About
Music expresses that which cannot be put into words
Arend Bruijn is an award-nominated composer specialised in music for film. His musical versatility and curiosity to explore storytelling through sound, make him an invaluable collaborator for any production in need of unique, captivating music.
After graduating as a classical percussionist in 2014, he studied Composing for Film at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and the Dutch Film Academy.
Since then, he has worked on a wide range of projects, including films, TV-series and commercials, showcasing his exceptional skills as both a composer and producer.
Arend’s portfolio boasts an impressive list of commercial clients including Heineken, Red Cross, Videoland (the Dutch film streaming service), Stegeman, Ziengs and the Police of the Netherlands.
Arend's music has been recognised with multiple award nominations, including the BUMA New Talent Award 2018, the Best Music for short film 2020 at the Festival du Film d’Aubagne and the BEST SOUNDTRACK at Darkveins Horror Fest 2022.
“A gentle solo melody, detuned synthesizers or a roaring 50 piece orchestra and everything in between: It doesn’t matter what the instruments or sounds are, everything is possible as long as the music serves the story. When that happens, I know I am doing a good job.”
In 2022 Arend started writing and producing high quality trailer music for publisher BMG Production Music and label X-Ray Dog. His contributions consist of hybrid, epic orchestral/synthesized music enhanced with a real recorded string orchestra.
Recently, Arend composed and produced the original score for the up-and-coming horror short film ‘GNOMES'. Directed by his longtime collaborator and friend Ruwan Heggelman, 'GNOMES' was selected for the Marché du Film, Proof of Concept in Cannes and won the MÉLIÈS D’ARGENT for best European short film.
In addition to his work as a composer, Arend is also a teacher at the film music master department of the Conservatory of Amsterdam, where he shares his knowledge and expertise with the next generation of filmmakers.
With each project Arend searches for a unique musical style to support the story and add depth to the narrative. His classical background, combined with his curiosity to explore new sounds and techniques, has resulted in mastery of different musical styles and a broad sound palette. His specialty, however lies in orchestral music, ranging from epic and grandiose to warm and playful scores.