Inon Zur(Hebrew:ינון צור,[jiˈnonˈt͡sur]) is an Israeli-borncomposerof soundtracks for film, television, and video games. He has composed soundtracks for over 80 video games, which includeDragon Age,EverQuest,Fallout,Prince of Persia,Star Trek,theSyberiaseries, andStarfield.He has received multiple nominations, including threeBAFTAs,and has won several awards, including anEmmy.Various music awards for his soundtracks onMen of Valor(2004),Crysis(2007),Dragon Age: Origins(2009),The Elder Scrolls: Blades(2019),Syberia: The World Before(2023),Rise of the Ronin(2024), andStarfield(2024)[1]
Inon Zur | |
|---|---|
 Inon Zur in 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Israel |
| Genres | Video game music Film score Trailer music |
| Occupation | Composer |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Website | inonzur |
Early life
editInon Zur was born in Israel. At the age of five, he was trying to compose harmonies with his mother's singing, and became inspired by classical music.[2]He learned to play theFrench hornas a child, studied piano by the age of eight, and was studying composition by the age of ten.[2][3]He graduated from the Music Academy of Tel Aviv, and spent four years in theIsraeli Armyin an eliteArmored unit.He emigrated to the United States in 1990 to study at the Dick Grove School of Music for a year, and then under private tutorJack Smalley,a television music composer, and others for two years at theUniversity of California, Los Angeles.[3][4]
Career
editZur began his career in 1994 by working on soundtracks for movies, such asYellow Lotus,featured at theSundance Film Festival.He signed on to compose for Fox Family for six years, and made soundtracks for various children's television shows produced bySaban Entertainment,includingBig Bad Beetleborgs,DigimonandPower Rangers.By 2002, he estimated that he had composed the soundtrack to over 360Power Rangersepisodes.[4]His compositions for these programs were credited toShuki Levyand Kussa Mahchi (an allias forHaim Saban), with Zur usually only being credited as a music producer. This was allegedly so the duo could collect the music royalties. Zur and all other composers working at this company agreed to give up the rights to their compositions prior to joining.[5][6]He won his first award during this period in his career, a Telly Award for his work onPower Rangers: Turbo.[7]While he enjoyed the work, he began to want to go work somewhere "more intriguing, more advanced, and basically a place that people really appreciate music more"; his agent overcame his initial reluctance and convinced him to work in the video games industry.[8]His first video game soundtrack was 2000'sStar Trek: Klingon Academy,which he started composing for the game in 1997.[3]Zur moved on to prestigious titles, composing for the award-winning and critically acclaimedBaldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaalin 2001 andIcewind Dale IIin 2002, among many others.Icewind Dale IIearned him the first of many nominations for video game music awards, that of the Game Audio Network Guild's Music of the Year award.[9]He continued to work on movies and television programs during these years.
Zur has made dozens of cinematic scores fortrailers.His last full movie soundtrack to date was that of 2014'sReclaim.He has worked on a few television series since then; his last traditional television soundtrack was forGhost Whispererin 2007, though he has composed music forwebisodeandAnimated seriessince then. He continued to work on numerous video games, includingPrince of Persia: The Two Thronesin 2005 andCrysisin 2007.[10]He has garnered several nominations for video game music awards, including his first win, forMen of Valorin the Best Original Instrumental track category of the 2004 Game Audio Network Guild awards.[11]
Zur penned the original musical score forCrysis,Dragon Age,Fallout,Syberia,andStarfieldfranchises.
The most notable titles Zur has composed for have beenIcewind Dale II(2002),EverQuest Online Adventures(2003),Men of Valor(2004),Crysis(2007),Fallout 3(2008),Prince of Persia(2008),Dragon Age: Origins(2009),Fallout: New Vegas(2010),World of Tanks(2010),Dragon Age II(2011),Fallout 4(2015),Fallout 76(2018),The Elder Scrolls: Blades(2019) and, most recently,Starfield(2023).[10][12]
Performances
editZur's compositions have been played several times in live concerts. The first of these was a concert held inSeoul,South Korea, on May 30, 2006, dedicated to his music forLineage II:Chronicle V: Oath of Blood.[13]On August 20, 2008, music from his soundtrack toCrysiswas played inLeipzig,Germany, at aVideo Games Liveconcert.[14]His music fromDragon Age: OriginsandPrince of Persiawas performed at the September 26, 2009 "A Night in Fantasia 2009" concert inSydney,Australia, by theEminence Symphony Orchestra.Zur was a special guest at the concert.[15][16]
In an industry first, a dedicated concert of his music fromLord of the Rings: War in the Northwas performed each evening at the 2011Electronic Entertainment Expo(E3) in Los Angeles. The one-hour concert series was conducted by Zur and performed byThe Hollywood Orchestraand Choir with the participation of The Lyris Quartet and solos from celebrated vocalist Aubrey Ashburn. He originally conducted and recorded the game with theLondon Philharmonia Orchestraand the Pinewood Singers Choir at the legendaryAbbey Road Studiosin London.
In 2018, at the London venue theEventim Apollo,Zur composed his different pieces from theFalloutandThe Elder Scrollsseries during a live concert thatBethesda Game Studiosco-hosted with theWar Child (charity).[17]TheLondon Symphony Orchestraperformed Zur'sStarfieldscore at Bethesda's 10th AnniversaryThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimconcert in 2021.[18]TheHollywood Bowl Orchestragave a 10-year concert on June 25, 2023, atThe Game Awards,which featured well-known video game soundtracks. The concert included a rendition of Zur'sStarfieldtheme.[19]
Legacy
editZur's music has been featured in numerous top-selling game franchises. He has been described as being "internationally recognized as one of the A-list orchestral composers in the video games industry".Varietynamed him on a short list of top video game composers.[20]He was listed on top 40 greatest video games composers of all time (ranked 17th by composercode.com)[21]
In the film industry Zur specializes on cinematic scoring forfilm trailers.He's worked with the likes ofBMG Production Musicon films such as theHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,X-Men Origins: Wolverine,The Hobbit,and Avengers: Age of Ultron.Including dozens of other film trailer music. He's also worked with NCSOUND on several video game projects.[22]
His songs have often been covered by numerous artists.Raney ShockneandElizavetadid a cover of Zur'sDragon Age: Origins"I am the One" song forDragon Age: Inquisitions.Zur was inducted intoThe Recording Academyas a new member in 2023.[23]
Musical style and influences
editZur's compositions frequently are focused on full orchestras, choir and, in some games likePrince of Persia,ethnic instruments like Arabic flutes and the woodwindduduk.[24]He has often collaborated with the Northwest Sinfonia orchestra from Seattle, though he has on occasion used other orchestras.[8]Whenever Zur works with a real orchestra, he always conducts it himself.[13]He has named some of his musical influences as classical artists such asSergey Prokofiev,Igor Stravinsky,andBeethoven,movie composers likeJohn WilliamsandJerry Goldsmith,and jazz artists likeGeorge Gershwinand Henry McFeeny.[4]While he would one day like to compose music not intended to be part of a larger piece of media, he finds that the pressure of a deadline and the feedback from the developers are crucial in his development process.[25]He feels that his music sounds best when it is in the context given by the media it was made for, though he feels that performances of the music by itself transforms it "from just a soundtrack to an art form on its own".[26]Zur sometimes collaborates with other musicians while composing his game soundtracks; for example, he worked withFlorence and the Machineto create a unique rendition of "I'm Not Calling You A Liar" for theDragon Age IIsoundtrack.[27]
Zur typically is brought in to compose for a game once it is mostly complete, though he notes that that is earlier than for films and television—where nothing changes after he starts besides post-production effects—making video game music composition a more "flexible" process. He finds that it is "crucial" for him to play a game before he can compose music for it, even if it's only a development version.[4]Rather than compose music based around the setting in the game where it will be played, Zur composes music around the emotion that he wants the player to feel at that point in the game.[8]While he feels that music composition technology has come far enough in recent years to no longer be a limiting factor in his music, he does feel that the music budgets for games limit what he can create.[28]Zur feels that he is considered in the industry to be a very fast composer, which he attributes to his tendency to compose music "intuitively", rather than spending a lot of time planning it out.[13]When not composing, Zur likes to play video games, especially those he has composed for, as well as play basketball and spend time with his family.[29]The types of projects that he would like to work on in the future that he has not yet done are children's games and soundtracks incorporating jazz music.[28]
Works
editVideo games
editFilms
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Valley of the Dolls | |
| 1995 | Big Bad Beetleborgs | |
| 1996 | The Vision of Escaflowne | |
| 1997 | Power Rangers Turbo | |
| Beetleborgs Metallix | ||
| 1998 | Ramadhan in Indonesia | |
| Power Rangers in Space | ||
| Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog | ||
| Like Father, Like Santa | Television film | |
| 1999 | Au Pair | Television film |
| Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot | ||
| 1999 | Power Rangers Lost Galaxy | |
| 2000 | St. Patrick: The Irish Legend | |
| Final Ascent | Television film | |
| 2001 | Au Pair II | Television film |
| Power Rangers Time Force | ||
| 2007 | Ghost Whisperer | 3 episodes |
| 2010 | The Walking Dead | Trailer |
| 2016 | Fallout: The Junktown Ranger | Short |
| 2017 | Legion | Trailer |
| 2022 | We Baby Bears | Additional music |
| 2023–present | The Settled Systems: A Starfield Animated Anthology | Webisode Series |
| 2024 | Fallout | Theme Writer and Two episodes |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Telly Awards | Best Score[7] | Power Rangers: Turbo | Won |
| 2001 | Gamespy: Game of the Year Awards | Best Original Music[34] | Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal | Won |
| 2002 | Game Audio Network Guild | Music of the Year[9] | Icewind Dale II | Nominated |
| 2003 | Game Audio Network Guild | Best Original Instrumental Song[9] | SOCOM II U.S. Navy SEALs– "Main Theme" | Nominated |
| 2004 | Game Audio Network Guild | Best Original Instrumental Song[11] | Men of Valor– "Main Theme" | Won |
| Best Live Performance Recording[11] | Men of Valor | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Soundtrack Album[11] | Men of Valor | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Soundtrack Album[11] | Shadow Ops: Red Mercury | Nominated | ||
| 2006 | Canadian Awards for the Electronic & Animated Arts | Best Original Musical Score[35] | Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade | Nominated |
| 2008 | 5th British Academy Games Awards | Best Original Score[36] | Fallout 3 | Nominated |
| Spike Video Game Awards | Best Original Score[37] | Fallout 3 | Nominated | |
| Golden Joystick Awards | Soundtrack of the Year[38] | Fallout 3 | Nominated | |
| Game Audio Network Guild | Best Original Vocal – Choral[39] | Prince of Persia– "Menu Theme" | Nominated | |
| Best Original Instrumental[39] | Prince of Persia– "Healed Land" | Nominated | ||
| Motion Picture Sound Editors | Best Sound Editing - Computer Entertainment | Crysis | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Best Original Song – Video Game[40] | Dragon Age: Origins– "I Am the One" | Won |
| Best Original Score – Video Game[40] | Dragon Age: Origins | Nominated | ||
| Game Audio Network Guild | Music of the Year[41] | Dragon Age: Origins | Nominated | |
| Best Soundtrack Album[41] | Dragon Age: Origins | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Vocal – Pop[41] | Dragon Age: Origins– "I Am the One" (High Fantasy Version) | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Vocal – Pop[41] | Dragon Age: Origins– "Lelianna's Song" | Nominated | ||
| Movie Music UK Awards | Best Original Video Game Score | Dragon Age: Origins | Won | |
| Game Audio Network Guild | Best Interactive Score | Crysis | Won | |
| 2011 | Hollywood Music In Media Award | Best Original Score – Video Game | Dragon Age II | Nominated |
| Best Original Song – Video Game | Dragon Age II– "Rogue Heart" | Nominated | ||
| Spike Video Game Awards | Best Song In A Game | Dragon Age II– "I’m Not Calling You A Liar" | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Game Audio Network Guild | Best Original Vocal – Pop[42] | Dragon Age II– "Rogue Heart" | Nominated |
| 2014 | Hollywood Music In Media Award | Best Original Score - Video Game | Asura | Nominated |
| 11th British Academy Games Awards | Music | Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved | Nominated | |
| 2015 | Game Audio Network Guild[42] | Best Original Song – | Sword Coast Legends– "The Path Of Destiny" | Nominated |
| Hollywood Music In Media Award | Best Original Song – Video Game | Sword Coast Legends– "The Path Of Destiny" | Nominated | |
| Game Audio Network Guild | Vocal Theme – Video Game | Sword Coast Legends– "The Path Of Destiny" | Nominated | |
| The Game Awards 2015 | Best Score/Soundtrack | Fallout 4 | Nominated | |
| 2016 | Game Audio Network Guild | Best Interactive Score | Fallout 4 | Nominated |
| 12th British Academy Games Awards | Music | Fallout 4 | Nominated | |
| 2017 | National Capital / Chesapeake Bay Emmy Awards | Documentary - Topical | Saber Rock | Won |
| 2019 | Hollywood Music In Media Award | Best Original Score/Song – Mobile Game | The Elder Scrolls: Blades | Won |
| GoldSpirit Awards | Best Original Score for a Videogame | Fallout 76 | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Game Audio Network Guild | Best Physical Soundtrack Album | Syberia: The World Before | Nominated |
| NYX Game Awards | Best Music for PC Game | Syberia: The World Before | Won | |
| Hollywood Music in Media Award | Best Original Song/Score - Mobile Video Game | PUBG Mobile[b] | Won | |
| 2024 | BMI Film & TV Awards | Video Game Award (Music) | Starfield | Won |
| PS Blog Game of the Year Awards | Best Soundtrack | Rise of the Rōnin | Nominated | |
| PlayStationGame Awards | Traditional Sound Award (Music) | Rise of the Rōnin | Won |
Note
edit- ^originally named "Secret Project Number Three" using music from the filmAssassin's Creed: Ascendance
- ^Short forPlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile,and known in China asGame for Peace(also known asPeacekeeper EliteorHe ping jing ying)
References
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- ^abcIttensohn, Oliver."Interview – Inon Zur".GSoundtracks.RetrievedSeptember 27,2009.
- ^abcdMcCarroll, John (February 2, 2002)."Inon Zur Interview".RPGFan.RetrievedSeptember 27,2009.
- ^"The Influencer".The New Yorker.RetrievedJuly 18,2019.
- ^David Robb (September 18–20, 1998)."Composers say they're paupers in royalty game".Hollywood Reporter– via groups.google.com.
- ^abColeman, Stephan (January 23, 2004)."Syberia II to Feature Music by Inon Zur".IGN.Archived fromthe originalon December 31, 2005.RetrievedDecember 17,2009.
- ^abcD., Spence (June 30, 2004)."Inon Zur Interview".IGN.Archived fromthe originalon June 4, 2011.RetrievedDecember 18,2009.
- ^abcBerardini, César (August 31, 2004)."Men of Valor Soundtrack Released".IGN.Archived fromthe originalon December 11, 2004.RetrievedDecember 17,2009.
- ^abZur, Inon."Inon Zur – Video Games".inonzur.com.RetrievedDecember 18,2009.
- ^abcde"Game Audio Network Guild – 3rd Annual Game Awards".Game Audio Network Guild. March 10, 2005.RetrievedDecember 17,2009.
- ^Zur, Inon."Inon Zur – Composer – Biography".inonzur.com.RetrievedDecember 18,2009.
- ^abc"Interview with Lineage II: Chronicle V: Oath of Blood Composer Inon Zur".Music4Games. September 11, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon August 22, 2008.RetrievedDecember 18,2009.
- ^"VGL to Premier Crysis in Leipzig!!".Video Games Live.August 10, 2008.RetrievedDecember 17,2009.
- ^"Dragon Age to be part of ANIF09 playlist".Eminence Symphony Orchestra.September 16, 2009.RetrievedDecember 18,2009.
- ^"A Night in Fantasia – Concert Program".Eminence Symphony Orchestra.Archived fromthe originalon September 10, 2009.RetrievedDecember 18,2009.
- ^"Inon Zur Announced as Composer for The Elder Scrolls: Blades".vgr.November 4, 2018.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
- ^"Listen to the London Symphony Orchestra play Starfield's score".venturebeat.November 29, 2021.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
- ^"'The Game Awards 10-Year Concert' Team Teases 'Eclectic, Amazing' Hollywood Bowl Celebration ".venturebeat.June 23, 2023.RetrievedJune 26,2023.
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- ^"Inon Zur's beautiful" Leap of Faith "featured in new The Good Dinosaur Trailer".behindtheaudio.com.July 22, 2015.RetrievedJune 29,2023.
- ^"Inon Zur's Music From Starfield, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age And Syberia Live In Concert At The Soraya On November 20, 2022".top40.com.RetrievedJune 27,2023.
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- ^Blattberg, Eric (March 9, 2011)."The Best in the Business: Dragon Age II Composer Inon Zur".PlayStation Universe.RetrievedMarch 14,2011.
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- ^Markovic, Danny (September 24, 2009)."Eminence: Inon Zur Interview".PALGN.Archived fromthe originalon January 15, 2013.RetrievedDecember 19,2009.
- ^"Award-winning Film and Game Composer to Provide Original Music for NCsoft's New Online Action Game".gamesindustry.com.RetrievedFebruary 12,2025.
- ^"Starcraft 2 credits".MobyGames.com.RetrievedFebruary 12,2025.
- ^"Ashfall's Roster of Composers Includes: Hans Zimmer, Fallout Composer Inon Zur, & Steve Mazzaro".The Global Herald. September 16, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 22,2022.
- ^"Nazar Official Trailer".Microsoft. September 16, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 20,2024.
- ^Cite error: The named reference
GBOMwas invoked but never defined (see thehelp page). - ^Zur, Inon."Inon Zur – Video Games".inonzur.com. Archived fromthe originalon January 25, 2011.RetrievedDecember 18,2009.
- ^"Past Winners and Nominees – Video Games – Awards – The BAFTA Site – 2008".British Academy of Film and Television Arts.Archived fromthe originalon January 31, 2010.RetrievedDecember 17,2009.
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- ^"Golden Joystick Awards: ONM's Choices!".Official Nintendo Magazine.September 28, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon May 25, 2024.RetrievedDecember 17,2009.
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External links
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