McNally Smith College of Music’s Composition instructor, Sean McMahon, is best known for his terrifying soundtrack to “The Grudge 3” and his supporting roles in the production of other Hollywood soundtracks, such as the current vampire movie, “Priest,” and such blockbusters as “Spider-Man 3,” “Ghost Rider,” Fantastic Four,” and “Dreamgirls,” has launched a greeting card line that exclusively produces musical greeting cards. But unlike his Hollywood film scores, the underlying theme of all his cards is humor, ironically.
McMahon, who has worked extensively with “Priest” film composer Christopher Young on Young’s other films, has developed a strong reputation as a Hollywood Orchestrator — “the guy who helps move the film composer’s electronic score to a real orchestra” — has taken a less chilling role in creating original music for his greeting line of cards at www.seanmcmahoncards.com
Knowing that the card could have an even longer-lasting impact, he decided to make the songs FREE and downloadable to the recipient, so that he or she could be reminded of the person who gave the card, long after the occasion had taken place.
“Some of the ways we differ from other companies that produce musical greeting cards,” described Sean McMahon, “is that our music is composed specifically for our cards – original music in other words. We also offer free downloads of our songs for the card recipients, and in some cases offer free musical services to our retailers, such as writing radio jingles for them.”
About Sean McMahon
Originally from Toronto, Sean lived and worked in Los Angeles for six years prior to joining the McNally Smith faculty. While in Los Angeles, much of his work on film scores was under the direction of prominent Hollywood composer Christopher Young, whom McMahon first met while completing post-graduate work in Film Music at the University of Southern California.
In addition to “Spider-Man 3,” McMahon’s work for Christopher Young included orchestrations for the film “Ghost Rider” (on which he can also be heard playing guitar) and the DreamWorks picture “The Uninvited,” score coordination for “Beauty Shop,” and much more. He also worked with successful film composer John Ottman, orchestrating films including “Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer” and “The Invasion.”
About McNally Smith College of Music
McNally Smith College of Music offers a variety of degree programs in Music Performance, Recording Technology, Music Composition, Music Business and other areas. As of the fall 2011 term, It will also offer a Masters of Performance degree. Its alumni are working all over the world performing, recording, producing, being written about and leading successful lives in the music industry.
The music college’s diverse faculty includes Grammy® Award nominees, Hollywood film composers, Broadway veterans, players in Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” assorted Nashville Cats, best-selling Jazz artists, authors, major label rockers, Billboard chart toppers, commissioned composers, accomplished producers and engineers who have worked with everyone from Atmosphere, Prince, Phil Collins and Aretha Franklin to Yanni, Paula Abdul, Dick Dale and countless other rockers, combos, orchestras, recording labels, and industry executives who care deeply about their art and the next generation of music makers. With more than 600 students and a 125-member faculty and the only Hip-Hop diploma program in the country, McNally Smith students get a personalized music education that combines musical artistry and wide access to current music technology, research tools and performance facilities.
About the Author
