Through the Eyes of a Composer

Composer, musician, and producer Megan Cavallari has a knack for creating music that industry legend Richard Kraft recently called “amazing and earworm candy.”  From film and television soundtracks to stage musicals to being the official composer of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, the award-winning Philadelphia native has managed to land at the top of a her profession (despite the fact that less than 1% of all professional composers are females). Megan writes about her experience in the biz. 

My name is Megan Cavallari and I am fortunate to compose music for film, television, theatre, opera, commercials, music for the LA Kings, and songs. In junior high I was already writing songs and musicals. At the age of 15 I was asked to write a full length musical for The Swarthmore Players' Club who had a Young Peoples' Theatre Workshop. I remember going to the most beautiful house I had ever seen to play and sing through the musical. 

All the creative directors, about 12 adults, were there. I passionately sang and played on a grand piano. At the end of the musical, half the adults clapped the other half just looked at me. Then they started arguing with each other about me. Half thought I was great and should write the musical and half thought it was too risky to use me because the "house" had to be sold out every performance to keep the theatre running and how could I teach the cast and and the instrumentalists the music and be trusted at such and age. So the half who didn't trust a 15 year old to write the musical stormed out angry and the other half stayed and we figured out a schedule. Then I was given a $75 check. I could not believe it. Someone was actually paying me to do the thing I loved most! I also learned some people are "your people" and they will hire you and some people will never be your people. So find your people. That's what I have been doing ever since. My people: directors, producers, singers, music supervisors, my incredible agents at Kraft-Engel, my dedicated musicians, assistants, engineer, mixer and PR manager have my back. They are my people. I am grateful to have them.

Long ago, before Finale and other music copying software, many composers wrote music out my hand.  I still do. Or I capture ideas on my Iphone while sitting on the 101, 405,134 or 5 freeways/parking lots because I live in L.A. I firmly believe music comes from God and I am merely a humble conduit. It is important to sharpen your writing and listening skills everyday. Most of all you need to give back. I have run The Talk Foundation and volunteer with my 11 year old daughter Shoshie as much as possible. There are too many people and animals suffering to be idle.

As far as my main recording studio goes (I have another backup studio in my guest room in case I am on a television show because post is lightening fast and I can not afford any crashes, and may need my music editor on site), I run an Apple Logic based recording studio, equipped with two-of-the-line Mac Pros. These computers are used in tandem, and are filled with the best and most popular sound libraries, virtual instruments, and audio plug-ins (EastWest, Spectrasonics, Native Instruments, Nomad Factory, just to name a few). Audio recording and monitoring capabilities are done through high end hardware from Universal Audio, Neumann, RME. Avalon,Dali, and KRK. I have the facilities to create everything from a rock record to a sweeping orchestral film score, and the full-service capabilities from conception to mixing and mastering.