About Scott Cameron
Music that tells stories.
Music that moves our hearts.
Music with bite, pizzazz and pathos.
This is BITE MY CHILLI Music.
Scott Cameron is an Australian composer, singer and writer based outside of Melbourne.
A graduate of Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (1994) and the Australian Film Television and Radio School (2002), Scott has created original scores and songs for film, documentary, theatre, concert stage and live events.
Scott’s work crosses musical genres, and exploits a range of musical forces: his sensitive documentary score, THE SPACE IN BETWEEN, benefits from intimate playing by the string quartet FourPlay, whereas his award winning score for the black comedy THE HIT (winner, Best Musical Theme) features a 36-piece orchestra plus percussion ensemble and voices.
His most recent musical theatre score WINTERSONG, book and lyrics by Kathleen McLennan, was produced and staged at the Bluestone Theatre by Kyneton Theatre Company, as featured on ABC Radio Central Victoria.
His next project as writer and presenter of INSIDE MUSICALS, a weekly show about musical theatre, starts on YouTube early 2020.
See CREDITS
Biography – Scott Cameron

Scott is a composer and lyricist whose craft shines from initial concept to final mix. Whether large-scale film, theatre or concert scores, or intimate stand-alone songs and instrumental commissions, Scott approaches every collaboration with exquisite care and sensitivity.
A native of Melbourne Australia, Scott wrote his first musical, THE MARKET at age 18 while working as an actor in film, TV, and theatre. Despite a few good songs and a promising premise, the story was only so-so, but it ignited Scott’s curiosity for story-theory, character and dramatic structure.
Meanwhile, cast as the all-singing, all-dancing Noddy in NODDY GOES TO TOYLAND (Melbourne, Perth and Sydney seasons) Scott was inspired to audition for the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
While studying acting, singing and dancing, he also honed his skills in composition, vocal arranging and orchestration – writing lyrics and music, and playing piano for TOM, a student production. The show was abandoned as a work-in-progress but it was a perfect opportunity to experiment with developing musical themes and throughlines.

Relocating to Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre, Scott co-founded and performed with the a capella quintet Bite My Chilli: A Comedy; A Cabaret; A Capella! where he divided his energies between creating slick arrangements for corporate performances, and writing audacious original material for their stage shows, THE WORLD TOUR and CELIBATE OR BUST! which both enjoyed national tours and television appearances.
While writing customised entertainment for large-scale corporate clients (including SEGAWORLD SYDNEY and SYDNEY CASINO Grand Openings; TOSHIBA, RANGE-ROVER MURDOCH MAGAZINES product launches; and QANTAS, LEIGHTON CONSTRUCTION and MCDONALD’S celebrations), Scott received a grant from the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to write book, music and lyrics for WET SPOT which saw a workshop at The Wharf Complex – then home of Sydney Theatre Company – and featured a performance by 2011 Tony Award nominee, Tony Sheldon.

On the strength of his work with Bite My Chilli, Scott was invited to compose an a cappella score for the short film, LOVE LIES by Ineke Rapp. This was rapidly followed by another film score, SLIPPER, for award-winning director Glenn Fraser.
Inspired by the story-telling potential of scoring for film, Scott was accepted as one of four composers at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) where he refined his understanding of dramaturgy and digital recording techniques, and put his self-taught orchestration skills to the test with scores performed by Sydney Symphony and Opera and Ballet orchestras, and the string quartet FOURPLAY.
Now with a Graduate Diploma in Screen Composition, Scott’s music was recognised with the Australian Film Critics’ Circle Award for Best Score on 24 FPS – a nostalgic documentary about the dying art of film projection. This was followed by the Johnny Dennis Music Award for Best Movie Theme (THE HIT), and a nomination for Best Song at the APRA/AGSC Screen Music Awards (“Changing” from A SIMPLE SONG).

I am not one of those people who sees entertainment as a dirty word. I must admit I have a soft spot for that big, classic Hollywood sound: I really relish the opportunities to pull out the stops and write lavish music for larger-than-life stories.
Scott Cameron
Returning to his homeland of Melbourne, Scott formed the harp/voice duo Ionian Groove with harpist Frances Thiele, and released his first vocal CD (featuring the original title track LAZY), mixed by friend, mentor and American music industry legend, John Haeny.
In a fortuitous meeting at his CD launch with writer Kathleen McLennan, Kathleen commissioned Scott to write and record a series of songs to her lyrics, and encouraged him to provide music for ART 4 ASHES – a mosaic art installation displayed at Federation Square, Melbourne.


Always tackling new challenges, Scott composed THE BLACK DOG OVERTURE and LYRICAL SUITE for the Grainger Wind Symphony; 10 MINUTES TO CURTAIN, A VAUDEVILLE – for combined orchestra, concert band, choir and soloists (a commission by Carey Baptist Grammar); and new works for harp and string quartet – FLOODPLAIN and CHESS QUINTET.
After collaborating with actress and writer Amanda Bishop on the yet-to-be-produced musical-TV-sitcom GREETINGS FROM DENIAL!, Kathleen McLennan approached Scott once again to compose the musical score to her book and lyrics for the musical, WINTERSONG, culminating in a development workshop in 2017 and a staged production in 2019.

Recognising that, “I have learned a few things over the past 30 years that others might find useful” Scott shares knowledge gleaned from parallel careers in performance and writing, as a mentor to musical theatre practitioners on his upcoming YouTube channel. It will cover topics such as vocal technique; composing and lyric-writing for theatre; character development; audition techniques and more, plus case studies from Scott’s own work as he documents his successes and challenges on new projects.
credits

Education & Awards
GRAD. DIP. Screen Composition – Australian Film, Television & Radio School
BA Musical Theatre – Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
CERT. III Small Business Management – ICP Educational Institute
FOUNDATION DIPLOMA Photography – Shaw Academy
BEST SCORE (documentary – 24 FPS) – Australian Film Critics’ Circle
BEST MOVIE THEME (THE HIT) – Johnny Dennis Music Award
BEST SONG nomination (Changing from A SIMPLE SONG) – APRA/AGSC Screen Music Awards
Music Composition Credits
FILM
BENEATH THE TIDES Dir: Jacqueline Archer
THE CHESS SET Dir: Alex Murawski
HITCHCOCK Dir: Stuart Vauvert
THE HIT Dir: Ema Mulholland
A SIMPLE SONG Dir: Adrian Wills
THE PASSION OF HER Dir: Justin Schneider
SLIPPER Dir: Glenn Fraser
THE BIG CHECKOUT Dir: Amanda Bishop
LOVE LIES Dir: Ineke Rapp
GUNSMOKE Dir: Darren Fulham
TELEVISION
THE SPACE IN BETWEEN (documentary) Dir: Rebecca Barry
LIFE @ 24 FPS (documentary) Dir: Harrison Chad
OVERTURE (documentary) Dir: Rebecca Barry
SENIOR’S WEEK (TVC) Dir: Glenn Fraser
THE HARD WORD (TV Series) Dir: Various
THEATRE
WINTERSONG (musical theatre – music)
BOOKS! (musical theatre – music)
WET SPOT (musical theatre – book, music & lyrics)
FALLEN ANGELS (Noel Coward) (theatre – MEMES LES ANGES incidental music)
CELIBATE OR BUST! (cabaret – book, music, lyrics)
THE WORLD TOUR (cabaret – book, music, lyrics)
TALL POPPY (musical theatre – book, music, lyrics)
THE MARKET (musical theatre – book, music, lyrics)
CONCERT MUSIC
LYRICAL SUITE – Premiered by Grainger Wind Symphony
THE BLACK DOG OVERTURE – Premiered by Grainger Wind Symphony
10 MINUTES TO CURTAIN, A VAUDEVILLE (music & lyrics) – for Carey Baptist Grammar Orchestra, Concert Band, & soloists
CHESS QUINTET – strings and piano
FLOODPLAIN – for The Australian Harp Festival
CORPORATE CLIENTS
MURDOCH MAGAZINES – book launch
AMP – national conference
NEWS LTD – small business awards
TOSHIBA – new product release
SEGA CORPORATION – in-house entertainment, segaworld sydney
RANGE ROVER AUST. – new car launch
QANTAS – executive dinner and awards
McDONALD’S AUSTRALIA – executive dinner
MERCK, SHARP & DOHME – creative sales pitch
AUST. SUPERMARKET INSTITUTE – national conference
LEIGHTON CONSTRUCTION – 75th celebrations
CHATSWOOD CHASE – christmas celebrations
DARLING HARBOUR AUTHORITY – australia day celebrations
SYDNEY HARBOUR CASINO – casino opening
NSW LIBERAL PARTY – policy launch and dinner
CITIBANK – product launch
DAVID JONES – new store opening
ABC RADIO, SYDNEY – christmas function
WORLD AIDS DAY – picnic in the park
FAIRMONT RESORT – yulefest celebrations
MUSEUM OF SYDNEY – product launch
SYDNEY MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART – christmas celebrations
CHIFLEY PLAZA, SYDNEY – opening late night trading
LEON PERICLES – art exhibition opening and book launch (Sydney and Katoomba)
ACTORS EQUITY – fundraiser
SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY – Ros Horin (Artistic Director) farewell dinner
OTHER
INTERPLAY Theme Music (web site)
SONG CYCLE – Kathleen McLennan
ART 4 ASHES (art installation – incidental music)
I WANNA DO-WOP (commission – Woodend Warblers)
CABARET SONGS (standalone solo and ensemble songs – ongoing project)
Additional Credits
COURSE CREATOR/TEACHER
PRACTICAL SONGWRITING – University of Sydney
PRACTICAL A CAPELLA – University of Sydney
THE CREATIVE PROCESS – Carey Baptist Grammar in Melbourne.
TUTOR, PIANO & VOICE – Staughton College/Private students
CHOIR CONDUCTOR/ARRANGER – Staughton College
ACTOR/SINGER
This website is primarily devoted to Scott’s work as a composer and lyricist but highlights from his acting career include:
- Feature films (DEATH IN BRUNSWICK, FATHER, QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER)
- TV series (EMBASSY, HEARTBREAK HIGH, MURDER CALL, CHANCES, BOYS FROM THE BUSH)
- Theatre productions (NODDY, INTO THE WOODS, IS THERE LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?, EQUUS, THE CRADLE WILL ROCK)
- Cabaret (CELIBATE OR BUST!, THE WORLD TOUR, MUSIC MANDY & SCOTT)
- Dozens of solo performances (singer) and TV commercials.