Cody Westheimer

Cody Westheimer is a noted film and television composer. A magna cum laude graduate of the music composition program at USC's Thornton School of Music, his gift for thematic writing and creative instrument choices has made him a sought after composer for both studio and independent projects. The Los Angeles resident runs New West Studios, Inc. with his wife, composer Julia Newmann, and has composed compelling scores for dozens of dramatic features, documentaries, TV shows, and video games. In 2011, Westheimer penned a new Hollywood inspired theme for the Tour de France, which airs every July on NBC. Earlier this year his new theme for Major League Soccer and orchestra. Among his other musical accomplishments and accolades Westheimer was selected as a participant for the prestigious ASCAP Filmscoring Workshop in 2001, and was chosen as a finalist for the Young Film Composer's Competition, sponsored by Turner Classic Movies in 2004. Meanwhile, his orchestral score to the 2005 short animated film "Smile" was awarded Double Gold Medals at the Park City Film Music Festival, and his overture for Sega's "The Golden Compass Game" was nominated by the Game Audio Network Guild for "Track of the Year." In 2008 Westheimer moonlit as a filmmaker with his award-winning documentary, "Running for my Father." The documentary followed Westheimer as he trained for the Houston Marathon in honor of his father, Dr. Eric Westheimer who died of a brain tumor in 2007. Westheimer recently completed the Ironman World Championships on October 8, 2011 in Kona, Hawaii. His video account of the day hit the internet by storm, with nearly 20,000 views in the first week. He credits his training sessions in providing inspiration to the scoring process. And while Westheimer composes mostly on keyboards, he is known for incorporating his vast collection of rare and interesting musical instruments. His recent work in independent cinema has also reacquainted him with his love for the guitar, prompting an exploration in eclectic rock sounds and other modern pop styles. Other than writing and playing music Westheimer enjoys nature photography, home improvement and playing with his dog, Henry.