Hubbry Logo
Austin WintoryAustin WintoryMain
Open search
Austin Wintory
Community hub
Austin Wintory
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Austin Wintory
Austin Wintory
Austin Wintory
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

Key Information

Austin Wintory (born September 9, 1984) is an American composer for film and video games.[1] He is known for scoring the video games Flow and Journey, the latter of which made history as the only video game soundtrack to date to be nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.[2][3]

Early life

[edit]

Austin Wintory was born in Denver, Colorado in 1984 and started learning piano when he was ten years old,[4] after he was introduced to composer Jerry Goldsmith by his teacher. Before the age of ten, Wintory did not play any instruments and barely listened to music.[5] By the age of sixteen, Wintory started writing for and conducting the Cherry Creek High School Orchestra during their performances of the "Spirit of the Cosmos" pieces. Two years later, at the age of eighteen, Wintory conducted the Utah Symphony during its recording of "Cosmos", which became one of his most popular projects, although he refers to it as "atrocious garbage".[5] Since 2003, Wintory has composed over three hundred musical scores.[5]

Career

[edit]

Beginning of game composing career and Flow

[edit]
Wintory recording Traveler: A Journey Symphony with the London Symphony Orchestra

Wintory met Jenova Chen while both attended the University of Southern California (USC).[6] After networking with an interactive media student at USC and scoring a small game project, his name was passed along to Chen, who asked Wintory to score his thesis project, Flow,[6] later re-released on PlayStation Network. Wintory, Chen and Nick Clarke developed the first version of Flow as a three-man team, with Wintory remarking that Chen had an incredible way of processing information, seeing far beyond code and reaching into the emotional implications of things.[6] As a traditional orchestral student at the time, Wintory considered the music of Flow was radically unlike any he had written before.[6] Wintory regards the pink area of the game, where the player controls a jellyfish-like creature, as the humorous area of the game, describing his music for it as almost "circus-like" compared to the overall soundtrack.[6]

Monaco

[edit]

Originally, Monaco developer Andy Schatz sought out licensed music as a backdrop to the game's setting, feeling that the style of music needed was too esoteric to hire a composer. Wintory, however, was able to convince Schatz that he could create an original score that fit the project's vision. Likening 2D sprite-based games to the silent film era, Wintory agreed with the notion that the soundtrack to a game like Monaco should have an earnest yet self-aware nostalgic feeling, stating "There's no way to just objectively listen to that style of music without automatically being like 'This reminds me of a bygone era.'"[6] Wintory was excited at the chance to create an old-timey score with wit and humor, stating "when else am I ever going to be asked to write anything remotely like this?"[6]

Other works

[edit]

Wintory will compose the music and conduct a live orchestra for a touring BAFTA Games in Concert, to start in 2026 and featuring music from winners of the British Academy Games Awards.[7]

Works

[edit]

Film and TV

[edit]
Year Film
2004 Nuts & Bolts
One Three Zero
Blind Visions
Man Child
Alter Ego
Love Parade
2005 It's About Ugliness
Not Too Long Ago
We Gonna Get Ronald Kim
Keepsakes
Painting Ava
New York
TAG
2006 Vollarians, Unite!
Oleg's Overcoat
Long After...
The Sunset Sky
Project: Illegal Alien
Happy Days
The Good Man
The Late Bloomer
Confessions
The Proposal
The Professor's Daughter
Johnny Montana
2007 Mr. Sadman
Captain Abu Raed
If You Could Have
Back Soon
Serpent and the Sun
2008 Knuckle Draggers
Print
Grace
Live Evil
3-Day Weekend
The Acquirer
TK's Corner
Hubristic
2009 A Little Help
The Sunset Sky
The River Why
The Echo Game
Make the Yuletide Gay
2010 A Beautiful Game
Leave
Playing House
Majid
Workshop
Let the Game Begin
The Incredible Adventures of Jojo
2011 Remnants
Home Run Showdown
The Grief Tourist
Junction
2012 Strangely in Love
Inverse
Targeting
The War Around Us
It's a Disaster
Lost on Purpose
Aftermath
2013 Targeting
Inverse
2015 The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown
Dark Summer
Tales of Halloween
The Rendezvous
Standoff
2016 After the Sun Fell
Diane
Mercury Plains
2017 Legacy
The Last Movie Star
Bullet Head
2018 Tread
Big Dogs
2019 Clean
2020 Born a Champion
2021 One Shot
Ire
A Violent Man
2022 Thai Cave Rescue

Games

[edit]
Year Game Developer
2002 Ages of Athiria (Theme Only) Elysian Productions
2006 Flow Thatgamecompany
2007 Flow Expansion Pack Thatgamecompany, Super Villain Studios
GroundTruth: Toxic City Sandia Nat’l Lab, USC-Gamepipe
Replay Take Action Games
2008 GroundTruth 2: Lock Down Sandia Nat’l Lab, USC-Gamepipe
My Virtual Tutor 1st Playable Productions
2010 Census Draft FCB
Super Awesome Mountain RPG Codename Games
2012 Journey Thatgamecompany
Horn Phosphor Games
Kinect Party Double Fine Productions
2013 Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine Pocketwatch Games
Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded [8] N-Fusion Interactive
Dropchord Double Fine Productions
2014 Soul Fjord Airtight Games
Sunset Tale of Tales
The Banner Saga Stoic
2015 The Order: 1886 (co-writer of The Knights theme, with Jason Graves) Ready at Dawn, Santa Monica Studio
Assassin's Creed Syndicate Ubisoft Quebec
The Path to Luma Phosphor Games
2016 The Banner Saga 2 Stoic
Abzû Giant Squid Studios
2017 Deformers Ready at Dawn
Absolver Sloclap
Tooth and Tail Pocketwatch Games
Luna Funomena
2018 Pode Henchman & Goon
The Banner Saga 3 Stoic
Command and Conquer: Rivals Electronic Arts
2019 Erica Flavourworks, London Studio
John Wick Hex Bithell Games
The Bradwell Conspiracy A Brave Plan, Bossa Studios
2020 The Pathless Giant Squid
AGOS: A Game of Space Ubisoft
2021 Aliens: Fireteam Elite Cold Iron Studios
2022 Monaco 2 Pocketwatch Games
HUSH - Crane Flavourworks
2023 Strayed Lights Embers
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical Summerfall Studios
2024 BitCraft (with co-composer Rachel Hardy) Clockwork Labs
2025 Eternal Strands Yellow Brick Games
Sword of the Sea Giant Squid
Hades II (with co-composer Darren Korb) Supergiant Games

Awards

[edit]
List of awards and nominations
Year Award Category Recipients and nominees Result Ref.
2007 British Academy Games Awards (BAFTAs) Innovation Flow (Jenova Chen, Nicholas Clark, Austin Wintory) Nominated [9]
2012 Video Game Awards Best Original Score Journey Nominated [10]
Best Song in a Game Nominated [11]
International Film Music Critics Association Awards Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media Won [12]
Spike Video Game Awards Best Song in a Game "I Was Born for This" – Journey Nominated [13]
2013 Game Developers Choice Awards Best Audio Journey Won [14]
British Academy Games Awards (BAFTAs) Audio Achievement Won [15]
Original Music Won [15]
D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Won [16]
Grammy Awards Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Nominated [17]
2014 NAVGTR Awards Original Dramatic Score, New IP The Banner Saga Nominated [18]
International Film Music Critics Association Awards Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media Nominated [19]
2015 British Academy Games Awards (BAFTAs) Best Music Nominated [20]
Audio Achievement Nominated [20]
SXSW Gaming Awards Excellence in Musical Scoring Nominated [21]
Game Audio Network Guild Awards Music of the Year Assassin's Creed Syndicate Nominated [22]
Best Original Soundtrack Album Nominated [22]
Best Original Instrumental Assassin's Creed Syndicate – "The Assassin's Two Step" Nominated [22]
International Film Music Critics Association Awards Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media Assassin's Creed Syndicate Won [23]
2016 Abzû Won [24]
The Banner Saga 2 Nominated [24]
2017 Deformers Nominated [25]
Best Original Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller Film The Rendezvous Nominated [25]
British Academy Games Awards (BAFTAs) Music Abzû Nominated [26]
D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Nominated [27]
Game Audio Network Guild Awards Best Original Soundtrack Won [22]
2018 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Original Score — Independent Film The Last Movie Star Nominated [28]
Original Score — Video Game Pode Nominated [28]
Original Song — Video Game "Only We Few Remember it Now" (The Banner Saga 3) Won [28]
2019 Game Audio Network Guild Awards Best Original Soundtrack Pode Nominated [22]
Best Original Song "Only We Few Remember It Know" The Banner Saga 3 Nominated [22]
International Film Music Critics Association Awards Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media Erica Nominated [29]
2020 Game Audio Network Guild Awards Best Interactive Score Won [22]
Best Original Instrumental Won [30]
D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Nominated [31]
2021 Game Audio Network Guild Awards Best Music for an Indie Game The Pathless Won [32]
D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Nominated [33]
2023 Grammy Awards Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media Aliens: Fireteam Elite Nominated [34][35][36]
2024 Grammy Awards Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical Nominated [37][38]
2026 Grammy Awards Sword of the Sea Won [39][40]
D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Nominated [41][42]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Austin Wintory

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Austin Wintory (born September 9, 1984) is an American renowned for his orchestral scores in s and film, best known for creating the music for the critically acclaimed game Journey (2012), which marked the first video game soundtrack ever nominated for a Grammy Award. Born and raised in , , Wintory discovered his passion for composition at age ten after being inspired by Jerry Goldsmith's film scores, such as those for Patton and . He began lessons at age ten and started composing seriously in high school, where he wrote and conducted pieces for the Cherry Creek High School Orchestra by age sixteen. Wintory pursued formal training in classical composition at and the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music, graduating from the latter's composition program in 2007 under mentors including , Charles Fussell, and . Wintory's career spans over two decades, with more than 300 scores composed since 2003, primarily for interactive media but also extending to feature films, documentaries, and concert works. His breakthrough in video games came with flOw (2006), an early collaboration with , followed by landmark projects like Journey, (2016), (2015), and the trilogy (2014–2018). In film, he has scored over 60 titles, including Captain Abu Raed (2007), an Oscar nominee; (2017); and the Netflix documentary (2018). Recent works include Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical (2023) and Hades II (2025). Wintory has received widespread acclaim, earning four Grammy nominations in score soundtrack categories: for Journey (2013, Best Score Soundtrack Album for Visual Media); Aliens: Fireteam Elite (2022); Stray Gods (2023, shared, Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media); and Sword of the Sea (2025, Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media). He is a two-time BAFTA Games Award winner for Journey (2013, in Original Music and Outstanding Achievement in Audio categories), with seven total nominations across games like ABZÛ, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and The Banner Saga. Additional honors include 19 Game Audio Network Guild Awards (from 65 nominations), two ASCAP Composer Choice Awards (from seven nominations), and a D.I.C.E. Award for Journey. His music often emphasizes emotional depth and orchestral innovation, bridging gaming, cinema, and live performance.

Early life and education

Childhood and musical beginnings

Austin Wintory was born on September 9, 1984, in , . Growing up in a family where neither parent was a musician, Wintory showed little interest in music during his early childhood, preferring activities like watching and playing video games. This changed around age 10, when his parents arranged piano lessons with teacher Derry O'Leary, who introduced him to film scores by composer , particularly those for Patton and . Wintory has described becoming an "instant addict" to Goldsmith's work, which ignited his passion for composition and led him to begin plunking out melodies from by ear on the family . By his early teens, Wintory was experimenting with his own compositions, though initially without formal training beyond . His involvement in school music programs deepened during high school at in , where he actively wrote pieces for student ensembles. At age 16, he composed a suite titled Spirit of the Cosmos and conducted the Orchestra in its performance, marking his first significant foray into orchestral writing and leadership. A key milestone came at age 18, when Wintory conducted the Utah Symphony in a recording session for Spirit of the Cosmos, an experience that affirmed his commitment to music ahead of pursuing formal studies.

Formal training and early achievements

Wintory pursued formal training in music composition, initially attending before transferring during his junior year to the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music, where he earned a degree in 2007. At USC, he focused on composition, studying under renowned composer and mentors Charles Fussell and , while exploring interdisciplinary applications of music to and . As a student, Wintory engaged in early projects that honed his skills in scoring for games and other media, including composing the theme for the independent game Ages of Athiria in 2002. This work, completed during his formative years, built on the foundation of his childhood studies, which began at age ten under a teacher who introduced him to film composer .

Professional career

Entry into game composition

Austin Wintory's entry into video game composition began during his studies at the (USC), where his classical training positioned him to collaborate with fellow student on an innovative project. In January 2006, Chen approached Wintory to score his USC thesis game, originally titled "Darwin’s Island" and later renamed flOw, marking Wintory's first major foray into the medium. Released as a free Flash in 2006 and later ported to in 2007 by , flOw represented a breakthrough, blending Wintory's orchestral background with the nascent scene. The composition process for flOw was experimental and demanding, as Wintory, lacking prior experience in electronic or interactive , adapted to create a meditative, adaptive score that responded to player actions in real time. He incorporated organic and electronic sounds—such as fluid synth layers and subtle ambient textures—to evoke the game's evolutionary theme of a microscopic navigating fluid environments, all while grappling with tight deadlines that left him sleep-deprived for eight months amid his final academic commitments. This student-led effort not only launched Wintory's professional career but also highlighted the indie scene's potential for creative risk-taking, where composers could integrate directly into dynamics without the constraints of larger studios. Following flOw, Wintory transitioned to professional projects in the indie space, scoring Deadly Creatures in 2009, a Wii adventure game developed by Rainbow Studios that placed players in the roles of scorpions and tarantulas in a gritty desert world. His atmospheric score emphasized tension and survival through percussive rhythms and eerie strings, further solidifying his reputation in emerging indie titles. By 2013, Wintory composed for Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine, a stealth-heist game by Pocketwatch Games, where he drew on nostalgic influences including chiptune elements to complement the pixel-art aesthetic, blending retro 8-bit synths with improvisational piano for a dynamic soundtrack that shifted from stealthy whispers to chaotic escapes based on player choices. This period underscored the challenges of moving from student collaborations to indie professionalism, including unpredictable budgets, iterative feedback loops with small teams, and the need to balance artistic vision with technical interactivity in resource-limited environments. Wintory navigated these by leveraging personal networks from USC and embracing the flexibility of indie development, which allowed for innovative but demanded versatility across genres.

Key milestones in video games

A pivotal milestone came with his composition for Journey in 2012, where he crafted an emotional orchestral score that integrated vocal elements and dynamic layering to enhance the game's narrative of exploration and connection. The soundtrack's innovative use of live-recorded strings and choir, performed by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, contributed to Journey's critical acclaim and commercial success. In 2013, Wintory received a Grammy nomination for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for Journey, becoming the first video game album to achieve this honor in the category's history. Building on this breakthrough, Wintory scored the trilogy from 2014 to 2018, incorporating Nordic folk influences through haunting melodies featuring , , and choral arrangements to evoke the saga's Viking-inspired world. The scores' blend of traditional instrumentation with orchestral swells supported the games' turn-based strategy and , earning praise for immersing players in a mythic atmosphere and contributing to the trilogy's strong reception. Wintory's profile further elevated with high-profile titles such as in 2015, where he employed ensembles to capture Victorian London's duality of elegance and grit, using unconventional elements like the for thematic depth. In 2016, his underwater symphony for featured ethereal strings and ambient electronics, mirroring the game's oceanic exploration and receiving acclaim for its serene, evocative quality. By 2023, Wintory composed the original songs and score for Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, a narrative-driven that won the ASCAP Composers' Choice Award for Score of the Year, highlighting his versatility in integrating musical theater with interactive gameplay. In 2025, Wintory continued his momentum with scores for several major releases, including Hades II, where his dynamic arrangements amplified the roguelike's mythological battles; Towerborne, blending orchestral heroism with electronic pulses for its action-RPG world; Eternal Strands, featuring lush, adaptive themes for the puzzle-adventure; and Monaco 2, delivering jazzy, stealth-infused cues that echoed the original's heist vibe. These projects underscored his ongoing influence, with each soundtrack released via his T-65b Records label to critical and fan acclaim. Throughout these milestones, Wintory has pioneered adaptive music techniques in video games, evolving from his early experiments in flOw to sophisticated systems in later works like Journey and , where audio layers respond to player actions to heighten emotional immersion and narrative flow. This approach has impacted the industry by setting standards for interactive scoring, inspiring composers to prioritize music as a core gameplay element rather than background filler, as evidenced by its adoption in subsequent AAA titles.

Expansion to film, TV, and concerts

Wintory's transition from composition to film and television began in the mid-2000s, building on his early success in as a foundation for broader scoring opportunities. His first film score was for the Nuts & Bolts in 2004, which earned him a win in the Lincoln Center's Golden Score Competition. This marked the start of his expansion into cinematic projects, with his score for the Jordanian drama Captain Abu Raed in 2007, directed by Amin Matalqa, becoming a notable early achievement; the film premiered at Sundance and featured Wintory's orchestral work recorded in . In the ensuing years, Wintory's film contributions grew to encompass a diverse range of genres and formats. He provided additional sonic music and design for Neill Blomkamp's racing drama Gran Turismo in 2023, collaborating with composers Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski. That same year, he composed the full score for Paul Solet’s documentary Chowchilla, which chronicles the 1976 kidnapping of a school bus in California and premiered on CNN Films. Earlier, in 2022, Wintory co-composed the score for the Netflix limited series Thai Cave Rescue with Susie Benchasil Seiter, blending orchestral elements with Thai instrumentation to depict the 2018 Tham Luang cave incident across six episodes. Looking ahead, Wintory is set to score Michael Russell Gunn's political drama Reykjavik in 2025, starring Jeff Daniels and J.K. Simmons, marking another collaboration with the director of Thai Cave Rescue. Wintory's television work includes the animated direct-to-video film The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown! in 2015, directed by Tony Cervone, where he crafted a score integrating prehistoric motifs with wrestling energy for and . Parallel to his screen scoring, Wintory ventured into concert halls with interdisciplinary projects that fused his experiences across media. The Mythos series, launched around 2014, presents performances drawing from , , television, and orchestral compositions, performed as a continuous narrative to explore modern compositional landscapes. In a significant live milestone, Wintory will conduct the for the world premiere of BAFTA Games in Concert on January 31, 2026, at London's , celebrating 20 years of BAFTA award-winning music with synchronized visuals and special guests. A notable hybrid project bridging games and concerts is the 2025 release Sword of the Sea, developed by , where Wintory's score—featuring solo and children's choir—accompanies an atmospheric adventure, with elements designed for potential live orchestral interpretations.

Musical style and influences

Compositional approach

Austin Wintory's compositional approach is deeply rooted in curiosity and experimentation, viewing music creation as an exploratory journey that pushes sonic boundaries to serve the . He emphasizes starting with a core musical idea before integrating specific sounds or technologies, allowing for organic development rather than predetermined templates. This process fosters innovation, as Wintory deliberately seeks "unheard places" by blending traditional techniques with novel , ensuring each score feels fresh and tailored to the medium's demands. Central to his philosophy is a collaboration-driven , where close partnerships with directors, developers, and audio teams inform every stage of composition. Wintory prioritizes building trust through extended discussions on and emotional truths, adapting his work iteratively based on feedback from rough cuts or prototypes to align music seamlessly with the project's vision. This collaborative ethos extends to , where he employs adaptive scoring techniques that respond dynamically to player actions, creating fluid, real-time musical evolution rather than fixed linear tracks. For instance, in video games, this allows emotional arcs to unfold organically with , heightening immersion without disrupting narrative flow. Wintory frequently incorporates orchestral, electronic, and hybrid elements, customizing their balance to the story's needs—such as expansive, emotive strings for building tension in films or subtle electronic layers for atmospheric depth. He sees music not as an isolated art form but as a vital contributor to the overall "audio" experience, functioning primarily as a storytelling tool that amplifies subtext and guides audience perception. Influenced by themes of exploration, this approach draws from Eastern philosophies of universality and introspection, encouraging scores that invite listeners into a shared, discovery-driven emotional landscape rather than dictating literal interpretations.

Notable collaborations and inspirations

Austin Wintory has forged significant collaborations with key figures in , beginning with director during their time at the . Their partnership started on Chen's thesis project flOw in 2006, which evolved into a full PlayStation release and laid the groundwork for subsequent works including the emotionally resonant scores for Journey (2012) and (2016), where Wintory's music intertwined seamlessly with the games' exploratory narratives. Wintory's work with Stoic Studio further exemplifies his role in narrative-driven games, composing the orchestral scores for the Banner Saga trilogy (2014–2018), which drew on Viking-inspired themes and were performed by ensembles like the Dallas Wind Symphony to enhance the series' epic, melancholic atmosphere. In film, Wintory contributed additional sonic music design to Neill Blomkamp's Gran Turismo (2023), collaborating with lead composer Lorne Balfe to integrate video game-inspired audio elements into the racing drama's score. Wintory's compositional inspirations trace back to film scorer Jerry Goldsmith, whom his high school teacher introduced early on, profoundly shaping his approach to dramatic orchestration and emotional depth in scores like those for the Alien franchise. He also draws from modern game audio innovators, citing early influences from collaborators like Vince Diamante, whose work on projects such as Cloud informed his adaptive, player-responsive scoring techniques in titles like Journey. Beyond games and film, Wintory has partnered with prestigious orchestras, including a 2024 commission from the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra to create an original orchestral work as part of their Beal Fund initiative supporting film and TV composers. In 2026, he will conduct the BBC Concert Orchestra for BAFTA Games in Concert at London's Royal Festival Hall, premiering scores from two decades of award-winning video games. Wintory extends his influence through the podcast The AIAS Game Maker's Notebook, where he hosts in-depth discussions with ; the featuring composer Lennie Moore earned a 2025 G.A.N.G. Award nomination for Best Game Audio Presentation, , or Broadcast.

Notable works

Video games

Austin Wintory's compositions span over two decades, beginning with early independent projects and evolving into acclaimed scores for major titles. His work often blends orchestral elements with innovative tailored to interactive narratives. In 2002, Wintory composed the theme for Ages of Athiria, an early fantasy RPG developed by Elysian Productions, marking his entry into game music with a piece featured on his debut album Spirit of the Cosmos. His first full soundtrack came in 2006 for Flow, an experimental underwater exploration game by , featuring minimalist ambient electronic music that evokes fluid motion and nominated for the Game Audio Network Guild Award for Best Interactive Score. For the 2009 action-adventure title , published by , Wintory created a tense, atmospheric score accompanying gameplay as scorpions and tarantulas in the American Southwest . Wintory's 2012 score for Journey, another Thatgamecompany release, is an orchestral masterpiece blending Middle Eastern influences with emotional strings and percussion; the soundtrack debuted on the Billboard charts and received a Grammy nomination for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. In 2013, he composed for Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine, a stealth-action game by Pocketwatch Games, drawing on silent film-era ragtime piano and improvisational jazz to match the heist-themed gameplay. The 2014 epic The Banner Saga, the first in Stoic Studio's Norse-inspired RPG trilogy, features Wintory's layered orchestral score with folk elements, performed by the Dallas Winds and receiving widespread critical acclaim for its immersive world-building. For Ubisoft's 2015 open-world action game Assassin's Creed Syndicate, set in Victorian London, Wintory delivered a dynamic orchestral soundtrack incorporating period music and industrial motifs, highlighted by the track "Bloodlines." Wintory returned to exploration themes in 2016 with Abzû, Giant Squid Studios' underwater adventure, crafting a serene, oceanic score using strings, harp, and percussion to convey wonder and mystery. In 2023, he co-composed the original songs and score for Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, a narrative-driven game by Summerfall Studios, blending musical theater styles with mythological lore and featuring vocals by actors like . The 2025 action-adventure Sword of the Sea by Giant Squid Studios showcases Wintory's epic, wave-inspired orchestral work, including choral elements and dynamic percussion to accompany mechanics in a post-apocalyptic world. For the 2025 roguelike Hades II from , Wintory contributed orchestral arrangements to co-composer Darren Korb's score, enhancing the mythological action with symphonic depth recorded at . Also in 2025, Wintory scored Towerborne, Stoic Studio's co-op action RPG, with an optimistic, Ghibli-influenced orchestral palette emphasizing adventure and camaraderie in a vibrant fantasy setting. His contributions to 2025's Eternal Strands, a third-person action game by Yellow Brick Games, include a fantasy score with ethereal strings and percussion that avoids traditional tropes, focusing on innovative weaving mechanics and emotional narrative beats. Finally, 2025 saw the release of Monaco 2, the sequel to his earlier work, where Wintory expanded the jazzy, synth-infused heist music with more intricate beats and themes suited to the expanded multiplayer stealth .

Film and television

Austin Wintory's film and television scoring began in the mid-2000s with independent projects, evolving into a diverse portfolio that spans dramas, animations, documentaries, and thrillers. His cinematic work emphasizes orchestral textures and emotional depth, often tailored to the narrative's cultural or historical context, distinguishing it from the adaptive, interactive demands of game composition. Wintory's debut film score was for the 2004 short film Nuts & Bolts, a silent-era style project that earned him the Lincoln Center Golden Silent Film Score Competition award for its evocative, minimalist accompaniment. In 2007, he composed the orchestral score for Captain Abu Raed, directed by Amin Matalqa, marking the first Jordanian feature to record its music in Los Angeles; this drama about a janitor's imaginative life as a pilot premiered at Sundance and highlighted Wintory's ability to blend Middle Eastern influences with Western symphonic elements. By the mid-2010s, Wintory ventured into family-oriented animation with the 2015 TV special & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown, directed by Tony Cervone for , where his score incorporated playful, prehistoric motifs like bassoon-driven themes to evoke the classic Flintstones whimsy amid wrestling action. His 2017 score for , Adam Rifkin's drama starring in his final role, earned a Hollywood Music in Media Awards nomination for Best Original Score in an Independent Film, featuring nostalgic guitar and string arrangements that underscored themes of Hollywood legacy and personal reflection. In television, Wintory co-composed the 2022 Netflix limited series with Susie Benchasil Seiter, capturing the real-life Tham Luang cave incident's high-stakes drama through tense, pulsating rhythms and ethereal choral elements to heighten suspense and human resilience. For the 2023 documentary Chowchilla, directed by for , Wintory's score amplified the harrowing account of the 1976 school bus kidnapping with brooding, minimalist pulses that built psychological tension without overpowering survivor testimonies. That same year, Wintory contributed additional sonic music design to Gran Turismo, Neill Blomkamp's sports drama based on the video game franchise, supporting lead composer with dynamic, high-energy cues that mirrored the film's racing sequences and inspirational underdog narrative. In 2024, he scored the horror film , directed by Clark Baker, employing retro synths and dissonant strings to evoke slasher-era dread in this meta tale of a cursed movie screening. Looking ahead, Wintory is set to compose the score for the 2025 Reykjavik, directed by Michael Russell Gunn and starring as and as , focusing on the 1986 ; his approach is expected to feature tense, diplomatic undertones with orchestral swells to reflect intricacies.

Concert and orchestral pieces

Austin Wintory has composed several standalone orchestral and chamber works designed for live concert performance, expanding his compositional scope beyond narrative media into the classical concert hall. One of his early pieces, The Music of the Spheres (2003), exemplifies his initial explorations in orchestral writing, drawing on cosmic themes to create expansive, atmospheric soundscapes. More recently, Wintory premiered Mythos in 2014 as a multi-media chamber music program that integrates his original compositions with works by contemporary composers, blending elements from film, games, television, and traditional concert music into a seamless live experience. This innovative format has toured internationally, highlighting Wintory's ability to fuse diverse musical influences in a performative context. Wintory's concert works often feature rich orchestration, including full symphony ensembles with choir, harp, and soloists, as seen in pieces like The Fermi Paradox (approximately 7:30 duration, for with harp and strings) and Gray Rain (11:00, incorporating antiphonal SA ). Traveler: A Journey , a 56-minute symphonic adaptation premiered with , reimagines thematic material in a setting, emphasizing emotional arcs through solos and SATB . He has also created orchestral adaptations of his game scores for live performance, such as Journey: Nascence + and I Was Born for This, arranged for or with soloist, allowing audiences to experience the music interactively alongside gameplay visuals in productions like Journey LIVE. These arrangements have been performed by ensembles including the Fifth House Ensemble and the American Composers at venues like the . As a conductor, Wintory has led major orchestras in performances of his works and others. In 2024, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra commissioned him to compose an original orchestral piece as part of a $2 million initiative to bridge film, TV, and , with his contribution slated for the 2026-27 season. He conducted Orchestra Victoria in the Indie Symphony II concert series in July 2025, featuring live renditions of his scores from and Hades II alongside the Concordis Chamber Choir. Looking ahead, Wintory will serve as and conductor for BAFTA Games in Concert on January 31, 2026, at London's , where the will perform 20 years of BAFTA-nominated game soundtracks, including his own. His contributions to game audio presentation earned a 2025 Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) nomination in the "Best Game Audio Presentation, , or Broadcast" category for the Game Maker's Notebook episode featuring Lennie Moore. These endeavors underscore Wintory's role in elevating to the orchestral stage while fostering new standalone compositions.

Awards and recognition

Grammy nominations

Austin Wintory has received four Grammy Award nominations throughout his career, all in categories recognizing excellence in soundtrack composition for video games. In 2013, Wintory earned his first Grammy nomination for the score of the video game Journey, in the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media category at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. This marked a historic milestone as the first nomination ever given to a video game soundtrack by the Recording Academy. Wintory's second nomination came in 2022 for his work on Aliens: Fireteam Elite, nominated in the newly established Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media category at the . This recognition highlighted the evolving acknowledgment of within the broader . His third nomination arrived in 2023 for Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, in the Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media category at the , shared with collaborators and Montaigne. In 2025, Wintory received his fourth nomination for Sword of the Sea in the Best Score Soundtrack for category at the 67th Annual . These nominations underscore Wintory's pivotal role in elevating composition to the level of traditional media soundtracks, contributing to the genre's growing legitimacy in prestigious award circles.

BAFTA and game industry awards

Wintory has earned two BAFTA Games Awards wins and seven nominations overall. He received significant recognition from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) for his score to the 2012 video game Journey. The soundtrack won the BAFTA Games Award for Original Music in 2013, shared with sound designer Keith Leary. Journey also secured the BAFTA Games Award for Audio Achievement that year, highlighting the integrated role of Wintory's composition in the game's immersive audio experience. Additional BAFTA nominations include flOw (2007, Innovation), The Banner Saga (2015, Original Music and Outstanding Achievement in Audio), Assassin's Creed: Syndicate (2016, Original Music), and ABZÛ (2017, Original Music). In the same year, Wintory's work on Journey earned accolades from major game industry organizations. The Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) presented Journey with the Best Audio award, acknowledging the score's contribution to the game's overall sound design. Additionally, the 16th Annual , hosted by the (AIAS), awarded Journey the Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition, recognizing Wintory's innovative orchestral and electronic elements that dynamically responded to player actions. Wintory has received three additional D.I.C.E. nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for (2017), Erica (2020), and [The Pathless](/page/The Pathless) (2021). Wintory has won 19 Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) Awards from 45 nominations, including multiple wins for Journey (2013), (2017), Stray Gods (2023), and others. Most recently, in 2025, he was nominated for a G.A.N.G. Award for hosting the "Composer Lennie Moore" on The Game Maker's Notebook in the Best Game Audio Presentation, , or Broadcast category. He has also received two ASCAP Composer Choice Awards from seven nominations, for (2015) and (2016). Wintory has garnered nominations from the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) for his film scores, extending his recognition beyond games. For instance, his music for the 2017 independent film The Rendezvous was nominated for Best Original Score for an Independent Film, praised for its atmospheric tension in a thriller narrative.

References

  1. https://www.windrep.org/Austin_Wintory
  2. https://www.austinwintory.com/about
  3. https://www.orchestravictoria.com.au/people/austin-wintory
  4. https://music.usc.edu/austin-wintory-celebrates-10-years-of-journey/
  5. https://www.austinwintory.com/awards
  6. https://www.last.fm/music/Austin%2BWintory/%2Bwiki
  7. https://www.denverpost.com/2012/05/16/denver-born-composer-austin-wintorys-musical-journey/
  8. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sound-byte-meet-the-composer-austin-wintory/1100-6371141/
  9. https://composer.spitfireaudio.com/en/articles/austin-wintory-on-scoring-the-pathless
  10. https://fames-institute.com/austin-wintory/
  11. https://music.usc.edu/spotlights/on-campus-collaboration-sparks-student-composers-career/
  12. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/track/ages-of-athiria
  13. https://awintory.medium.com/flow-turns-10-dc65d0b45322
  14. https://www.discogs.com/artist/1393913-Austin-Wintory
  15. https://www.vg247.com/loud-soft-in-praise-of-austin-wintorys-dynamic-monaco-soundtrack
  16. https://www.movie-wave.net/journey/
  17. https://music.usc.edu/austin-wintory-details-artistic-process-behind-journey-score-in-new-video/
  18. https://www.grammy.com/news/first-time-grammy-nominee-austin-wintory
  19. https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolpinchefsky/2012/12/06/journey-earns-the-videogame-worlds-first-grammy-nomination/
  20. https://open.spotify.com/album/4dZzebB3bTIXLJpTMOSE44
  21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYKViEU9QmQ
  22. https://soundcloud.com/awintory
  23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZwF4Ayhvw0
  24. https://www.towerborne.com/soundtrack/
  25. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/eternal-strands
  26. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/monaco-2
  27. https://musicboard.app/album/monaco-2-original-video-game-soundtrack/austin-wintory/
  28. https://awintory.medium.com/from-journey-to-erica-214355002896
  29. https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2219&context=caps_thes_all
  30. https://www.austinwintory.com/projects-filmtv
  31. https://austin-wintory.bandcamp.com/album/captain-abu-raed-original-motion-picture-soundtrack
  32. https://filmmusicreporter.com/2022/08/30/austin-wintory-susie-seiter-scoring-netflixs-thai-cave-rescue/
  33. https://filmmusicreporter.com/2024/12/04/austin-wintory-to-score-michael-russell-gunns-reykjavik/
  34. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2948202/fullcredits
  35. https://www.austinwintory.com/shows
  36. https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/eb4n5v
  37. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/sword-of-the-sea
  38. https://www.movie-wave.net/sword-of-the-sea/
  39. https://8dio.com/blogs/news/interview-with-austin-win
  40. https://www.15questions.net/interview/austin-wintory-about-scoring-film/
  41. https://www.nolamusicon.com/spotlightinterviewaustinwintory
  42. https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/interview-film-composer-austin-wintory/
  43. https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyrobertson/2015/07/21/playing-abzu-grants-non-divers-an-emotional-underwater-journey/
  44. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/the-banner-saga
  45. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/in-the-bleak-midwinter-how-composer-austin-wintory-brought-stoic-beauty-to-the-banner-saga/1100-6417234/
  46. https://www.originalsoundversion.com/austin-wintory-is-a-viking-in-the-banner-saga-review/
  47. https://filmmusicreporter.com/2023/07/26/gran-turismo-music-team-credits-revealed/
  48. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4495098/fullcredits/
  49. https://trekmovie.com/2018/02/20/composer-austin-wintory-shares-story-and-demos-from-his-attempt-to-land-star-trek-discovery-gig/
  50. https://screenrant.com/aliens-fireteam-elite-austin-wintory-interview/
  51. https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/s2xaw/im_austin_wintory_the_composer_for_journey_monaco/
  52. https://www.laco.org/people/austin-wintory/
  53. https://variety.com/2024/artisans/news/los-angeles-chamber-orchestra-2-million-gift-composers-1236199222/
  54. https://music.usc.edu/laco-michael-abels-austin-wintory/
  55. https://www.bafta.org/stories/austin-wintory-the-magic-of-video-games-soundtracks/
  56. https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/bafta-games-in-concert/
  57. https://www.bbc.co.uk/concertorchestra/events/performers/78f15956-c5e1-46d6-a46b-fa6f46681ec8
  58. https://www.audiogang.org/23rd-g-a-n-g-awards-nominees-full-list/
  59. https://variety.com/2024/artisans/games/game-audio-netowrk-guild-award-2025-nominees-1236250390/
  60. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/spirit-of-the-cosmos
  61. http://www.laserhotline.de/newsletter/newsletter245.pdf
  62. https://www.yourclassical.org/story/2013/05/31/austin-wintory-and-monaco-whats-yours-is-mine-on-top-score
  63. https://referencerecordings.com/recording/the-banner-saga-soundtrack/
  64. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/assassins-creed-syndicate
  65. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/abz
  66. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/stray-gods
  67. https://supergiantgames.bandcamp.com/album/hades-ii-original-soundtrack
  68. https://scoringsessions.com/2007/12/20/austin-wintory-scores-first-jordanian-film-to-record-in-los-angeles-sundance-film-fest-selection-captain-abu-raed
  69. https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/blu-ray-review-the-flintstones-wwe-stone-age-smackdown-123505/
  70. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2395325/awards/
  71. https://twitter.com/awintory/status/1747024566281461804
  72. https://kraft-engel.com/clients/austin-wintory/
  73. https://www.austinwintory.com/concert-pieces
  74. https://www.movievine.com/movies/live-mythos-concert-with-austin-wintory-composer-of-journey/
  75. https://austinwintory.bandcamp.com/album/traveler-a-journey-symphony
  76. https://www.alfred.com/apotheosis/p/00-40446/
  77. https://www.viscontiarts.com/artists/journey-live
  78. https://www.bam.org/installation/2024/journey
  79. https://www.fifth-house.com/presenters-journeylive
  80. https://www.orchestravictoria.com.au/performances/indie-symphony-ii
  81. https://www.liveconcert.games/
  82. https://www.grammy.com/artists/austin-wintory/6929
  83. https://www.ign.com/articles/grammy-awards-nominate-aliens-fireteam-elite-marvels-guardians-of-the-galaxy-for-best-soundtrack
  84. https://www.bafta.org/awards/games/original-music-games/
  85. https://gamechoiceawards.com/archive-gdca-2013/
  86. https://www.interactive.org/awards/2013_16th_awards.asp
  87. https://filmmusiccritics.org/awards-archive/2017-ifmca-awards/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.