bio
Called “the quintessential modern composer” by the London Independent, Austin, Texas based composer-bandleader-improviser Graham Reynolds records and performs music for film, theater, dance, television, rock clubs, and concert halls with collaborators across a multitude of disciplines. He recently scored Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon (Sony) with Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley, Hit Man (Netflix), Happy Jail (Netflix), Stop Hitting Yourself (Lincoln Center Theater), Out of Her Mind (BBC), POE / A Tale of Madness (Ballet Austin), and a multi-year commission from Ballroom Marfa, The Marfa Triptych, culminating in his Creative Capital Award winning project Pancho Villa from a Safe Distance, a bilingual cross-border opera created with librettists Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol (Mexico City) and director Shawn Sides (Rude Mechs) and staged in over a dozen cities in North America.
As Artistic Director of the non-profit Golden Hornet, Graham spearheads efforts which draw on both the collaborative spirit of rock bands and the composer-led nature of classical music, with a focus on commissioning new music, fostering young and emerging composers, and presenting adventurous works in non-traditional settings. These endeavors include the The Sound of Science alongside Kronos Quartet's longtime cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, Insectum with Zeigler and drummer/percussionist Susie Ibarra, and MXTX: A Cross-Border Exchange; a multi-faceted project comprised of a live performance, album, remixes, and open-source audio sample library involving more than 40 artists from Texas and Mexico.
Reynolds leads the jazz-based but far reaching Golden Arm Trio, is a company member with the internationally acclaimed Rude Mechs theater collective, and resident composer with Salvage Vanguard Theater and Forklift Danceworks. His accolades include a Creative Capital Award, an Independent Music Award, two Frederick R. Loewe Music Theatre Awards, ten Austin Critics Table Awards, the John Bustin Award, multiple Austin Chronicle ‘Best Composer’ wins, and a B. Iden Payne Award. MARFA: A Country & Western Big Band Suite (Fall 2019) broke into the top 100 on the NACC radio charts along with a track premiere in Billboard. In 2020, Graham signed with London-based record label Fire Records and released his original score for Alfred Hitchcock’s silent classic, The Lodger. His newest work with them, The Portcullis, is a dark ambient and dungeon synth-inspired album with thematic ties to his family's United Kingdom history. The album is set to release in May 2026 with a supporting tour in the UK.
To download graham's promotional press kit or access copies of
press releases & one sheets about Graham's ongoing endeavors, Click here.
LIST OF WORKS
As a whole, my catalog includes almost 2,000 individual original pieces of music, their origin spanning from film and dance to personalized commissions and large scale chamber performances. Below is a selected list of these works, with associated detail.
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
2026 The Portcullis | Fire Records
2025 Blue Moon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Milan Records, Sony Music Entertainment
2025 Mountain | Fire Records
2024 Hit Man (Soundtrack from the Netflix film) | Netflix Music
2024 Music For Prophet [Parts 1 - 4] | Fire Records
2023 Insectum | Golden Hornet
2023 She Watches from the Woods (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Rickety Fence Music
2022 MXTX: A Cross-Border Exchange | Golden Hornet
2022 New Year (Soundtrack) | Rickety Fence Music
2022 Day 5 (Soundtrack) | Rickety Fence Music
2021 Horse | Cullberg Ballet | Rickety Fence Music
2021 Trucks Don’t Dance | Forklift Danceworks
2020 The Lodger | Fire Records
2020 Grimm | Rickety Fence Music
2019 Marfa: A Country & Western Big Band Suite | Golden Hornet Records
2019 Where’d You Go, Bernadette | Lakeshore Records
2019 Exit Wounds | Rickety Fence Music
2018 The Sound of Science | Jeffrey Zeigler & Golden Hornet | National Sawdust Tracks
2018 The Difference Engine Remaster | Sonic Surgery Records
2018 Exit Wounds | Rickety Fence Music
2017 Late Show | Michelle Schumann | Wren & Shark Record Collective
2017 Modal Cycle | Longhorn Music / Naxos
2017 Fun with Sounds and Patterns | Innova Recordings
2016 Two Ballets | Innova Recordings
2016 Dream Is Destiny (Soundtrack) | Lakeshore Records
2015 Belle Redux | Innova Recordings
2013 Before Midnight (Soundtrack) | Milan Records
2013 Shepard & Dark (Soundtrack) | Innova Recordings
2012 Duke! Three Portraits of Ellington | Innova Recordings
2011 The Difference Engine | Innova Recordings
2011 Though the Earth Gives Way | Innova Recordings
2011 Bernie (Soundtrack) | Lakeshore Records
2011 Incendiary: The Willingham Case (Soundtrack) | Innova Recordings
2011 Five Time Champion (Soundtrack) | Innova Recordings
2008 Cult of Color | Innova Recordings
2008 The Journeyman (Soundtrack) | Shamrock Records
2006 A Scanner Darkly (Soundtrack) | Lakeshore Records
2005 The Tick-Tock Club | Innova Recordings
2004 Evel Knievel vs. Godzilla (Soundtrack) | Shamrock Records
2001 Why The Sea Is Salt | Innova Recordings
1999 The Golden Arm Trio | Innova Recordings
1998 Demo Tape | Innova Recordings
FILM AND TELEVISION
2025 Blue Moon | Sony Pictures Classics, Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Director: Richard Linklater
2025 Gold Lament | Director: Taylor Zachary Butler
2025 Armadillo Man | Director: Emil Lozada
2025 Band Together | TBD Post
2024 Faders Up: The John Aielli Experience | Austin PBS, Directors: David Hartstein, Sam Wainwright Douglas
2024 God Save Texas | HBO, Directors: Richard Linklater, Iliana Sosa
2023 Hit Man | Netflix, Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Director: Richard Linklater
2023 Wolf | Rustle Up Productions, Directors: The Blaine Brothers
2022 Alone Together | Katie Holmes, Director: Katie Holmes
2022 Carol & Johnny | Director: Colin Barnacle
2021 New Year | Director: Nathan Sutton
2021 She Watches from the Woods | Director: Beau Ballinger
2021 The Ants & Grasshopper | Director: Raj Patel
2020 Out of Her Mind | Sara Pascoe, BBC, Directors: The Blaine Brothers
2020 Take Pains, Be Perfect | Director: Kristi Frazier
2019 Happy Jail | Netflix
2019 Where’d You Go, Bernadette | Annapurna Pictures, Director: Richard Linklater
2019 Diana Kennedy: Nothing Fancy | Director: Elizabeth Carroll
2019 Sister Aimee | Directors: Samantha Buck & Marie Schlingmann
2018 Boxer Story | Director: Lance Myers
2017 Last Flag Flying | Amazon Studios, Director: Richard Linklater
2017 The Secret Life of Lance Letscher | Kristi Frazier, Director: Sandra Adair
2017 Alfred Pendray: Wootz Hunter | Director: Todd Oppenheimer
2017 The Honor Farm | Louis Black, Sandy K. Boone, Nicolas Gonda, Morgan Coy, Director: Karen Skloss
2017 Day 5 (Season 2) | Rooster Teeth Productions, Creators: Josh Flanagan, Chris Demarais, Matt Hullum
2016 Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny | Arts and Labor, Director: Louis Black
2016 Starving the Beast | Railyard Films, Director: Steve Mims
2016 At the Fork | Crossover Productions, Director: John Papola
2016 Day 5 (Season 1) | Rooster Teeth Productions, Creators: Josh Flanagan, Chris Demarais, Matt Hullum
2016 The Eternal | Revelator Productions, Director: Daniel Stuyck
2015 The Diplomat | HBO Films, Director: David Holbrooke
2015 A Single Frame | Spiral Films, Director: Brandon Dickerson
2014 21 Years: Richard Linklater | Wood Entertainment, Directors: Michael Dunaway, Tara Wood
2013 Before Midnight | Sony Picture Classics, Director: Richard Linklater
2013 All Is Bright | GreeneStreet Films, Director: Phil Morrison
2013 Stand Up Planet | KCETLink, Director: David Munro
2013 Hotline (Short) | Directors: Deva Blaisdell-Anderson, Lee Miller
2013 Far Marfa | Director: Cory Van Dyke
2012 Holy Hell | Bayou Radio Productions, Director: Rafael Antonio Ruiz
2012 Up to Speed | Cinetic Media, Director: Richard Linklater
2012 Shepard & Dark | Director: Treva Wurmfeld
2012 Saturday Morning Mystery | Arts and Labor, Director: Spencer Parsons
2012 Trash Dance | Director: Andrew Garrison
2012 Nikola Tesla - Visionary of Modern Times | Rich and Famous Films, Director: Michael Krause
2011 Bernie | Millennium Films, Director: Richard Linklater
2011 Five Time Champion | The Bear Media, Director Berndt Mader
2011 Incendiary: The Willingham Case | Yokel, LLC, Director: Joe Bailey Jr., Steve Mims
2011 P.O.V. | American Documentary, Director: Ramona S. Diaz
2010 Cubik (Short) | Brenizer Fanthome Films, Director: Jason Brenizer
2009 Holy Hell | Bayou Radio Productions, Director: Rafael Antonio Ruiz
2008 I’ll Come Running | Film Science, Director: Spencer Parsons
2008 This Place | Walkie Talkie Production, Director: Kala Philo
2007 All About Tesla: The Research | Maxim Film, Director: Michael Krause
2006 Nobelity (Additional Music) | FFM Media, Director: Turk Pipkin
2006 Gretchen | Film Science, Director: Steve Collins
2006 My Electric Bill (Short) | 824 Pictures, Director: Chris Ohlson
2006 One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming ‘A Scanner Darkly’ | Producer and Director: Eric Matthies
2006 A Scanner Darkly | Warner Independent Pictures, Director: Richard Linklater
2006 The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales | Eric Matthies Productions, Director: Eric Matthies
2005 Cremains (Short) | Microcinema International, Director: Chris Ohlson
2003 The Meat Market (Short) | 824 Pictures, Director: Chris Ohlson
2003 Lonelyland | Sundance Channel, Director: Steve Collins
2003 Moonlight by the Sea | SRS Cinema, Director: Justin Hennard
2002 I Love You (Short) | 824 Pictures, Director: Chris Ohlson
2001 The Astronomer (Short) | Hypnotic Films, Director: Lance Meyers
2001 The Journeyman | Contrabando LLC, Director: James Crowley
THEATER AND DANCE
2025 Way of Water - Colorado River | Forklift Danceworks
2025 Way of Water - Miami | Forklift Danceworks
2024 POE / A Tale of Madness | Ballet Austin, Austin Symphony Orchestra
2023 Way of Water - Onion Creek | Forklift Danceworks
2022 Reimagine, Celebrating 30 Years! | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
2022 Way of Water | Forklift Danceworks
2021 Wesworks | Forklift Danceworks
2021 Horse | Cullberg Ballet, choreography by Deborah Hay
2019 Served | Forklift Danceworks (Wake Forest University)
2019 Givens Swims | Forklift Danceworks as part of My Park, My Pool, My City
2019 Grimm Tales | Ballet Austin
2018 Casta | Salvage Vanguard Theatre
2018 Dove Springs Swims / Nadamos Dove Springs | Forklift Danceworks as part of My Park, My Pool, My City
2018 Exit Wounds | Ballet Austin
2018 Served at Williams College | Forklift Danceworks
2017 Bartholomew Swims | Forklift Danceworks as part of My Park, My Pool, My City
2017 The Securely Conferred, Vouchsafed Keepsakes of Maery S. | New Dramatists
2016 Pancho Villa From A Safe Distance | Ballroom Marfa | ***Creative Capital Award***
2016 Requiem for Tesla | Rude Mechs
2016 The Graham Reynolds Project | Ballet Austin
2016 Field Guide | Rude Mechs
2015 Belle Redux | Ballet Austin
2014 Stop Hitting Yourself | Rude Mechs
2014 Playball | Forklift Danceworks & Japanese Women’s Professional Baseball League | Premiered on September 23, 2014 at Kyoto Arts Center, Kyoto, Japan.
2013 River of Gruel | Rude Mechs & Salvage Vanguard Theater
2013 PowerUP | Forklift Danceworks
2012 Solo Symphony | Forklift Danceworks
2012 Timepiece | Ballet Idaho
2012 The Geometry of Proximity | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
2011 Though the Earth Gives Way | Ballet Austin
2011 Method Gun | Rude Mechs
2011 Guest by Courtesy | Salvage Vanguard Theater
2012 T is for 200 Hundred Two-Steppers on the Steps of the Texas State Capitol | Forklift Danceworks
2010 Traffic Maven | Forklift Danceworks
2010 Truth and Beauty | Ballet Austin
2009 The Trash Project | Forklift Danceworks
2008 Cult of Color: Call to Color | Ballet Austin
2007 Gyre | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
2005 Detour | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
2005 Ghengis Khan | Salvage Vanguard Theater
2004 Silence Erupted | Sharir-Bustamente Danceworks
2004 Stadium Devildare | Rude Mechs
2003 Shoulder to Shoulder | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
2003 Motherbone | Rude Mechs
2003 Sonambulo | Spank Dance Company
2003 Absent Body | Sharir-Bustamente Danceworks
2002 Boxheads | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
2001 Pexo | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
2001 The Silent Circle | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
2000 to 2017 The Intergalactic Nemesis | The Planet Zygon
2000 In Concert | Spank Dance Company
2000 Seven Rooms to the Soul | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
1999 Cry Pitch Carrolls | Salvage Vanguard Theater
1999 Reflex | Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre
1999 Not Just Shock | Undertown Dance Company & Spank Dance Company
1998 2 Time 2 is 1 | Spank Dance Company
1997 In Concert | Undertow Dance Company
COMMERCIAL / ADVERTISING
2022 Greg Casar | Custom Music Track for US Congressional Campaign
2017 Dell Computers | Custom Music Track for 8k Monitor campaign
2016 Lisa Colagrossi Foundation | Track License for “There is a Story” PSA
2015 Oude Meester Brandy | Custom Music Track for “Mastery in the Making” starring Idris Elba
2014 Dior | Track License for “Be Dior” starring Jennifer Lawrence
AWARDS
2002 to 2025 Austin Chronicle Best of Austin Awards - ‘Best Composer’ and ‘Best Classical Musician’
2019 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Best Original Composition/Score’ for Grimm Tales
2018 Herb Alpert Award in the Arts - Nominee
2016 Creative Capital Award - Pancho Villa from a Safe Distance
2016 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Best Original Composition/Score’ for Pancho Villa from a Safe Distance
2016 The Frederick R. Loewe Award in Music-Theatre - for The Securely Conferred Vouchsafed Keepsakes of Maery S
2015 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Best Original Composition’ for In the Face of Trouble
2014 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Best Choral Performance’ for Mozart Requiem Undead
2012 Independent Music Awards - ‘Best Tribute Album’ for Duke! Three Portraits of Ellington
2011 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘John Bustin Award for Conspicuous Versatility’
2011 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Power Chord Award’ for Powerman
2007 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Original Composition/Score’ for Between Steel and Stardust
2006 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Original Composition/Score’ for DSCH: Symphony # 5
2006 Cinema Retro Magazine - ‘Best Soundtrack of the Decade’ for A Scanner Darkly
2005 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Original Composition’ for Genghis Khan
2004 B. Iden Payne Awards - ‘Best Original Scores for Death of a Cat
2003 The Frederick R. Loewe Award in Music-Theatre - for Motherbone
2003 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Original Score’ for Motherbone
2002 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Original Score’ for Paraiso
2001 Austin Critics Table Awards - ‘Musical Direction’ for Intergalactic Nemesis
EDUCATION
1993 Connecticut College - London, CT - Bachelor of Arts in Latin American History
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2015 to Present - Golden Hornet’s Young Composer Collective (Austin, TX)
2005 to 2022 - Austin Chamber Music Center (Austin, TX)
2017 to 2022 - Armstrong Community Music School (Austin, TX)
POSITIONS & ROLES
2019 - Rauschenberg Resident (Florida)
2011 to Present - Resident Composer, Forklift Danceworks (Various)
2003 to Present - Company Member, Rude Mechs (Various)
2002 to Present - Composer, Salvage Vanguard Theatre (Austin, TX)
2002 to Present - House Bandleader, Dionysium (Austin, TX)
1999 to Present - Co-Founder & Artistic Director, Golden Hornet (Austin, TX)
1993 to Present - Independent Composer & Sound Designer, Graham Reynolds Music LLC (Austin, TX)
1993 to Present - Bandleader, Golden Arm Trio (Austin, TX)
2003 to 2015 - Freelance Writer, The Austin Chronicle (Austin, TX)
AFFILIATIONS
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP)
Fire Records
Fire Songs
The Recording Academy, Texas Chapter
Austin Music Commission, City of Austin Economic Development Department (2015-2023)