Peter Scartabello

Peter Scartabello is a film composer that makes music for short and feature films.

Peter Scartabello (b. 1972, Providence Rhode Island) started composing at age 9. His early interest in computer composition brought about his first major work for orchestra and synthesizer in 1985-86, entitled Drochthamion Demonica. From 1990-91 he studied music theory and composition at Manhattanville College NY, where he also played percussion in the Manhattanville Symphony Orchestra. In 1991 he completed Two Symphonic Poems, for orchestra. In that same year he studied percussion with George Goneconto at Rhode Island College.

From 1992-95 Mr. Scartabello studied composition with Dary John Mizelle and Alvin Brehm at Purchase College NY, where he later received a BFA in classical composition. In 1993, his piece Confined Infinity, was performed at a concert at Purchase College under the artistic direction of renowned percussionist Raymond DeRoches. Mr. Scartabello also took part in the 1995 Purchase College Computer Music Forum, where his piece Electro-Magma was performed. The piece was also broadcast on The Latest Score, 92.1 WOMR FM, Provincetown MA.

In 1998 Mr. Scartabello composed the music for The Little Prince, a short film by Christopher Reiser based on Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s novella. In 2004, the piece Threshold was commissioned by clarinetist Sarah Ladd and was world premiered later that year by her ensemble at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. That same year he was also commissioned by guitarist Rusty Banks to compose the piece Crystalline Lattice for Bb clarinet and classical guitar.

In 2006, the Warwick Symphony Orchestra (Rhode Island) commissioned Mr. Scartabello to compose his Symphony No. 2 to honor their 40th anniversary. Later that year guitarist William Maker commissioned him to write the piece Difference Engine for two classical guitars. The piece was premiered that year by William Maker and Eric Christiansen at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island.

In 2007 Mr. Scartabello began to focus more on his film music. That year he scored the short film Woman of His Dreams by director Walt Foreman. In 2008 he scored Dave Merson Hess’s experimental short film Fermentation of Desire. In 2010 Mr. Scartabello composed the music for the feature-length documentary Russian Lessons by directors Andrei Nekrasov and Olga Konskaya. The film was chosen to be part of the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in Park City Utah and was shown there later that year.

Mr. Scartabello is currently working on the music for the full-length gothic horror movie Fjardingsvagar by Swedish director Mattias Marklund. Also the feature-length horror movie Bunnyman by Carl Lindbergh is set to be released in 2011. In 2010 Mr. Scartabello was commissioned by bass clarinetist Kathryn Lodano to compose a piece for bass clarinet and orchestra. The piece will be premiered in the Fall of 2011 as part of the NUMUS Contemporary Music Festival in Ontario Canada. Mr. Scartabello is currently living in South Kingstown Rhode Island and teaches percussion, piano and composition at the Knapp School of Music in Peace Dale Rhode Island.