Biography

Hans Michael Anselmo Hess is an award-winning Brazilian born British film composer based in Leeds, UK. Hans became a musician because he has always loved the magical power of communication that music is capable of. He was amazed on how such art from can speak a language that allows multiple understandings. Hans's first instrument was the recorder, which he really liked, but the influence at home of his brothers listening to heavy metal (especially Iron Maiden) had a huge impact and he started to learn electric guitar. Later, he fell in love with the classical guitar (especially by the music of Leo Brouwer and Brazilian guitar music) and decided to pursue a BA in Music with emphasis in guitar performance at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.

But it was the communication between music and moving image that added for him a very special excitement and power. When Hans first heard the soundtracks of composers such as James Horner (Brave Heart), David Arnold (Independence Day), Jerry Goldsmith (The Mummy), Ennio Morricone (The Mission), Alan Silvestri (Predator), Randy Edelman (Dragon Heart), and Eric Serra (The Fifth Element), he knew that music composition for films was the medium he wanted to use to communicate with people.

Besides his busy activity in the industry, Hans also works as a senior lecturer in film music composition at Leeds College of Music and as a senior associate teacher in guitar at the University of Bristol. As a film composer, Hans loves creating a music narrative that blends beautifully not only with the images, but that can also communicate something about the characters, about the story, about a culture, or about a world real or fantasised. Hans's writing is mainly orchestral music, but he also loves to experiment (whenever appropriate to a project) the use of the classical guitar with other instruments. He has been an enthusiast in the incorporation and hybridization of other musical genres and styles to his musical language, in order to bring bold, different and innovative approaches for film scoring.