Lolita Ritmanis
Encyclopedia
Lolita Ritmanis is an American
composer. Nominated for ten Emmy Award
s, she won the award in 2002 for her work on the animated series Batman Beyond
.
, Ritmanis is the daughter of Dr. Andris Ritmanis and Asja Ritmanis, who left Latvia
during World War II and immigrated to the US in 1949. Ritmanis has a sister, Brigita Ritmanis-Jameson, and a brother, Alberts Ritmanis.
Throughout her childhood Ritmanis studied piano, flute, guitar and voice, performing in both jazz and classical music ensembles. Ritmanis composed her first song at age 11. By age 16 she had toured the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, composing for and performing with the Latvian popular music group Dzintars (Amber). Latvian song festivals throughout the world provided Ritmanis with the opportunity to conduct and perform her works before larger audiences.
Ritmanis graduated from Cleveland High School
in Portland, Oregon in 1980. She moved to Los Angeles to study at the Dick Grove School Of Music, where she graduated from both the Composition Program and the Film Music Composition Program, studying with composers Dick Grove
, Mundell Lowe
, Lalo Schifrin
, Henry Mancini
, Allyn Ferguson
, and Jack Feirman, among others. Ritmanis also studied privately with teachers Mauro Bruno, Gibner King, and Matt Dennis
.
and Walt Disney
Studios, which led to work in the field of orchestration for film and television. She was able to secure a steady supply of work from composers such as Michael Kamen
, Basil Poledouris
, Shirley Walker
, Mark Snow
, Paul Chihara
, Bennett Salvay, Elliot Goldenthal
, Louis Febre
, Burt Bacharach
, Snuffy Walden, and Carter Burwell
. She has orchestrated over 100 films, mini-series and television programs, including Lethal Weapon 4
, The X-Files
, Swimfan
, Jeepers Creepers 2, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
, Final Destination
, The West Wing, and Demolition Man score
with Goldenthal on one of the latter's first big studio works. Ritmanis also orchestrated a portion of the closing ceremonies of the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.
at Warner Bros. Studios. She continued at Warner Bros. with work on Superman: The Animated Series
and Batman Beyond
. During this period of time, Ritmanis met and began a professional collaboration with composers Michael McCuistion and Kristopher Carter
. The trio went on to compose music for The Zeta Project
, Teen Titans
, Justice League
, Justice League Unlimited
, Legion of Super Heroes
, and several long form projects.
in 1982. Her cantata A New Day was performed at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in 1986. In 1989 Tas Vakars Piektdiena (Same Time Next Friday), a musical, was performed at the Terrace Theatre in Long Beach, California
and throughout Latvia in the summer of 1990. Turp Un Atpakal, a musical revue, was performed throughout the United States and Canada in 1999 and 2000. The musical Skudra Un Sienazis (The Ant And The Grasshopper) was performed at the Latvian Song Festival in Thousand Oaks, California
in 1999. In August, 2003, the musical Gudrais Padomins was performed at Cathedral Hill in San Francisco. Rudentins Pie Durvim Klauve, a work for choir and chamber orchestra, was performed at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on August 8, 2003. In 2004, Eslingena, a musical, was performed at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto
, Canada, and in 2005 it was performed at the National Theatre in Riga
, Latvia
.
, which premiered at the 2007 SXSW Film Festival.
In 2007 Ritmanis began work on a new musical, set to premiere in fall 2008 in Ventura, CA.
. They live in Studio City, California with their 3 children. They maintain two recording studios.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer. Nominated for ten Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s, she won the award in 2002 for her work on the animated series Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
.
Early life
Born on November 1, 1962, in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Ritmanis is the daughter of Dr. Andris Ritmanis and Asja Ritmanis, who left Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
during World War II and immigrated to the US in 1949. Ritmanis has a sister, Brigita Ritmanis-Jameson, and a brother, Alberts Ritmanis.
Throughout her childhood Ritmanis studied piano, flute, guitar and voice, performing in both jazz and classical music ensembles. Ritmanis composed her first song at age 11. By age 16 she had toured the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, composing for and performing with the Latvian popular music group Dzintars (Amber). Latvian song festivals throughout the world provided Ritmanis with the opportunity to conduct and perform her works before larger audiences.
Ritmanis graduated from Cleveland High School
Cleveland High School (Oregon)
Cleveland High School is a public high school in inner southeast Portland, Oregon, United States.This school is one of Portland's two high schools with the International Baccalaureate program...
in Portland, Oregon in 1980. She moved to Los Angeles to study at the Dick Grove School Of Music, where she graduated from both the Composition Program and the Film Music Composition Program, studying with composers Dick Grove
Dick Grove
Richard Dean "Dick" Grove was an American musician, composer, arranger and award-winning music educator. He performed with Alvino Rey, and worked with Paul Horn, Buddy Rich, and Nancy Wilson....
, Mundell Lowe
Mundell Lowe
Mundell Lowe is an American jazz guitarist.Lowe was born in Laurel, Mississippi on 21 March 1922. In the 1930s he played country music and Dixieland jazz. He later played with big bands and orchestras, and on television in New York City. In the 1960s, Lowe composed music for films and television...
, Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin is an Argentine composer, pianist and conductor. He is best known for his film and TV scores, such as the "Theme from Mission: Impossible". He has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations...
, Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
, Allyn Ferguson
Allyn Ferguson
Allyn Malcolm Ferguson Jr. was an American composer, best known for the themes for 1970s television programs Barney Miller and Charlie's Angels, which he co-wrote with Jack Elliott...
, and Jack Feirman, among others. Ritmanis also studied privately with teachers Mauro Bruno, Gibner King, and Matt Dennis
Matt Dennis
Matt Dennis was a singer, pianist, bandleader, arranger, and writer of music for popular music songs.He was born in Seattle, Washington. His mother was a violinist and his father a singer, and the family was in vaudeville, so he was early exposed to music. In 1933 he joined Horace Heidt's...
.
Orchestration
Upon completing her studies, Ritmanis began working at Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
Studios, which led to work in the field of orchestration for film and television. She was able to secure a steady supply of work from composers such as Michael Kamen
Michael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
, Basil Poledouris
Basil Poledouris
Vassilis Konstantinos "Basil" Poledouris was a Greek-American music composer who concentrated on the scores for films and television shows...
, Shirley Walker
Shirley Walker
Shirley Walker was an American television and film composer and conductor. She was one of the few female film score composers working in Hollywood...
, Mark Snow
Mark Snow
Mark Snow is an American composer for film and television.Born in New York, he grew up in Brooklyn, graduating from the High School of Music and Art and, afterwards, the Juilliard School of Music...
, Paul Chihara
Paul Chihara
Paul Seiko Chihara is an American composer.Chihara was born in Seattle, Washington in 1938. A Japanese American, he spent several years of his childhood with his family in an internment camp in Minidoka, Idaho....
, Bennett Salvay, Elliot Goldenthal
Elliot Goldenthal
Elliot Goldenthal is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He was a student of Aaron Copland and John Corigliano, and is best known for his distinctive style and ability to blend various musical styles and techniques in original and inventive ways...
, Louis Febre
Louis Febre
Louis Febre is a Mexican born composer, best known for his work on the television series Smallville. He also won an Emmy Award for his score to The Cape in 1997.- Life :...
, Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
, Snuffy Walden, and Carter Burwell
Carter Burwell
Carter Benedict Burwell is an American composer of film scores.-Life and career:Burwell was born in New York City, the son of Natalie , a math teacher, and Charles Burwell, who founded Thaibok Fabrics, Ltd...
. She has orchestrated over 100 films, mini-series and television programs, including Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4
Lethal Weapon 4 is a 1998 American action film directed by Richard Donner, starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Chris Rock and Jet Li. It is the third sequel in the Lethal Weapon series of films. -Plot:...
, The X-Files
The X-Files (film)
The X-Files is a 1998 American science fiction-thriller film written by Chris Carter and Frank Spotnitz, and directed by Rob Bowman. It is the first feature film based on The X-Files series created by Carter that revolves around a fictional FBI paranormal investigation unit called the X-Files...
, Swimfan
Swimfan
Swimfan, also known as Fanatica, is a 2002 erotic thriller film directed by John Polson and written by Charles Bohl and Phillip Schneider. Considered a Fatal Attraction for a teenage audience, the film stars Jesse Bradford, Erika Christensen, and Shiri Appleby.-Plot:Ben Cronin is a a star swimmer...
, Jeepers Creepers 2, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a 1991 American adventure film directed by Kevin Reynolds. Kevin Costner heads the cast list as Robin Hood...
, Final Destination
Final Destination
Final Destination is a 2000 supernatural slasher film written and directed by James Wong. The film was co-written by Glen Morgan and Jeffrey Reddick, both of them having previously worked with Wong in the TV series The X-Files. The film stars Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith and Tony Todd...
, The West Wing, and Demolition Man score
Demolition Man (soundtrack)
-Crew/Credit:*Music Composed by Elliot Goldenthal*Music Produced by Matthias Gohl*Orchestrated by Elliot Goldenthal and Robert Elhai*Conducted by Jonathan Sheffer / Additional: Artie Kane*Recorded by Steve McLaughlin and Bobby Fernandez...
with Goldenthal on one of the latter's first big studio works. Ritmanis also orchestrated a portion of the closing ceremonies of the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Film and television composition
In 1991, with the help of composer Shirley Walker, Ritmanis began her career as a film and television composer. Her collaboration with Ms. Walker provided an opportunity for her to write music for Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
at Warner Bros. Studios. She continued at Warner Bros. with work on Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
and Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond is an American animated television series created by Warner Bros. Animation in collaboration with DC Comics as a continuation of the Batman legacy...
. During this period of time, Ritmanis met and began a professional collaboration with composers Michael McCuistion and Kristopher Carter
Kristopher Carter
Kristopher Lee Carter is an American composer. He grew up in San Angelo, Texas and currently lives in Los Angeles, California....
. The trio went on to compose music for The Zeta Project
The Zeta Project
The Zeta Project is a science fiction American animated series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It first aired on Kids' WB in January 2001. It is a spin-off series based on the character Zeta from the Batman Beyond episode of the same name. The show was created by Robert Goodman and Warner Bros...
, Teen Titans
Teen Titans (TV series)
Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
, Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
, Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
, Legion of Super Heroes
Legion of Super Heroes (TV series)
Legion of Super Heroes is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that debuted on September 23, 2006, based on characters appearing in the DC Comics comic book series. The series centers on the young Superman's adventures in the 31st century, fighting alongside a...
, and several long form projects.
Concert works
Ritmanis's concert works have been and continue to be performed throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, Taiwan, Latvia and Australia. The symphonic poem Farewell To Riga was performed at Portland Civic AuditoriumKeller Auditorium
Keller Auditorium, formerly known as the Portland Municipal Auditorium, the Portland Public Auditorium, and the Portland Civic Auditorium, is a performing arts center located on Clay Street in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is part of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts...
in 1982. Her cantata A New Day was performed at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in 1986. In 1989 Tas Vakars Piektdiena (Same Time Next Friday), a musical, was performed at the Terrace Theatre in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
and throughout Latvia in the summer of 1990. Turp Un Atpakal, a musical revue, was performed throughout the United States and Canada in 1999 and 2000. The musical Skudra Un Sienazis (The Ant And The Grasshopper) was performed at the Latvian Song Festival in Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, in the United States. It was named after the many oak trees that grace the area, and the city seal is adorned with an oak....
in 1999. In August, 2003, the musical Gudrais Padomins was performed at Cathedral Hill in San Francisco. Rudentins Pie Durvim Klauve, a work for choir and chamber orchestra, was performed at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on August 8, 2003. In 2004, Eslingena, a musical, was performed at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada, and in 2005 it was performed at the National Theatre in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
.
Dynamic Music Partners
As of 2007, Ritmanis and her colleagues Michael McCuistion and Kristopher Carter formed the Dynamic Music Partners (DMP). DMP has worked on the Warner Bros. series Legion of Super Heroes. In addition to their work in animation, DMP completed the score for the Thomas Callaway feature film Broke SkyBroke Sky
Broke Sky is a 2007 neo-noir 35 millimeter film, and has been compared to such films as No Country for Old Men and Blood Simple. It is the directorial debut of cinematographer Thomas L. Callaway. The film stars Will Wallace, Joe Unger, Bruce Glover, Duane Whitaker and Barbara Chisholm.-Plot:Bucky...
, which premiered at the 2007 SXSW Film Festival.
In 2007 Ritmanis began work on a new musical, set to premiere in fall 2008 in Ventura, CA.
Personal life
Ritmanis is married to music producer Mark MattsonMark Mattson
Mark P. Mattson is Chief of the Laboratory of Neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program National Institute on Aging. He is also professor of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University....
. They live in Studio City, California with their 3 children. They maintain two recording studios.