Ģ������Ƶ

These days, Amanda Muse ’17 spends most of her time composing music for Hollywood films and television shows.

Muse’s music is known for its vibrant, energetic blend of lush orchestration with rich classical harmony and driving rhythms informed by her extensive background as an internationally recognized percussionist.

But her journey to music composer began shortly after she graduated from Western Carolina University and started composing music while working with the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band’s drumline.

“During that period of time, I was doing so much writing for shows and the aspect of these musical compositions was something that I fell in love with and also the expression of it,” Muse said. “I got to the point where I wanted to explore musical scores beyond just orchestral writing and drumlines, I wanted to branch out.”

Muse traveled throughout the U.S. and internationally as a drumline clinician artist. She was champion of the 2018 international "Hit Like a Girl" percussion contest and later went on to perform on snare at the 2019 PASIC international percussion convention in Indianapolis.

Muse has also released two self-published books on snare drum technique: “Rhythmic Muse” in 2018 and “Foundation” in 2020. Muse then decided to continue her dream of composing and moved to Los Angeles.

“I moved to L.A. just before the pandemic and got two master’s degrees – one in music composition from California State University and one in project management from New York University,” Muse said. “Since then, I have worked on music scores for Disney, Netflix, Pixar and other film studios. It has been an amazing journey.”

Muse got her industry start as a producer and sample editor at renowned virtual instrument company CineSamples, for which she traveled the world to capture the sound of authentic instruments. She also oversees all project management at music production company Hollywood Scoring, where she collaborates with a team of Emmy-winning producers and composers to provide music for feature films, video games and live entertainment.

But all of this would not have been possible if she had not gone to WCU.

“When I was in high school, I was very excited to hear about POTM going to Macy’s in 2014 and that inspired me to continue with marching band and switching from flute to snare drums,”

Muse said. “That was the primary reason I chose WCU, because of the reputation of POTM. I went for a few campus visits and everything just felt right for me to come to Cullowhee.”

A psychology major, Muse was a member of the POTM Purple Thunder drumline. She went with the band to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2014.

“I'll never forget walking up the street in New York and seeing all these people on the balconies of their apartments just trying to get a sneak peek at the performers,” Muse said. “It felt like we were celebrities and it made me emotional. It was such an incredible experience.”

Muse has never forgotten her Cullowhee roots, lending her skills to the Western Wednesdays podcast by composing the opening and closing score, where she was a guest for the March 2024 episode.

“From seeing my first snow on campus, to POTM, to cementing my music career, Ģ������Ƶhas been with me each step of my journey,” she said. “I was honored to be asked to compose the music for the podcast. This keeps me connected to Ģ������Ƶall the way in California.”