Composer. Storyteller. Collaborator.
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Composer
My style is rooted in texture with the end goal of creating and exploring sound worlds unique to each project I work on, no matter the medium. Each musical choice I make comes from a sensitive intuition coupled with intention and purpose. As a classically trained composer and pianist, my work in film melds together lush orchestrations with cooling, ambient synths to create a world of familiarity, curiosity, sensitivity, and depth. My greatest asset is my ability to take on new challenges; in truth, these are the projects from which I learn and enjoy the most. I’m comfortable stepping outside of the box and approach every collaboration with enthusiasm and excitement regardless of the musical style or genre. Feel free to check out the range of my work in my showreel linked below. Thank you for listening!
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Storyteller
My grandfathers were magnificent storytellers. I remember sitting in awe listening to their stories imagining myself right there in the thick of it. I owe my love of storytelling to them. While I admittedly am not as eloquent at recounting stories, it is through my music I allow the narrative to shine. No matter the project, be it for film, theatre, or concert, my work has always been rooted in telling stories. I am passionate about pushing boundaries, amplifying voices that otherwise go unheard, and drawing inspiration from people and stories. Whether it’s building unique sound worlds, following a character’s journey, or setting lyrics to music, I will always be a storyteller first.
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Collaborator
To create together is truly a gift. I’ve always believed that collaboration promises new ideas and perspectives and it is this process where stories truly come to life. Collaboration is not only one of the most important aspects to my role as a composer, it is also one of my favourites as well. I am as much of a listener as I am a composer; I strive to work closely with my collaborators to achieve their vision and love delving into the script or having conversations to seek further inspiration. It is my responsibility as a composer to welcome new perspectives that ultimately only help the project reach its fullest potential. Get in touch today if you’d like to collaborate- I’d love to work with you!
I am an artist because I believe stories matter. I believe that every story and each vision and all voices deserve to be amplified and heard and felt. Art empowers voices.
I am a composer because music connects. It heals. It is vulnerable and raw and real and pure. It is a gift that never ends and from which I will never stop learning and growing.
Rebecca Nisco: Biography
Rebecca Nisco is an emerging composer and music editor currently based in San Francisco, California. At the heart of all her work, whether for stage or screen, is a profound love of storytelling and collaboration. Most recently, she was awarded Best Original Score at WIFFEN 2024 for the documentary “Arise Firebird,” which highlights the challenges women and women of color face in the workplace. Rebecca's notable composition credits include original ambient music for Pixar’s “Inside Out 2: Emotional Experience,” an ambient room featured on Pixar’s YouTube channel, as well as original scores for multi-award-winning short films such as “Quest,” “The Pigeon of Waterloo,” “Outside Chance,” and “Hit and Run.” Additionally, she composed music for the production “Art of Sin” in collaboration with Thistle Dance Company, which premiered at the Jefferson Market New York Public Library in the Fall of 2023. Recently, she completed work on two independent feature films: “The Country They Call Life”, for which she created an original score, and “Throuple”, where she served as Music Supervisor, licensing 39 songs from independent Brooklyn artists.
Her compositions have been performed and recorded internationally at prestigious venues including The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and Air-Edel Studios, collaborating with ensembles such as the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, where she received the Singer's Choice Award for her choral piece “Ave Maria.” Her arrangement of “O Holy Night” was premiered by The Catholic University Chorus and Orchestra in December 2023 during a nationally broadcast charity concert. Additionally, she is a recipient of the CT Artists Respond grant, which supported her live-action animated music video “Hit the Sky,” which she also directed and produced, premiering in Fall 2023.
Co-written with Lindsay Kennedy, her new musical “Like Cinders” was a semi-finalist for the O’Neill Musical Theatre Conference. The duo's first musical, “Our Man Harry”, was performed in concert in 2019 by the CenterStage Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., with the song “I Can Do It On My Own” subsequently selected for performance at the Kennedy Center’s Page-to-Stage Festival.
Rebecca works at Pixar Animation Studios as an Assistant Music and Sound Editor, contributing to titles “Inside Out 2,” “Elemental,” and upcoming “Dream Productions” and “Elio.”
Rebecca holds a Master of Music in Composition for Screen with Distinction from the Royal College of Music. As an educator, she is committed to supporting the arts and ensuring that all students, regardless of their economic background, receive a music education that demonstrates the transformative and healing power that music brings to the world.Rebecca is a proud member of ASCAP, The AWFC, and Maestra.