Benjamin Botkin is an award-winning composer with a passion for creative excellence and musical storytelling. He has scored a variety of film (co-winning a HMMA for "The Modern Man"), TV ("The Wingfeather Saga"), documentary, and videogame projects (Tomb Raider Reloaded, Throne and Liberty, Lineage W, The Sandbox) in his rich, versatile, and thematic orchestral style. With one foot firmly in the orchestral tradition and another in the latest musical production technologies, he also works regularly as a demo composer for multiple industry-leading virtual instrument developers.
He is founder of Forte Composer Academy and lives south of Nashville with his lovely wife Audri and three sons, Ethan, Elliot, and Philip.SELECT PROJECTS
VIRTUAL ORCHESTRATION SERVICES
Virtual Orchestration (VO) is the art and craft of creating compelling and realistic orchestral arrangements and performances with virtual instruments. In this age of rapidly-advancing virtual instrument technology, the performances created using virtual orchestral instruments are becoming increasingly believable and musical.Many are finding that VO offers greater creative flexibility and a more cost-effective solution than hiring a live orchestra for some projects (especially those in an epic or cinematic style). However, the pros and cons of each should be considered on a project-by-project basis.One of the services that I offer is the creation of Virtual Orchestra Performances (VOPs). These can be based on a simple melody hummed into your phone (which I arrange and flesh out), or full-score orchestration (which I perform as literally as desired), or anything in-between.How good can VOPs sound? Well, you be the judge. Nearly all of the music on this site was created with 100% virtual instruments--including pieces created as official demos for leading Virtual Instrument developers.Below you can find samples of some varied projects that showcase my VOP work.- VIRTUAL ORCHESTRA PERFORMANCES
Masterbuilder
(Composition + Arrangement + Virtual Orchestral Performances)
This celtic/cinematic hybrid piece is a re-envisioning of the classic hymn "All Creatures of Our God and King," commissioned by and created in collaboration with accomplished pianist and instructor Greg Howlett. It was also my job to create the arrangement, orchestration, and craft the final performances with virtual instruments. We modified the original melody a bit, and I ended up writing a couple of new melodies as well.
Mix and Master: Jurgen Beck
Piano: Greg HowlettThe End of Myself
(Composition + Arrangement + Virtual Orchestral Performances)
The End of Myself is an original song co-written and arranged by myself and tenor Daniel Craig (no, not that Daniel Craig). The song is intended to capture the journey of humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God, and is featured in Daniel Craig's album of hymns by the same name. I created arrangements/virtual orchestrations of five other classic hymns for that album in addition to this one.
Vocalist: Daniel Craig
An American Victory: A New Musical
(Virtual Orchestral Performances) - 2016
With America's first Barbary war set as the backdrop, An American Victory is a period musical in the style of Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera created by Louis R. Bucalo, which features a dazzling collection of Broadway stars, including Ashley Brown, Adam Jacobs, Jeremy Hays, Samantha Hill, Ramin Karimloo, Hugh Panaro, Aaron Tveit, John Owen-Jones, and many others. I worked on a few of the songs to create virtual orchestral performances based off of existing orchestrations.
The Look
(Arrangement + Virtual Orchestral Performances)
This arrangement I created for vocalist Niah Merrill needed to be cinematic, intense, and epic.
Vocalist: Niah Merrill 
COURSES AND RESOURCES for composers!
If you are interested in learning about film scoring or how to use virtual instruments, check out my instructional site for in-depth courses, articles, and free resources specifically designed to prove practical help and instruction for composers.
FREE CINEMATIC INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM DOWNLOAD!
For the month of April 2020 (and possibly longer) I have decided to make my 2017 cinematic instrumental album "Adventurer" completely free as an MP3 download for whoever is interested!
This album is a collection of some of my favorite previously-unreleased orchestral tracks.
