Australian euphonium player Thom Kellar is the latest brass band musician to make a big screen debut this year — co-writing and performing part of the score for David Michôd’s ‘The Rover’ — the latest high profile film featuring Hollywood stars Robert Patterson and Guy Pearce.

Violent

His multi-tracked solo improvisation has been cut up and reworked by acclaimed sound designer Sam Petty, with the resultant eclectic mix of various sonic capabilities matching the desolate, violent and unpredictable world of the film.

A former student of Steven Mead at the RNCM, Kellar now works as a professional sound designer and editor, but still plays regularly playing with some of Australia’s top brass bands and orchestras.

Soundtrack

Naturally then, as he told 4BR, he jumped at the chance to get the euphonium included on a film soundtrack

"It was really a world away from the usual role of the instrument in the brass band or orchestral setting," he said.

"It was a real balance of trying to find new ways to make sounds on the instrument but also keeping a real sense of musicality and tone throughout the piece."

It was really a world away from the usual role of the instrument in the brass band or orchestral settingThom Kellar

Trend

He added: "Sam did such a fantastic job stitching and layering different parts of the improvisation together to form a cohesive whole.

I think it’s really exciting to see the instrument making its way into film scores, and hopefully it’s a trend that continues into the future."

The Rover is currently in cinemas worldwide.