Composing for Films at SoundTrack_Cologne 22

As part of the "Composing for Film - Day" at SoundTrack_Cologne 22, taking place on Thursday, July 10, our guest composers will reflect on the essential role that music plays in shaping a film’s emotional landscape, rhythm, and narrative depth. Scoring for film is more than composition, it is a craft that requires a deep understanding of storytelling, character, and cinematic language. Through examples and personal insights, our speakers will explore how they translate visual worlds into sound and how music becomes a powerful protagonist in the filmmaking process.

We are proud to welcome four exceptional composers whose recent work continues to push the boundaries of film music: Amine Bouhafa (The Man Who Sold His Skin · Hotel Destino), the 2025 German Film Award winner Dascha Dauenhauer (Kein Tier. So Wild · Islands), Jongnic Bontemps (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts · World’s Best), and our Career Achievement Award honouree, the multi-award-winning Michael Abels (Get Out · Us · Nope).

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Composing for Films
Thursday 10. July 2025 · COMEDIA Theater, Roter Saal

10:30 - 11:30
Amine Bouhafa
The Man Who Sold His Skin · Hotel Destino
Workshop · Discussion

12:00 - 13:00
Dascha Dauenhauer
No Beast. So Fierce (Kein Tier. So Wild) · Islands - winner of the German Film Prize 2025
Workshop · Discussion

14:30 - 15:30
Jongnic Bontemps
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts · World’s Best
Workshop · Discussion

16:00 - 17:30
Michael Abels
Nope · Us · Get Out
Conversation with the Career Achievement Award Winner

SoundTrack_Cologne 22 announces nominees for the EUROPEAN TALENT COMPETITION

Sixteen composers and sound designers from fourteen nominated entries are in the running for this year’s EUROPEAN TALENT AWARD. Some of them collaborated in teams, others worked individually on their submission. The winners will be announced at the festive awards ceremony on July 11th at the WDR Funkhaus.

The EUROPEAN TALENT COMPETITION provides a platform specifically for emerging talents in film music and sound design.

Participants had the choice to either compose the original score or to create the sound design for the short film "BLOOM" (directed by Michael Dämmig) - or to re-score the film in a collaborative team of composer and sound designer.

The nominees (in alphabetical order):

Jamie Alpherts (Score), Jakob Altmann (Score), Luis Cantú (Score), Melanie Gäb (Sound design), Michael Kaspar (Score), Stefan Kiechle (Score), Aaron Kolbl (Sound design), Benjamin Alan Kubaczek (Score and Sound design), Robert Landskron (Score), Felix Lopp (Score), Gabriel Massé (Sound design), Xiangming Niu (Score), Samuel Pfeil (Score), Vincent Roy (Sound design), Sam van Stempvoort (Sound design), and Lucia Vité (Score).

The competition screening will take place on Friday, July 11th at 10:30 at ODEON Cinema. To buy the tickets for the screening, click here.

The nominees and their new scores for “BLOOM” will be presented to audience and jury by Yati Durant.

The winner of the WDR FILMSCORE AWARD will have the opportunity to record an original composition of 7 – 9 minutes length with the WDR Funkhausorchester – for many young composers, this could be their first opportunity to record with a large orchestra and the beginning of filling out their film-scoring calling card.

The winner for the best SOUND DESIGN will receive a 5.1 cinematic mix down in the prestigious sound mixing studio TORUS POST.

Find out more information about our nominees and the jury members.

STC22-Stipendien für deutsche Flinta

Laut dem Europäischen Observatorium für das audiovisuelle Schaffen lag der Anteil von Frauen unter den aktiven Komponist*innen in audiovisuellen Fiction-Formaten und TV-Filmen in Europa zwischen 2019 und 2023 bei lediglich 10 %. Im selben Zeitraum machten Komponistinnen nur 12 % der Musikschaffenden in europäischen Kinofilmen aus. Auch wenn dies einen leichten Anstieg im Vergleich zu den Jahren 2015–2018 darstellt (6 % bzw. 8 %), spiegelt es nach wie vor eine deutliche Unterrepräsentation von Frauen in der audiovisuellen Musikbranche wider.

Um zu einer gerechteren Teilhabe von Flinta (Frauen, Lesben, intergeschlechtlichen, nicht-binären, trans und agender Personen) in der Film-, TV- und Videospielmusik beizutragen, vergibt SoundTrack_Cologne in Zusammenarbeit mit Initiative Musik drei Stipendien an Flinta*-Komponist*innen aus Deutschland.

„Der Einstieg in die Filmmusik ist für viele FLINTA-Komponist:innen nach wie vor mit unsichtbaren Hürden verbunden – es fehlt an offenen Ausschreibungen, tragfähigen Netzwerken und gezielter Förderung, etwa durch Mentoringprogramme oder Stipendien. Selbst wer sich erfolgreich etabliert, bleibt häufig strukturell benachteiligt. Mit den STC22-Stipendien will die Initiative Musik genau hier ansetzen: Chancen schaffen, Sichtbarkeit ermöglichen – und so mehr Geschlechtergerechtigkeit fördern." – Katja Lucker,  Geschäftsführerin Initiative Musik 

Das Stipendium umfasst die Akkreditierung zur Konferenz, die Übernahme der Reisekosten innerhalb Deutschlands sowie die Unterbringung in Köln für drei Tage.

Die Stipendien richten sich in erster Linie an Komponist*innen für Film, Fernsehen und Medien, sind aber auch offen für Musiker*innen, Tontechniker*innen, Sounddesigner*innen, Musikproduzent*innen und Music Supervisor*innen.

Idealerweise haben die Bewerber*innen bereits Musik für mindestens eine Film-, Fernseh-, Videospiel-, Radio- oder Theaterproduktion komponiert und entsprechende praktische Erfahrung gesammelt.

Bewerbungsschluss: 23. Juni 2025 - 10:00 Uhr MESZ

Um sich zu bewerben, füllen Sie bitte das Formular aus:

SoundTrack_Cologne 22 announces nominees for the PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD

Nine composers are nominated for the PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD. The winner will be announced at the festival awards ceremony on 11th July at the WDR Funkhaus.

The PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD honors the Best Original Music in a Short Film. The winner receives a prize money of 1,500 euros. First presented in 2009, the award commemorates the great German film composer Peer Raben.

Nominated are eight film scores from award-winning festival highlights of the international short film scene with an innovative and dramaturgically coherent use of music and sound in relation to the narrative. This year's selection includes prestigious winners such as "Bunnyhood," which premiered at Cannes and won third prize in La Cinéf category, and "Ordinary Life” / “Futsu no seikatsu”, which won the Silver Bear Jury Prize for Short Films at the 2025 Berlinale.

The nominees:

• Victor Ardelean & Jiro Yoshioka ("Abyssness" directed by Jakob Arnu, Larissa Dold, Leonie Hecht, Moritz Hoffmann, Maximillian Otto, Theresa Rehe, Jonas Riedinger, Germany)
• Philip Domenico Calisto ("ALARBA" directed by Joshua Kantara, Germany)
• Marcus Sander ("As I Was a Tree" directed by Jalal Maghout, Germany/Syria)
• Marcin Mazurek ("Bunnyhood" directed by Mansi Maheshwari, United Kingdom)
• Clemens Gutjahr ("Detlev" directed by Ferdinand Ehrhardt, Germany)
• Louis Chenu ("INSTINCTS" directed by Lucie Cabon, France)
• Kengo Tokusashi ("ORDINARY LIFE" / “Futsu no seikatsu” directed by Mizushiri Yoriko, France/Japan)
• Lukas Stipar ("Woodland" directed by Vanessa Chu, Jim Obmann, Emil Pogolski, Germany)

The competition screening will take place on Wednesday, July 9th at 18:30 at Odeon cinema. To buy tickets for the screening, click here.

The surreal "Abyssness" tells the story of a farmer who discovers a black hole in his field and turns it into a profitable garbage disposal business. In the sacred jungles of Oussouye, "ALARBA" brings us into the sacred jungles of Oussouye for an intimate portrait of friendship and tradition. "As I Was a Tree" explores themes of identity and perception through a surreal odyssey of self-discovery. The Cannes-awarded "Bunnyhood" follows Bobby, whose innocent world is disrupted by an unexpected hospital trip that reveals her mother's deception. "Detlev" presents a darkly comedic character study of isolation and ritual. In the dystopian "INSTINCTS," Inès and Adrien become fugitives in a future where abortion is criminalized. The Berlinale Silver Bear winner ("ORDINARY LIFE" / “Futsu no seikatsu” contemplates how daily routines repeat yet never remain the same. "Woodland" follows a magical forest creature desperately trying to save its dying forest and nature through music with a fragile flower flute.

The nominees and their films will be presented to audience and jury under the moderation by André Feldhaus (composer).

Here you can find more information about our nominees and the jury members:

Composing for TV Series Day: At SoundTrack_Cologne 22

SoundTrack_Cologne is honored to announce the featured panelists for this year’s "Composing for TV Series" panels, taking place on Friday, July 11th, 2025.

Television series rely heavily on music to build atmosphere, shape emotional arcs, and bring stories to life. This year, four dedicated panels at the conference will explore how composers approach the unique challenges and creative possibilities of scoring for TV series, offering insights into their artistic processes and recent work.

The panels will feature in-depth discussions on scoring for some of the most exciting recent productions. Featured guests include Anthony D'Amario & Edouard Rigaudière, whose score for Log Out won Best Original Score at Séries Mania 2025; Jack Halama (Who Is Erin Carter? · Rivals); Drum & Lace (Red, White & Royal Blue ·  Dickinson); and Högni Egilsson (Katla · King and Conqueror).

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Friday 11. July 2025 · COMEDIA Theater, Probebühne

10:30 - 11:30
Anthony D'Amario and Édouard Rigaudière
Log Out - winner of the Best Original Score at Séries Mania 2025
Workshop · Discussion

12:00 - 13:00
Jack Halama
Who Is Erin Carter? · Rivals
Workshop · Discussion

14:30 - 15:30
Drum & Lace (Sofia degli Alessandri-Hultquist)
Red, White & Royal Blue · Dickinson
Workshop · Discussion

16:00 - 17:00
Högni Egilsson
Katla · King and Conqueror
Workshop · Discussion

SoundTrack_Cologne 22 Career Achievement Award goes to Michael Abels

SoundTrack_Cologne is proud to announce that the Career Achievement Award of its 22nd edition will be presented to composer Michael Abels, best known for his groundbreaking scores for Jordan Peele’s films Get Out, Us and Nope. Abels will attend STC22 on July 10th and 11th, 2025.

On Thursday, July 10th, Michael Abels will engage in an in-depth conversation about his acclaimed career in the film industry with journalist Daniel Kothenschulte (Frankfurter Rundschau). The following evening, on Friday, July 11th, Abels will be honored with the Career Achievement Award during a special ceremony, where the WDR Funkhausorchester will perform a selection of his most iconic film compositions.

Michael Abels is a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer – honored for his opera Omar – whose scores have redefined expectations in both cinema and concert music. His score for Us received the World Soundtrack Award, the Jerry Goldsmith Award, a Critics Choice nomination, and was named "Score of the Decade" by The Wrap. His music for Nope was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Original Score.

In 2023, Abels composed the score for the Disney+ series Star Wars: The Acolyte and co-wrote the original song "The Power Of Two" with Grammy-winners Victoria Monét and D’Mile. Beyond to his screen work, Abels is an acclaimed concert composer. His works have been performed by the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Kronos Quartet, and many others. Recent commissions include Emerge for the National Symphony, the guitar concerto Borders for Grammy-nominated artist Mak Grgic, and Unbound, a symphonic tribute to Olympic champion Jesse Owens. His upcoming projects include commissions for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony and the Detroit Symphony.

As co-founder of the Composers Diversity Collective, Abels is a leading voice for the increased representation of composers from diverse backgrounds in the film, television, and gaming industries. In 2024, he served as commencement speaker at USC’s Thornton School of Music, inspiring a new generation of artists to follow in his footsteps.

Join us in Cologne as we celebrate Michael Abels’ remarkable contributions to film music and beyond.

Learn from the Best at the Videogame Cutscene / TV Series Scoring Workshop

Do you want to sharpen your scoring skills for video games and television? Submit your music to a given scene, get expert feedback, and receive practical improvement tips from renowned composer Pieter Schlosser at the Videogame Cutscene / TV Series Scoring workshop at the 22nd edition of SoundTrack_Cologne.

This hands-on session is designed to help you enhance your workflow for efficiency and speed, so you can focus more on creativity. You’ll gain real-world skills to write additional music for a specific in-game cutscene or TV episode by receiving detailed critiques of your cue, with a focus on musical cohesion, thematic integration, and professional delivery standards.

During the workshop, you’ll get direct feedback on your cue, focusing on tone, thematic consistency, instrumentation, and technical delivery (including stem prep and file naming). Pieter will also share the final version of the cue used in the show, offering you a unique opportunity to compare and discuss.

This is your chance to get hands-on experience with the creative and professional standards expected of composers working in real-world TV or video game production environments.

Attendance will be limited to 15 participants (who submit their work) and 5 observers (don’t submit their music). All participants should purchase a STC accreditation and pay additionally the workshop fee.

Active participants: €95
Observer: €45

SoundTrack_Cologne 22 announces Video Games Composers

Music has become a crucial narrative force in modern video games, shaping worlds, deepening emotional engagement, and bringing stories to life in ever more complex, interactive ways. At SoundTrack_Cologne 22, we spotlight the creative minds behind some of today's most compelling game scores. This year, five panels and one masterclass will delve into the artistry, challenges, and innovations of renowned composers: BAFTA-nominated Olivier Derivière (A Plague Tale: Innocence & Requiem · Streets of Rage 4), Paul Wolinski (No Man's Sky -with 65daysofstatic- · Wreckage Systems), Venus Theory (Avowed · Ground Branch), Ivor Novello Award-winning duo The Flight (Alien: Isolation · Assassin’s Creed Shadows) and Pieter Schlosser (Destiny 2 · Gears of War 2 & 3).

And as a special highlight, we’re also offering a concert of Games music by and with Paul Wolinski (See below for more details).

Composing for Video Games

Wednesday 9 July 2025 · COMEDIA Theater, Probebühne
Moderator: Helge Borgarts

10:30 – 11:30
Olivier Derivière
A Plague Tale: Innocence & Requiem · Streets of Rage 4
Workshop - Discussion

12:00 – 13:00
Paul Wolinski
No Man's Sky (with 65daysofstatic) · Wreckage Systems
Workshop - Discussion

14:30 – 15:30
Venus Theory
Avowed · Ground Branch
Workshop - Discussion

16:00 – 17:00
The Flight
Alien: Isolation · Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Workshop - Discussion

17:00 – 17:30
Olivier Derivière, Paul Wolinski, Venus Theory and The Flight
Games Roundtable with Helge Borgarts

674FM Konzertraum
19:00 - 20:30
Game Music Composer Concert with Paul Wolinski
Performance

Friday 11 July 2025 · COMEDIA Theater, Die Zwei
Moderator: Helge Borgarts

14:30 – 15:30 / 16:00 - 17:00
Pieter Schlosser
Destiny 2 · Gears of War 2 & 3
Masterclass (a registration form for this event will be sent in a separate newsletter in the coming weeks)

· EUROPEAN TALENT COMPETITION · HURRY UP! DEADLINE IS IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS

Attention composers and sound designers: The submission deadline for the EUROPEAN TALENT COMPETITION is less than three weeks away. Don’t miss your chance to apply for the WDR FILMSCORE AWARD and the EUROPEAN TALENT AWARD in SOUND DESIGN by creating the score or sound design for the short film BLOOM (directed by Michael Dämmig).

Submission deadline is April 15th, 2025 10:00 am CEST.

Contestants may either compose the score or create the sound design for the short film and may also work together in a team with another composer or sound designer. Sound designers in particular are encouraged to submit sound-only projects!

The twelve finalists will be presented with their work to the audience and jury during the SoundTrack_Cologne competition screening. The award ceremony will take place during the official Gala on Friday, July 11th, 2025.

The recipient of the WDR FILMSCORE AWARD will have the opportunity to record an original composition, lasting 7 to 9 minutes, with the WDR Funkhausorchester. For many young composers, this may be their first experience working with a full orchestra, providing a valuable opportunity to build their film-scoring portfolio.

The winner for the best SOUND DESIGN will receive a 5.1 cinematic mix down in the prestigious sound mixing studio TORUS POST.

The contest is open to all current students in sound, music, and/or composition at European film or music schools, regardless of age, as well as young European creatives up to the age of 30.

> The online registration form and the terms and conditions for your participation can be found by following the link below.

After the online registration you may download the short film and start your project.

Short film “BLOOM” (Germany, 2023, 3:53 min.)

Directed by: Michael Dämmig 

Life isn‘t equally sunny for all: Karl, a tree less fortunate than the trees around him, finds a chance for social acceptance in a fallen mango. But thanks to a cheeky little monkey, Karl realizes what truly makes him happy.

LAST CALL FOR ENTRIES: PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD 2025

Composers, filmmakers and distributors don’t miss the opportunity to submit your short films with distinctive original compositions for the PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD. The submission deadline is April 15th, 2025, at 10:00 AM CEST.

This prestigious award, honoring the renowned German composer PEER RABEN, offers a prize of 1,500 euros. It recognizes a film score that demonstrates innovation and makes a significant, cohesive contribution to the narrative through music and sound.

Conditions to apply:

• Short films with a maximum length of 15 minutes (incl. end credits) in all industry standard formats.
• There are no restrictions regarding country of production, genre, or content.
• Films must be predominantly scored with original music.
• Short films whose production was completed after January 1st, 2024 or that premiered after January 1st, 2024.
• The nominees should be present at the screening of the films and will be presented to the audience and the jury during the competition screening. The award ceremony will take place during the official Gala on Friday, July 11th, 2025.

To apply, click the button below and fill out the submission form:

SUBMIT YOUR FILM FOR SEE THE SOUND 2025! DEADLINE APPROACHING!

Filmmakers, producers, and distributors, you are still on time to submit your film for this year's SEE THE SOUND festival (9-13 July 2025)!

Submission deadline is April 7th, 2025 10:00 am CEST.

Whether it’s a documentary, feature film, short, or music video, we welcome all works that bring music and sound to life such as biopics about musicians or bands, documentaries about concerts, portraits of composers, portraits of bands or music videos.

Submission criteria

• Films and music videos whose production was completed in 2024 or 2025, or premiered after January 1, 2024, are eligible for submission.
• The presentation at other festivals or a DVD release is not an exclusion criterion, but German premieres are preferred.
• Films may have DCP (preferred), BluRay or DVD format. We also accept video files.
• The preferred option is entering the preview copy digitally via online link.

The competition for Best Music Documentary will be held among the selected documentaries. The winner will receive 2,500 euros.