Renowned film, television and multi-media music composer Fred Story, founder of Concentrix Music and Sound Design, Inc., has written and produced a contemporary, dramatic and cinematic orchestral score that will be featured behind the upcoming TV special “American Masters Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel,” premiering nationally on April 2nd at 9PM ET/PT on PBS. Mr. Story just won his Fifth Regional Emmy Award (March 17th) for his musical work on the two-hour documentary for North Carolina Public Television entitled "North Carolina’s World War II Experience.”
On behalf of his client Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB Media) of Atlanta, Mr. Story’s assignment was to create an original, compelling musical score to accompany a documentary on the life of legendary writer Margaret Mitchell, author of “Gone With The Wind.” To listen to a piece of this work, please visit: www.concentrixmusic.com/MM-Cue01.mp3
Said Pamela Roberts, Executive Producer & Writer of the “Margaret Mitchell” special for GPB Media, “The quality of Fred Story’s brilliant work met, and even exceeded, our expectations. Fred brings soul to a project that hits you in the heart. He has all of the technical skills required of a master musician, but where he shines is in the depth and emotion of the music he delivers. He’s a very passionate composer and helped us take this film to an even deeper level. Fred Story is a unique talent that stands at the top of today’s music world.”
Said Mr. Story, “Scoring this project reminded me every day about one of the best aspects of my job – being able to learn about fascinating subjects and to help bring those stories to life. As a film composer, our challenge is not only to reflect – but to enhance – the emotional underpinnings of the story we are aurally illustrating. Despite having lived in an earlier time, Margaret Mitchell’s story has contemporary relevance. Although there are musical moments that necessarily represent the sound of the period in which she lived, the larger goal was to create an orchestral score that modern audiences could relate to, and that underscores what – to me – are the key dramatic elements of her story; the urgency Mitchell felt to break free from the societal expectations of women, the tragedies she endured, and the overwhelming accomplishment of her timeless book, ‘Gone With The Wind.'”
“What I try to bring to the table on every project in which I am involved is an intense focus on the needs of the story, as articulated by the director, and, of course, the story itself. This project was especially satisfying, in that executive producer Pam Roberts had such an open mind to ideas that may have differed from her initial musical direction. I often felt completely comfortable suggesting a different take on a scene if it was something I felt strongly about, and Pam always listened and gave it full consideration,” Mr. Story adds.
“Although my ideas didn’t always prevail, it should be noted that the instincts of Pam and myself were in lock step for most of this project. But I appreciated the respectful and open-minded collaboration. Pam is a terrific filmmaker, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with her and Georgia Public Broadcasting again. It was my first time working with GPB, and I came away completely impressed with the organization – so much so, in fact, that I’ve already scored a second project for the network and am currently working on a third!” Mr. Story concludes.
About “AMERICAN MASTERS MARGARET MITCHELL: AMERICAN REBEL”
Premiering nationally on April 2 at 9PM on PBS, “American Masters Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel” is the story of the legendary author of “Gone With The Wind,” the best selling novel of the 20th century. Mitchell, who was born in Atlanta in 1900, was a lifelong rebel and a force to be reckoned with. This special presentation features interviews with leading historians, biographers and people with personal connections to her, as well as dramatic re-enactments based on key moments from her life. The documentary also looks at the issue of race in Mitchell’s life and at the reasons behind the amazing endurance of “Gone With The Wind” across cultures and over time.
Please see: www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/margaret-mitchell-american-rebel/about-the-documentary/1974/
“Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel” is a GPB production in association with THIRTEEN’s “American Masters” for WNET. Pamela Roberts is executive producer and writer, Kathy White is director of reenactments, Charlene Fisk is co-producer and editor, Kevan Ward is director of photography. Susan Lacy is the series creator and executive producer of “American Masters.”
About FRED STORY
Fred Story is President/Composer of Concentrix Music and Sound Design, Inc., of Charlotte, NC. Having majored in Music Education in college, Story next found himself in a career in broadcasting, and relocated to Charlotte in the early 1980s to work at an album rock radio station. What began as an effort to improve his jazz piano chops turned instead into seven years of private study in composition with the great Ziggy Hurwitz (who’d written, arranged and performed with everyone from Woody Herman to the London Symphony), during which time Fred focused on orchestral writing. Story’s broadcast industry connections led him to numerous scoring opportunities, and his demand as a composer flourished. In 1990, Fred left the radio industry and launched Concentrix.
Story is the winner of Five Regional Emmy Awards, as well as three Telly Awards, over 20 Addy Awards, a New York Festivals Award, and dozens of Silver Microphone Awards. He has contributed original music to such TV programs as “Red October” for Discovery, “Pope John Paul II – A Light For The Nations” originally for ABC Network, “Food Finds” for Food Network (on which he was the composer for 7 seasons), and for the PBS programs “Thank You Eddie Hart,” “Marching Once More” and “Laugh At Us.”
Story has also contributed the scores to a number of feature and documentary films. These include: “A Man Named Pearl,” a film which the New York Times said was “aided by Fred Story’s jazzy score,” as well as the films “Children Of All Ages,” “Redneck Roots,” “Among Brothers,” “Fudgie and Jane,” “Liberating Jesse” and “Saying Goodbye.”
About CONCENTRIX
Founded by Fred Story in Charlotte, NC, in l990, Concentrix Music and Sound Design, Inc., is a leading original music production company comprised of five in-house composers, a full-time sound designer, and support staff. According to the laws of physics, sound waves move in concentric circles, hence the origin of the name of Story’s company. However, physics alone cannot explain the effect that these vibrating molecules have on human beings, since sound can and does elicit emotion. The specialty of Concentrix Music and Sound Design is to help create emotion through sound. The company provides original music for film, television, advertising and multimedia presentations across the United States and beyond. Please see: www.concentrixmusic.com
