Biography
Alex Lu, a composer of film scores, adeptly merges subtle emotional depth with grand orchestral force, demonstrating equal skill in crafting intimate pieces for piano and strings as in deploying contemporary electronic sounds. Trained classically on the piano, Lu began his education at Biola University located in La Mirada, California—later becoming a member of its faculty—before earning a master's degree in composition from the San Francisco Conservatory. His entry into film scoring occurred in 2008 via the documentary Hard Problems, which focused on a math competition. In subsequent years he contributed scores to various documentaries, notably the well-received 2015 film In Search of Silence, where his approach featured prepared piano methods drawing from John Cage's innovations. During 2014, Lu earned selection among a limited group for the esteemed yearly ASCAP Film Scoring Workshop, ultimately receiving the David Rose Award from the organization. While pursuing his documentary projects, he gradually entered the realm of scripted films through roles as a technical assistant within the music teams of prominent Hollywood productions such as Robin Hood, The Grey, Prometheus, The Darkest Minds, Hellboy, and It. Several of these assignments involved collaboration with the British composer Benjamin Wallfisch, known for his regular work alongside Hans Zimmer. Wallfisch served as producer for Lu's initial score in a narrative feature, the 2018 crime thriller Night Hunter, whose music blended cold ambient textures, polished electronic programming, and aggressive synthetic brass alongside a main theme that proved haunting, lovely, and deeply moving.
Albums
