Armenian Film Society: Can you tell us about your Armenian background?
Chris Hajian: I was born in Queens, New York City in 1964 into a very creative family environment. Both of my parents are of Armenian heritage. My grandparents on my mother’s side are Genocide survivors. They escaped and came to the United States in 1915.
I grew up with a strong Armenian Identity, and culturally, was very connected to Armenian history. The music, art, literature, and food were of particular interest to me.
AFS: How did you first get involved in music? Was music something that was evident for you early on? Were you surrounded by music as a child?
CH: My father was a professional trumpet player and I originally started on the trumpet at age five. I was a good trumpet player and excelled as a performer.
Music was all around my home literally all of the time and it was everything to me. Jazz and Classical especially was what my dad enjoyed, and he exposed me to all the greatest music. It was a gift to hear that music as a child and recognize how influential it was.
AFS: Can you recall your first memory or an early memory of watching a film and being aware of its music?
CH: The earliest memory is probably watching The Godfather and hearing that incredible Nino Rota score. Planet of the Apes by Jerry Goldsmith is another one. E.T. was a big moment for me. The power and emotion of John Williams' score stays with me to this day.
Later, various films of the 1980s influenced me: Rocky, The Untouchables, Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark. As I grew older, I discovered all the Bernard Herrmann scores, Max Steiner, Ennio Morricone, and all the legends.
AFS: Who are your heroes when it comes to music and film scoring, and what are some of your favorite film scores of all time?
CH: Bernard Herrmann, John Williams, Jon Brion, Jerry Goldsmith, Thomas Newman, and Alan Silvestri.
Vertigo, The Shawshank Redemption, Cinema Paradiso, The Godfather, The Red Violin, American Beauty, and The Theory of Everything.
AFS: How did you then get your start in film scoring?
CH: I was on a path to be a professional trumpet player. I was accepted to New York’s acclaimed High School of Performing Arts on West 46th Street. That environment was a big part of my development.
The energy of all of those talented young students was something that helped shape my creativity. It was here that I started to compose music. I loved writing and started to gravitate more and more to writing.
Later, while at the Manhattan School of Music, I switched my major from Trumpet Performance to Classical Composition. While I wasn’t composing film scores then I was very aware of film music and listened to scores all the time. I was fascinated with how influential the music was to how the audience was affected emotionally. I remember playing different scenes from my favorite films and muting the sound and then playing other music over it to see how it changed the feelings.
AFS: Can you walk us through what it's like when you start a project? Where do you begin and how do you know what direction to go in?
CH: It’s a great question and differs for each project and is based on my relationship with the director. It’s essential to capture the “tone” of the score. What I’m searching for is that magic that happens when the music feels so connected to the story. Like it’s in the DNA of the film. This is a process of deep exploration and focus on the story.
I teach at New York University and I always remind my students that to compose a great score, we have to be storytellers first. When we think like a composer, we get in our own way and I believe the collaborative nature of filmmaking suffers. Music is an important component of any film but it’s a part of it.
There is also a constant discussion with the director regarding what the sound and function of the score should be. Sometimes, other scores or music are referenced to give me an idea of what they feel can work, but at the end of the day, I am hired to create something unique and special that is born from what inspires me about the story and the visuals.
AFS: How do you ideally prefer that collaboration to be like with your director?
CH: I prefer it to be open, honest, and I am obsessed with building a trust between myself and the director. When trust is established, great things are possible. Once I start to compose ideas, I “mock up” the cues and present very elaborate demos, which I play for the director to review. Revisions are a big part of film scoring so that process can be involved, but it’s essential.
AFS: Fundamentally, what role do you believe music should have in a film?
CH: To elevate the story. To fill in the beats that we don’t necessarily see. To find something under the hood that adds depth and brings out subtext in a nuanced way. It’s about leading the audience to feel, not telling them what to feel.
AFS: What is a meaningful project of yours? Why is it so meaningful to you?
CH: That’s tough. Many for different reasons.
The Take was my first feature with director Brad Furman and that started a long relationship. I did many movies with Alex Zamm who is another lifelong collaborator. We did the television film, My Date with the President’s Daughter, that I’m very fond of.
Critical Thinking is a beautiful indie feature directed and starring John Leguizamo. The Infiltrator, which stars Brian Cranston is a score that I worked so hard on and it is a big part of the dramatic core of the story.
I’m also proud of documentaries such as First Position, Untraveled, and In Balanchine’s Classroom.
AFS: How long does it take you to score a film
CH: Depends on many factors. Generally, I have about five to seven weeks to write, revise, record, and mix an entire score. Working fast and efficiently is a very important skill for a film composer.
AFS: You’ve been very outspoken about taking care of your mental wellbeing on social media. You’ve also shared that you consider yourself a very emotional person. How does that impact your work? How much of your emotions do you tap into when composing? Does it vary with each project or is tapping into your emotions something you feel you should do with each project?
CH: Yes. To me, my music is an extension of who I am as a human being. I always strive to tap into my personal experiences and use my emotional experiences as a way to connect deeper to the story.
I believe when you let the listener into your life they connect in a more personal way. Someone once called me a “method composer,” which I think is a funny line but true.
When a director hires me, they get all of me. I also believe it’s important to discuss the mental health aspects of our lifestyle. Composers spend most of their lives by themselves working on music so it’s a goal of mind to be conscious of how that can affect us.
AFS: Have you incorporated your Armenian background in your music at all?
CH: Absolutely. Not directly, but woven into my harmonic landscape. Also, within my orchestration, I’ve used some of the authentic Armenian instruments: oud, duduk, kanon, zurna, shvi, and doumbek, to name a few.
AFS: Are there any Armenian musicians or singers whose music you admire?
Aram Khatchadourian, Komitas, Alan Hovhaness, Tigran Hamasyan, Richard Hagopian, Ara Dinkjian, and Djivan Gasparyan.
AFS: You’re working on a new project, Tin Soldier. What can you tell us about it from a music perspective? What excites you most about this project?
CH: It’s an incredible creative opportunity for many reasons. It’s dramatic and spiritual and the cast is spectacular and includes Jamie Foxx, Robert DeNiro, Scott Eastwood, John Leguizamo, Nora Arnezeder.
Music plays a big part of the narrative. The director Brad Furman, whom I worked with many times before and is a dear friend, is very supportive of my vision and creativity. He pushes me and we have a beautiful connection. It’s really a project that allows for a lot of exploration and one where creating something unique is valued. It’s going to be a fun ride!
