Brandon Kennedy Verrett (b. 1980)

is a composer and musician whose music conveys beauty through emotional melodies and captivating rhythms. His diverse skills allow him to work effortlessly across concert halls, outdoor environments, motion pictures, and television soundtracks. Many consider his music hauntingly beautiful, appealing to listeners seeking unique yet familiar sounds.

Verrett's concert repertoire features engaging pieces that frequently address social and political topics, while other works explore new ways to interact with sound and nature. Projects such as SoundCheck/Earth (in Joshua Tree National Park) and Soundcheck: Gardens of Golden Gate Park showcase his love for science and nature, fostering conversations that help listeners reconnect with environmental sound. Works like Change for a Dollar and Black Lives Are Magic encourage discussions about social change and evolution. His repertoire also includes trad and contemporary compositions—such as Western Sketches for Orchestra, Three Tankas for Bassoon, and 5 is Prime 4 is Magic—alongside experimental pieces created for various instrument combinations at his Mad Composer Lab.

Gratitude is Essential

Verrett expresses his musicianship through solo piano, didgeridoo, flutes, percussion, and an assortment of custom instruments. He regularly performs solo across the West Coast and as a member of The Cosmic Tones Research Trio. Theater credits include serving as Music Director for Passing Strange at Portland Playhouse, playing the role of the "Musician" in Portland Playhouse's presentation of Notes from the Field, and acting as Composer and Music Consultant for Fat Ham at Portland Center Stage. Before relocating to Portland, Oregon, he played bassoon with ensembles such as the Monroe Symphony Orchestra and the symphony orchestras and wind ensembles at the University of Louisiana Monroe and Cal State Fullerton (CSUF).

Verrett also leads workshops designed to help participants use their natural musical abilities to gain a deeper understanding of the world. Known as Sound Sense, this engaging program combines science, mathematics, and music to explore topics such as music therapy, psychoacoustics, deep listening, physics, and soundscape ecology. Created by Verrett in Portland, Sound Sense is offered through summer camps and workshops in Portland, Southern Oregon, and Joshua Tree, California.

Since 2006, Verrett has collaborated with top Hollywood composers and musicians, providing services in conducting, MIDI transcription, orchestration, arranging, and logistics. His work appears in films such as When in Rome (Disney), Love Happens (Universal Pictures), Untraceable (Lakeshore Entertainment), and Drag Me to Hell (Universal Pictures). He has also conducted original scores for The Rum Diary (starring Johnny Depp and Amber Heard) and Tyler Perry's The Single Moms Club (Lionsgate).

 He has received various awards for his compositions and community engagement, including Best Score for No Joke and The Grover Complex , a Joshua Award (2023), the BMI Scholar Award for Film Composition, the William H. Taylor Memorial Award, and the Cal State Fullerton Composition Award. Additionally, he has achieved top ratings in various music and conducting competitions. Verrett has been Artist-in-Residence at Headwaters Theatre in Portland, Oregon, and as Composer-in-Residence at the Lou Harrison House Music, Arts, and Ecology (2020–2022) and Joshua Tree National Park (2022). He currently is adjunct faculty at Portland State University and sits on the advisory board for The Old Church Concert Hall in Portland.