncan Jones
Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones , also known as Zowie Bowie is an English film director, best known for directing the science fiction films Moon and Source Code .-Childhood and family life:...
, was shown at festivals around the world, including several broadcasts on Film Four. In 2004, he refined his audio-post production skills under the leadership of Frank Verderosa at Planet V, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Working with digital artist and multimedia producer Helena Bulaja
Helena Bulaja
Helena Bulaja is a Croatian multimedia artist, film director, scriptwriter, designer and film producer.- Career:Helena Bulaja was born in Split, Croatia. She was educated in art history and comparative literature at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb....
resulted in composing and recording the score for the fairytale Regoch (2006), which can be heard on the release of "Croatian Tales of Long Ago, Part Two" and collaborating in Helena Bulaja's latest project about Nikola Tesla, which features Laurie Anderson
Laurie Anderson
Laura Phillips "Laurie" Anderson is an American experimental performance artist, composer and musician who plays violin and keyboards and sings in a variety of experimental music and art rock styles. Initially trained as a sculptor, Anderson did her first performance-art piece in the late 1960s...
and Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
amongst other artists. Christian composed the score for director Marc Meyer's film Sunday, in August, which was broadcast on France 3
France 3
France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
, and won the Minister of Art Promotion Prize at the Film Festival in Dresden in 2005. The same year he teamed up with New York-based director Matthew Timms, sound designing and scoring the film How I know you (2005). Working at Park Road Post
Park Road Post
Park Road Post is a 10,200 m² motion picture post production facility, located in Miramar, New Zealand, a suburb of Wellington. Formerly the state-owned National Film Unit, the new facility was renamed Park Road Post upon completion in 2005...
as an editor in 2006, Christian contributed also a string quartet piece for Academy Award nominee, Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi , also known as Taika Cohen, is a New Zealand-born film director, writer, painter, comedian and actor named as one of Varietys "ten new directors to watch" in 2007....
's feature film "Eagle vs. Shark" (2007) alongside the original soundtrack by the Phoenix Foundation. In 2007 he composed the score for Marc Meyer's feature film debut: "Wir Sagen Du! Schatz."(2007) and the music for Paul Swadel
Paul Swadel
]Paul Swadel is a New Zealand film director and producer.He has directed and produced many successful short films which have screened in competition at Cannes, Venice, New York and Sundance film festivals to name but a few. Saatchi & Saatchi spotted his talent early in the commercials world for...
's TV One New Zealand documentary "The Big Picture" (2007) in collaboration with Dave Whitehead and Riki Gooch, which won "Best Original Score" at the Qantas Television Awards
Qantas Television Awards
The Aotearoa Film & Television Awards, formerly known as the Qantas Television Awards, are presented by the New Zealand Television Broadcasters' Council...
2008. The same year, he completed the score for Brigitte Bertele's award winning feature film: "Nacht Vor Augen"(2008), which premiered on the 58th Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
2008 and one episode of the classic German crime show "Tatort
Tatort
Tatort is a long-running German/Austrian/Swiss , crime television series set in various parts of these countries. The show is broadcast on the channels of ARD in Germany, ORF 2 in Austria and SF1 in Switzerland...
", directed by Didi Danquart. Christian recently wrote the film music to Brigitte Bertele's second feature film Brand"(2010) which won for "best director" at the Montreal World Film Festival
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival , founded in 1977, is one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF...
2011, and to Juraj Lerotic's short film I See Tanja" (2010), which won in the category "Checkers" at the Zagreb Film Festival 2010.
As a saxophone player, Christian has performed with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
The Berlin Philharmonic, German: , formerly Berliner Philharmonisches Orchester , is an orchestra based in Berlin, Germany. In 2006, a group of ten European media outlets voted the Berlin Philharmonic number three on a list of "top ten European Orchestras", after the Vienna Philharmonic and the...
, clair-obscur saxophone quartet, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
, Auckland Philharmonia, Mendelssohn Kammerorchester Leipzig, DM Stith
DM Stith
David Michael Stith is a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who released his first album Heavy Ghost in 2009 on the Asthmatic Kitty label...
, Antony and the Johnsons
Antony and the Johnsons
Antony and the Johnsons is a music group presenting the work of Antony Hegarty and his collaborators.-Career:British experimental musician David Tibet of Current 93 heard a demo and offered to release Antony's music through his Durtro label. The debut album, Antony and the Johnsons, was released...
and the artist collective Edison Woods amongst others. He performed with Michael Nyman
Michael Nyman
Michael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
at the Berlin Film Festival 2000 where he premiered the film music for Fernand Léger
Fernand Léger
Joseph Fernand Henri Léger was a French painter, sculptor, and filmmaker. In his early works he created a personal form of Cubism which he gradually modified into a more figurative, populist style...
's Ballete Mechanique (1924). In 2005 he recorded the score for 3:20, written for solo saxophone by Gerald Busby, best known for his soundtrack of Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
's Three Women
Three Women
Three Women is a drama film starring May McAvoy, Pauline Frederick, and Marie Prevost, directed by Ernst Lubitsch, and based on the novel by Yolande Maree .A print survives in the George Eastman House archive.-Cast:...
. After the collaboration, Gerald dedicated Speak for Christian, that he premiered in Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
.
External links
- Official website
- Christian Biegai on imdb
- Regoch (2006) by Helena BulajaHelena BulajaHelena Bulaja is a Croatian multimedia artist, film director, scriptwriter, designer and film producer.- Career:Helena Bulaja was born in Split, Croatia. She was educated in art history and comparative literature at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb....
at VimeoVimeoVimeo is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. It was founded by Zach Klein and Jake Lodwick in November 2004...