Sigma Alpha Iota

Composing for the Film Industry How to Train Your Dragon / DreamWorks Animation Beth: I have a young nephew who is a big fan of the films I've worked on. I've had the pleasure to work on several other animated films such as Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Mars Needs Moms and Bolt. When I go back home to visit my family, it's always a treat to see he's got the toys for whatever film I've just spent the last few months working on.   PP: Anything special about your time in SAI you'd like to mention? Beth: SAI is such a wonderful organization and has provided me with many great opportunities. I served as president of the Iota Chi chapter at Ball State, and it was a terrific experience.   PP: Who have been your biggest supporters? Beth: I've been so fortunate to have many wonderful mentors who have helped me pursue my interests and excel in my career. But my biggest supporters have always been my parents, who bought me a computer and a keyboard to help me write music when I was young and also never balked when I said I wanted to play the drums.   PP: What are you working on now? Beth: I've just finished working on the new animated film Rio and the upcoming film Kung Fu Panda 2. Later this year we will be scoring Happy Feet 2. I'm also currently composing original music for a few independent film projects. [Editors note: Beth also contributed to the soundtracks for Fair Game, Knight & Day, and Green Zone.]   PP: What advice do you have for younger SAIs who want to follow you into the movie music business? Beth: If you're interested in becoming a film composer, it's good to know about computer hardware/software and recording techniques in addition to traditional arranging and BENNETT continued from page 17 PP: What was the inspiration for this musical? Lynette: My inspiration was Betty's biography of Will. As she says, wistfully, in my script, "It's not easy being married to a star." During the Centennial, I wanted to tell an Oklahoma story. Will Rogers was the most beloved figure in American history. Because he was the first multi-media star, and mostly because of his two newspaper articles, a daily for the New York Times and a weekly for syndication, people across the country felt they knew Will personally. As the first multi-media star, his performances ranged from Wild West shows to vaudeville to silent movies and then "talkies" to Broadway shows, radio, and newspaper work. His favorite medium was the lecture circuit where his comic lectures were compared favorably to those of Mark Twain. My dad had seen Will perform and I attended Will Rogers High School. Across Oklahoma, many institutions and buildings, including Methodist churches, are named after Will. I play all the characters, Betty, Will, President Calvin Coolidge, etc. I change lyrics when necessary for instance in Bicycle Built for Two. orchestration skills. Technology is a big part of the industry, and if you know your way around a studio, that's one of the best ways to get your foot in the door. And if you want to be a studio musician – practice! Denise (Krakowski) Covert was initiated to Sigma Chi (University of Miami) in Fall 1997, where she served as secretary and VP-Ritual. She has been a member of the Melbourne and Volusia County Alumnae Chapters, both in Florida. After earning degrees in print journalism and voice from Miami, she worked as a newspaper copy editor and page designer for 11 years before embarking on her new journey, studying to become a registered nurse. She lives in Melbourne, FL, with her husband and two daughters. The lyric is "Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do. I'm half-crazy all for the love of you." I rewrote that to be Will singing, "Betty, Betty, give me your answer, do. I'm half fretting all for the love of you." PP: What songs can we expect to hear during the performance? Lynette: I'd Rather Charleston; School Days, School Days; I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now; Hello, My Baby, Hello, My Honey; You Made Me Love You; Meet Me In St Louis; Bicycle Built For Two; Bill Bailey Manhattan; You're A Grand Old Flag; and Blessed Assurance. In addition to Will Rogers' Romance with Betty and America, Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa commissioned Bennett to research, write, and perform a musical monologue to accompany the Gilcrease exhibit Home Lands: How Women Made the West. Performances were held on March 26, April 9, and April 10 at the museum's Thomas Gilcrease Jr. Auditorium. Lynette is truly an inspiration— a composer, performer, and a champion for women from American History. sai-national.org SPRING 2011 PAN PIPES 19

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