David Metzger
{{Short description|American composer, arranger, and orchestrator (born 1960)}}
{{Infobox person
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|12|12}}
|birth_place = Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.
|occupation = Film score composer, arranger, and orchestrator
}}
David Metzger (born December 12, 1960) is an American composer, conductor, arranger, and orchestrator who has worked on many Disney Animation films, including Wish, Frozen, Frozen 2, Moana, Planes, Wreck-It Ralph, Tarzan, Brother Bear, and Mufasa: The Lion King.{{cite news|last1=Baer|first1=April|title=Salem's David Metzger: Shaping The Sound Of Frozen|url=http://www.opb.org/radio/programs/state-of-wonder/article/salems-david-metzger-shaping-the-sound-of-frozen/|work=www.opb.org|access-date=2016-12-23|archive-date=2017-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118033814/http://www.opb.org/radio/programs/state-of-wonder/article/salems-david-metzger-shaping-the-sound-of-frozen/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Metzger|first1=Dave|title=Home|url=http://www.davemetzgermusic.com/|website=www.davemetzgermusic.com|accessdate=14 December 2016|archive-date=18 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118032341/http://www.davemetzgermusic.com/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Metzger|first1=Dave|title=IMDb - Movies, TV and Celebrities|url=https://www.imdb.com/|website=IMDb|accessdate=9 December 2016|archive-date=19 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219024844/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102943/fullcredits|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Kakadelis |first=Tina |date=2024-12-17 |title=Composer Dave Metzger Returns to Pride Rock with Mufasa |url=https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-news/film-interviews/composer-dave-metzger-returns-to-pride-rock-with-mufasa/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=Film Obsessive |language=en-US}} In addition to his work for Disney, he has done orchestrations for over 50 major films, composed the musical scores for Tarzan 2, Brother Bear 2, and Tarzan & Jane, and has numerous video game, theme park, television, and commercial credits, as well as co-arranging and orchestrating "When You Wish Upon a Star" for the 2006 Walt Disney Pictures logo with Mark Mancina, and co-composing the 2013 DisneyToon Studios logo with Mancina.
He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his producing work on Frozen 2.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
Metzger received a Tony and a Drama Desk nomination in 1998 for his orchestration of Broadway musical The Lion King.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} He won a DVDX award for best original score in a DVD premiere movie for Tarzan 2 in 2006.
He has orchestrated the Broadway musical Frozen{{cite web|title=See Who Landed Coveted Leads in 'Frozen' Songwriters' New Musical, Up Here {{!}} Playbill|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/see-who-landed-coveted-leads-in-frozen-songwriters-new-musical-up-here-com-350952|website=Playbill|access-date=2016-12-23|archive-date=2016-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814154824/http://www.playbill.com/article/see-who-landed-coveted-leads-in-frozen-songwriters-new-musical-up-here-com-350952|url-status=live}} and is also orchestrating the musical August Rush.{{cite web|title=August Rush - DKC/O&M|url=http://www.omdkc.com/client/august-rush/|website=DKC/O&M|access-date=2016-12-23|archive-date=2017-03-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317145448/http://www.omdkc.com/client/august-rush/|url-status=live}}
Career
Metzger was the arranger for jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson in the late 1980s.{{cite web|last1=Ferguson|first1=Maynard|title=arrangements by Dave Metzger|url=http://www.findingaids.library.unt.edu|website=UNT libraries finding aids|accessdate=9 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126185816/http://findingaids.library.unt.edu/|archive-date=26 November 2016|url-status=dead}} From 1992 to 1997, he was the arranger for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Metzger was a longtime collaborator with film composer Mark Mancina.{{cite news|last1=Curtin|first1=Barbara|title=Sounds of success: Oregon composer makes 'Planes' soar|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/16/disney-planes-composer/2666319/|work=USA TODAY|access-date=2017-08-26|archive-date=2017-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202004106/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/16/disney-planes-composer/2666319/|url-status=live}} Beginning in 2008 he has also worked with other notable Hollywood and Broadway composers including Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Julia Michaels, Benjamin Rice, Alan Menken, John Powell, Alan Silvestri, Christophe Beck, and others.{{cite news|last1=Stabler|first1=David|title=Disney's 'Frozen': A behind-the-scenes look at the movie's music that gets its magic from an Oregon man|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2013/11/disneys_frozen_gets_its_musica.html|work=OregonLive.com|access-date=2016-12-23|archive-date=2016-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306230541/http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2013/11/disneys_frozen_gets_its_musica.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title='Frozen' arranger enjoys Oscar glory from afar in Salem|url=http://www.opb.org/news/article/frozen-arranger-enjoys-oscar-glory-from-afar-in-salem/|work=www.opb.org|access-date=2016-12-23|archive-date=2017-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131200313/http://www.opb.org/news/article/frozen-arranger-enjoys-oscar-glory-from-afar-in-salem/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title='Frozen' arranger working on sequel, 'Frozen Fever'|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2014/12/frozen_arranger_working_on_fro.html|work=OregonLive.com|access-date=2016-12-23|archive-date=2017-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828105229/http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2014/12/frozen_arranger_working_on_fro.html|url-status=live}}
Personal life
Metzger grew up in Corvallis, Oregon. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from California State University, Long Beach.{{cite web|title=The Music Behind the Screen: Interview with Orchestrator Dave Metzger|url=http://musicbehindthescreen.blogspot.com/2011/06/interview-with-orchestrator-dave.html|website=The Music Behind the Screen|date=9 June 2011|access-date=23 December 2016|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202011752/http://musicbehindthescreen.blogspot.com/2011/06/interview-with-orchestrator-dave.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=The Orchestrator {{!}} The Score|url=http://www.thescore.org/the-orchestrator/|website=www.thescore.org}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He also did graduate work at UCLA. He began composing for choir and jazz band in junior high school. In his young adult years, he wrote many jazz band charts that are still played today.
Metzger currently lives in Oregon with his wife. He has two grown sons.
Discography
=Film orchestrations=
==1990s==
| class="wikitable" width=100% |
| width=30 | Year
! width=200 | Title ! width=200 | Studio(s) ! width=200 | Composer ! Notes |
|---|
| 1994
| |
| 1997
| |
| rowspan="2"| 1998
| |
| Return to Paradise
| |
| 1999
! Tarzan | Walt Disney Pictures | |
==2000s==
| class="wikitable" width=100% |
| width=30 | Year
! width=200 | Title ! width=200 | Studio(s) ! width=200 | Composer(s) ! Notes |
|---|
| 2000
! Bait | |
| rowspan="2"| 2001
| Composer of Additional Music |
| Domestic Disturbance
| Composer of Additional Music |
| rowspan="4"| 2003
| Walt Disney Home Entertainment | |
| Bad Boys II
| |
| Brother Bear
| Walt Disney Pictures | Vocal Arranger |
| The Haunted Mansion
| Composer of Additional Music |
| 2004
| Walt Disney Home Entertainment | |
| 2005
! Asylum | Additional Music Arranger |
| rowspan="3"| 2006
| Additional Orchestrations |
| Scary Movie 4
| |
| Flyboys
| MGM | |
| rowspan="4"| 2007
| |
| Shooter
| Synthesizer Programmer |
| Live Free or Die Hard
| Arranger of "America the Beautiful" |
| The Simpsons Movie
| |
| rowspan="5"| 2008
! Camille | Ruddy Morgan Productions | Composer of Additional Music |
| Horton Hears a Who!
| |
| Kung Fu Panda
| |
| Hancock
| |
| Bolt
| Walt Disney Pictures | |
| rowspan="5"| 2009
| Paramount Pictures | Composer of Additional Music |
| Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
| |
| Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
| |
| G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
| |
| Hurricane Season
| The Weinstein Company | Composer of Additional Music |
==2010s==
==2020s==
| class="wikitable" width=100% |
| width=30 | Year
! width=200 | Title ! width=200 | Studio(s) ! width=200 | Composer(s) ! Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="3"| 2022
| Columbia Pictures | Matthew Margeson | Song Arranger, Producer, and Orchestrator of "Take A Look At Us Now" |
| Spirited
| Dominic Lewis | Song Arranger, Producer, and Orchestrator of all songs |
| Disenchanted
| Song Arranger and Orchestrator of all songs |
| 2024
|Producer and Orchestrator |
=Broadway orchestrations=
| class="wikitable" width=100% |
| width=30 | Year
! width=200 | Title ! Notes |
|---|
| 1997
| Nominated for Tony Award for Best Orchestrations |
| 2016
! Up Here | La Jolla Playhouse |
| 2018 |
| ! August Rush
| Upcoming |
=Film and TV composer=
| class="wikitable" width=100% |
| width=30 | Years
! width=200 | Title ! Notes |
|---|
| 1992–1997
! The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | TV, NBC |
| 1998–2000
| TV, CBS |
| 2001–2003
| TV, Disney |
| 2002
| Disney |
| rowspan="2" |2005
! Blood+ | Aniplex, Production I.G. |
| Tarzan II
|Disney |
| 2006
| rowspan="3" |Disney |
| rowspan="2" |2023 |
| Wish |
=Video games=
- You Don't Know Jack (1999).
- Sorcery (2012). Arranger, additional music. Sony Computer Entertainment
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009). Additional music, 3 levels. Activision
=Miscellaneous=
Disney Castle Logo. Orchestrator and Arranger. Disney, 2006.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb name}}
- {{discogs artist}}
- {{AllMusic|artist/dave-metzger-mn0001278491}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Metzger, David}}
Category:20th-century American composers
Category:21st-century American composers
Category:American film score composers
Category:American male film score composers
Category:Animated film score composers