Large Scale

European Capital of Culture 2022

Musical direction & curation, Music Composition, Production, Sound design. Location: Esch, Luxembourg. Directed by Brendan Shelper, BR STUDIOS.


The challenging circumstances of the first Covid-19 lockdown offered Battle Royal Studios the opportunity to develop a novel hybrid format for the Esch2022 REMIX Opening, unique in its scope and interactivity for the traditional opening ceremony of a European Capital of Culture. With a wide range of immersive live entertainment, Battle Royal Studios took the audience to the moon and back. The opening night was created as a complex immersive journey. The city came alive with live music, DJ sets, dance performances, architectural projections, light installations and a wide range of immersive live entertainment. There were approx 18,000 visitors welcomed in covid-compliant conditions on-site and 14,000 online.

Photos and text courtesy of BR Studios.

The evening also included a cross-genre concert, Future Frequencies, directed and developed by Frank Wiedemann and Matthew Herbert, where Basil was an additional musical director and mentor.  Here, over 100 local musicians came together to perform a colossal mix of styles on stage, accompanied by an enormous light show. 


European Capital of Culture 2017

Musical direction, Music Composition and Production, Sound design, Audio Project Management. Location: Aarhus, Denmark. Directed by Nigel Jamieson


City-wide opening event

One of the largest community participation events ever held in Denmark, Aarhus 2017 and Nigel Jamieson created a procession including several thousand lanterns, six huge Viking ships, almost a thousand choir singers, musicians and several thousand citizens, transforming  Aarhus City Centre into a floating sea of people, music and epic spectacle.  Basil was the musical director and main composer for the event, working with  Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, hundreds of choir singers, musicians from around the world who have made Aarhus their home, and many more. The soundtrack, with extensive notes and credits, is below.


The Music

The People's Opening is a procession that follows a mythical narrative that takes us from a primeval past, the origins of culture in Denmark, all the way to the world as it is now and beyond. The music's main function is to help tell that story together with the visual spectacle, to create an atmosphere of wonder, and also showcase some of the best talent in Aarhus and beyond.

Many local musicians and musical groups were invited to contribute to the music for the People's Opening, including the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, composer Jakob Buchanan, and singers Eivör, Luna Bülow Ersahin , guided by the musical expertise and advice of composer and sound artist Marie K. Højlund. The choirs are directed by conductor Carsten Seyer-Hansen. Composer and producer Basil Hogios was invited to weave this musical puzzle together into a complete score for the Opening by working with the local artists, arranging their existing songs and also traditional music such as “Drømte mig en drøm i nat” and “Frydeligt med jubelkor”, and composing and producing new music into a flowing and continuous musical experience. 

Music Credits

Musical contributors

Musical Director, Composer, Arranger: Basil Hogios

Musical advisors, Aarhus: Marie K. Højlund and Morten Riis

Composer for Aarhus Jazz Orchestra: Jakob Buchanan

Aarhus Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Søren K. Hansen

Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, conducted by Carsten Seyer-Hansen

Choirs: Concert Clemens, Aarhus Pigekor, MidtVest Pigekor, Herning Drengekor, Skt Clemens Drengekor

Choir Director: Carsten Seyer-Hansen

Choir arrangements: Ingeborg Thisted Højlund, Jakob Buchanan, Basil Hogios

Choir soloists: Ingeborg Thisted Højlund, Nadja Marie Schmedes Enevoldsen

Choir for ‘Skyerne Gråne, og løvet falder’: The Danish National Opera. Conducted by Ole Farschou

"Falling Free" + "Salt" written by Eivör Pálsdóttir, vocals: Eivör Pálsdóttir

“Sounds Like Hope" written by Eivör Pálsdóttir, main vocals: Eivör Pálsdóttir, vocals: Luna Ersahin Bülow, Birk Øster, Marie K. Højlund


"Kus Dili", written by Luna Ersahin Bülow– main vocals: Luna Ersahin Bülow

Kus Dili choir: Walat Issu, Salam Susu, Camilla Dayyani, Ahmad Ghasemi, Marie K. Højlund, Nadja Marie Schmedes Enevoldsen

Kus Dili Musicians: Aske Døssing Bendixen, Jakob Sommerlund Moestrup, Cahit Ece, Benedicte Adrian, Fathi Amouni, Orhan Turan.

Music Editor and mixer: Anders Boll


Music production credits:

Aarhus Symphonic Orchestra recordings Producer: Hjarne Fessel

Orchestrator: Rasmus Bosse

Conducter: Søren K. Hansen

Recording engineer / Mixer : Henrik Winther Hansen Recording operator: Lars Reker

Composition and arrangement: Basil Hogios


Aarhus Jazz Orchestra recordings Producer: Rasmus Bøgelund

Conducter: Carsten Seyer-Hansen Sound engineer: Thomas Qvist

Mixer: Henrik Kjærgaard and Anders Boll Lur soloists:

Brass soloist: Michael Bladt, Cesar Joaniquet, Stefan Ringive

Composition: Jakob Buchanan

Arrangement: Jakob Buchanan, Ingeborg Thisted Højlund


The National Danish Opera recording of "Skyerne Gråner"

Producer: Peter Pade

Conducter: Ole Farschou

Sound engineer / mixer: Anders Boll

Arrangement: Basil Hogios


Choir recordings

Aarhus Pigekor, Midtvest Pigekor, Herning Drengekor, Concert Clemens Koret, Skt Clemens Drengekor

Conducter: Carsten Seyer-Hansen

Recording engineer/ mixer : Henrik Winther Hansen

Recording operator: Henrik Birk Aabo

Composition and arrangements: Ingeborg Thisted Højlund, Jakob Buchanan and Basil Hogios

Regional choir coordinator: Marianne Langberg

How To Train Your Dragon (Live Arena Spectacular)

Musical direction, Music Editing, Composition and Production, Sound design, Audio Project Management. Location: US and Australia. Directed by Nigel Jamieson

This is an epic arena adventure inspired by the Academy Award-nominated DreamWorks animated film How To Train Your Dragon, featuring incredible giant animatronic dragons by Creature Technology Company, produced by Global Creatures (King Kong, Walking with Dinosaurs) and Dreamworks. Following a successful tour of Australia and New Zealand in early 2012, this arena spectacular completed a North American tour in January 2013.

Basil composed new original music in addition to music he re-imagined from John Powell's powerful score from the film, and music from Jonsi (Sigur Ros). Recorded in Iceland, it features string players from the Reykjavik Orchestra, Schola Cantorum Choir (as heard in Bjork's music), musicians who work with Jónsi, Sigur Rós, Múmm, the inspiring  Amiina, and co-produced by Alex Somers (Riceboy Sleeps). The production was deftly and sensitively directed by Nigel Jamieson, master of large scale theatrical works, and assistant-director/movement coach Gavin Robins.

Trailer from Creature Technology Company (music from original film by Jon Powell)
New Music from Live Arena Show by Basil Hogios.

ReEsch E'Vol 2024, ReEsch 2022 (Outdoor Public Circus Events)

Music editing, live playback and mixing of multi-track audio, Sound design, Audio System Liason.

Official website

Idea + Production: Violeta Frank (VF Art Projects)

General Production: La Nuit de la Culture, Esch-Sur-Alzette + VF Art Projects

Script + General Direction: Sean McKeown (2022), Crystal Manich (2024)

Art Direction: Horacio French

Composer: Damian Mahler (Argentina)

Vinterlys Light Festival ('The Portal')

Sound design for the entrance installation of the Vinterlys Light Festival.  Location: Skjern, Denmark

Vinterlys 5min V2 final.mp3
Full length 2-Channel mixdown

Dream Masons (Public Open-Air Theatre)

Music composition, live performance and conducting.  Location: Hobart, Australia. Directed by Jess Wilson.

Dream Masons transformed the façade of the Salamanca Arts Centre into an awesome theatrical spectacle of grand proportions. The entire work was accompanied by a live band with original music composed by Basil Hogios, who musically directed and performed in the shows.  This unique work brought together a group of 85 professional artists, students and local community volunteers.   An additional show crew of 65 performers, musicians, choir members, operators and backstage technicians worked together to create a visually spectacular theatre work for an audience of approximately 14,000 over four nights. 

Balconies folded out of the windows, a huge false wall collapsed, water gushed from the building, and a boat was winched up the façade before it paddled over the audience. The distinctive aesthetic of Dream Masons was defined by engineered spectacle elements, heightened physical performance and lyrical shadow puppetry.

Heartland (Live Arena Spectacular)

Music composition and arrangement. Location: Brisbane, Australia. Directed by Nigel Jamieson.  Orchestral music recorded in Prague, Czechia. Additional music recorded in Sydney, Australia.

This production took an Australian entertainment tradition and transformed it into cutting edge show using immersive technology. A gripping tale of two struggling Aussie farmers, Reg and Marge, and rejoice with them as the community’s courage, bravery and generosity help them overcome a stunning, yet unforgiving life on the land. With the help from some unlikely characters, and friendships that will last a lifetime, the pair overcome the harsh realities of life on the land.

Music composed and arranged by Basil Hogios & Caitlin Yeo.

Orchestral Recording Session, Smecky Studios, Prague
heartland_theme__cd_mix__1.mp3
Heartland Theme, Orchestra and Electric Guitars, Basil Hogios

Music Credits

Heartland Orchestral Music

Composed by Basil Hogios and Caitlin Yeo

Orchestra Produced by Basil Hogios

Recorded and Mixed by Jan Holzner at Smecky Studios, Prague

Orchestration and conducting by Adam Klemens

Orchestral ContractorJames Fitzpatrick


Heartland Band Music

Band recorded and Mixed by Sean Carey

Band Produced by Sean Carey and Caitlin Yeo

Band recorded and Mixed at Church Street Studios

Band scores and orchestrations by Andrew Scott


Production

Music editor Mark Watson

Music Assistant Florence Werger

Musicians

Drums and Percussion Hamish Stewart

Bass Jonathan Zwartz

Fiddle/Mandolin Marcus Holden

Acoustic Guitars Sean Carey

Electric Guitar Glen Hannah

Banjo Zane Banks

Accordion Caitlin Yeo

Harmonica Christian Marsh

European Capital of Culture 2017 (Closing Ceremony)

Musical direction, Music Composition & Production, Sound design, Audio Systems Liason. Location: Aarhus, Denmark. Directed by Dina Abu Hamdan

To close a spectacular European year of Culture for Denmark, the closing ceremony, ‘A Shared Moment’, took place in Hvide Sande,  a small town in the middle of the Holmsland Dunes, on the 9th December 2017. Basil was the musical director and composer of this event, a year after he worked on the opening ceremony. Directed by Dina Abu Hamdan.