4/2/2010: CHRISTOPHER GORDON'S MAO SCORE NOMINATED

Australian composer Christopher Gordon has been nominated for an International Film Music Critics Award, (Best Original Score for a Drama), for his score to Mao’s Last Dancer, alongside legendary composer Ennio Morricone. The awards will be presented in Los Angeles on February 26.

With music so integral to the film, Christopher Gordon began working on Mao’s Last Dancer months ahead of production. He wrote several original pieces of ballet music as well as scoring for the repertoire ballets such as Giselle and Swan Lake and he also conducted the music during filming.

“Music absolutely is at the core of this film and because of the long process of my coming in at pre-production and being on set for so much of the filming, the whole movie was in my blood by the time I actually got to write the score,” Christopher said.

“So I am absolutely delighted to be nominated in the International Film Music Critics Awards, particularly in such illustrious company. Working with director Bruce Beresford, producer Jane Scott and choreographer Graeme Murphy was a tremendously rewarding experience and I look forward to the continued success of Mao’s Last Dancer as it is released in international territories throughout 2010.

Director Bruce Beresford said: “Mao’s Last Dancer needed such variety in its music score – from traditional Chinese music, to Western Ballet and jazz , plus a regular film score – that we had to find a composer whose gifts could encompass such a range. Having heard most of Christopher’s film scores and also the classical music he has had performed in the Sydney Opera House – he seemed to be, and was, the ideal choice.”