In our recent interview with composer, orchestrator, and music copyist Eunjung Jeong, based in Los Angeles, we discussed her work for the biggest film productions, her skyrocketing career, how she manages all three roles at once, as well as some advice for aspiring musicians.
Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Eunjung discovered her passion for music as a teenager and began studying classical and jazz piano. Her hard work and dedication paid off, and at the age of 18, she won second place in a nationwide student competition.
"I was so thrilled to win that competition," Eunjung said. "It was a great feeling to be recognized for my abilities, and it motivated me to keep working hard and pursuing my dreams."
After graduating high school, Eunjung started her professional career as a freelance composer and orchestrator, working on a wide range of projects for clients across the country. She faced some challenges in the beginning, but she was determined to succeed.
"It wasn't easy to get my first clients," Eunjung said. "But I was persistent and eventually started working on short indie films. I loved collaborating with the filmmakers and learning about the film industry in Korea. It was a great experience."
Feeling the desire to take her career to the next level, Eunjung applied to the Berklee College of Music, the world's most prestigious music school. The school board recognized her exceptional abilities and awarded her a large scholarship.
"I was so grateful for the opportunity to study at Berklee," Eunjung said. "It was an incredible experience, and I learned so much from my professors and peers. I also continued to work on indie film projects and started collaborating with other students, which was really rewarding."
After graduating from Berklee with top honors, Eunjung moved to Los Angeles, where she found many opportunities to collaborate on a wide range of projects. She quickly made a name for herself in the industry and was soon contacted by Fine Line Music Services, a worldwide leader in orchestrating and music preparation.
As she looks back, Eunjung is grateful for the support of her parents, who were open-minded and supportive of her decision to pursue a career in music, despite the fact that many Korean parents do not want their children to become musicians. She has also always felt very inspired by Kris Bowers, a composer for the Netflix show Bridgerton, who has proven that it is possible to succeed as a jazz pianist and film composer.
"Kris Bowers is a huge inspiration for me," Eunjung said. "His success motivates me to keep pushing myself and to never give up on my dreams. I am grateful for the support of my parents and for the opportunities I have had in my career so far, and I am excited to see what the future holds."
Over the course of her career, her passion for music and the projects that were brought to her led her to be unable to choose between being a composer (creating music), an orchestrator (arranging music for a specific ensemble), and a music copyist (preparing music for performance). With her unique set of skills and expertise, she worked on BBC's Ice Frozen Planet II and The Santa Clauses with Fine Line Music Service. "I love documentaries, especially about animals and nature, so Ice Frozen Planet II was a great project for me," she said. "The music was remarkable and I was really happy orchestrating it. Our company is the leader in the industry and I always get a chance to work for the greatest composers of all time and the greatest projects."
But one of her biggest projects included working with one of her favorite film composers, Danny Elfman, on the movie White Noise. "I feel very proud of what I'm doing," she said. "It was amazing when I got a chance to work for Danny Elfman. He is one of my favorite composers and I never thought that I'd get a chance to work for him. Danny has a very unique style and it was such an honor to be a part of his team."
When asked if it is necessary to play multiple instruments as an orchestrator, Eunjung replied, "It is not necessary but extremely helpful if you can play multiple instruments because the more you understand the instruments, the better you can use each instrument's unique features when you orchestrate. Piano is my main instrument, but I learned flute, violin, guitar, and bass when I was young. I've always been in love with instruments and I'm still trying to learn more of them. I'm not a pro player except piano, but at least I know how other instruments work from learning them and that's helping me a lot when I orchestrate and compose."
In addition, Eunjung described how she navigates being a composer, orchestrator, and music copyist. "As I mentioned above, I was a jazz/RnB musician in the first place and my vast understanding of all the genres is my strength as an orchestrator/composer because film music is not only classical music these days," she said. "I can be all three at the same time. I quickly catch the types of music the director wants and determine the direction of composition and orchestration based on my understanding of various music genres."
When asked about the challenges of working in the industry, Eunjung said, "We always have deadlines and we cannot postpone the live recording sessions that are already booked. However, it is also very exciting at the same time.
Animations, such as Family Guy and American Dad that I worked on, usually each cue is shorter and simpler compared to the movies or documentaries, but there's a lot of cues to orchestrate and copy. It is always hard to push it out before the deadlines, but when the music is out there I feel really proud that I am a part of it. That's what makes me motivated and gives me strength to keep going."
Eunjung recently worked on Gremlins, which will be aired in 2023.
She ended the interview by sharing some advice for young musicians. "I would tell them not to give up," she said. "I know how difficult it is to live alone without their families, especially musicians performing abroad or far from their hometown. If you don't give up, there's always a chance for you. Don't be afraid to try and don't be afraid to fail. Keep learning and keep trying. That's how you grow as a musician and as a person."
