Andrew Staniland

Composed by Andrew Staniland, the original score for The King Tide (2023) delivers a dark, atmospheric, and suspenseful sonic identity tailored to the film’s isolated island setting. The music builds immersive tension, anchored by the haunting "King Tide Waltz" performed by pianist Bill Brennan. The score accompanies the community’s descent into fanaticism and civil war. Critics praised its tonal flexibility, calling it a "terrific score... which is at times orchestral and swelling and at others creepy". 

Composed by Andrew Staniland, the original soundtrack for SKEET (2024) is a raw, emotional companion to the film’s black-and-white visuals. Trading traditional orchestration for a gritty mix of electric guitars, vintage synths, piano, and tape effects, the 14-track score creates a deeply empathetic atmosphere. At its core is "Billy’s Theme," a minimalist, pivoting musical motif that rocks back and forth. This unique sonic design serves as a metaphor for the characters' internal struggles, capturing the delicate balance between addiction and transformation.

The original score for Sweetland (2023) is a haunting, atmospheric score  crafted by acclaimed Canadian composer Andrew Staniland. Designed to reflect the stark, isolated beauty of a declining Newfoundland coastal community, the music strikes a delicate balance between a harsh reality and the supernatural.

JUNO Award-nominated Phi, Caelestis (2017) is an innovative large-scale orchestral work, originally commissioned by Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra for a landmark collaborative ballet. Modeling its architecture after the hypnotic beauty of the Fibonacci sequence and the Golden Ratio, this boundary-pushing score weaves a seductive acoustic-electronic tapestry of thundering percussion, colossal brass, and cinematic synth textures. Praised by The Globe and Mail for being "full of brawn and energy,"

Commissioned by the Esprit Orchestra, Six Enigmas (2022) is a fierce, fast-paced violin concerto. Written in close collaboration with virtuoso Stephen Sitarski, this virtuosic score is characterized by virtuoso  violin passagework and explosive orchestral blasts. Hailed by critics as a "kaleidoscopic..." it highlights Staniland as an elite choice for daring commissioners seeking high-impact, voice-driven contemporary repertoire that challenges top-tier soloists

Commissioned with assistance from the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, Andrew Staniland's Fly With Crows is a dynamic, highly flexible chamber piece originally written for violinist Amy Hillis and the cellists of VC2. This approximately six-minute work is driven by rhythmic vitality and intricate interplay,

Written for long-time collaborator and guitar virtuoso Rob MacDonald, Andrew Staniland's Mythos (2024) is a  seven-movement suite for solo classical guitar that bridges centuries of musical tradition. Visited by the ghosts of the past, the work is heavily influenced by the Bach Lute Suites and modeled loosely after a traditional Baroque suite structure. However, Staniland subverts convention by translating these classical forms through a striking combination of traditional instrumentation and cutting-edge  compositional approaches

Commissioned for Ryan Scott's acclaimed percussion project, Andrew Staniland's ANTIGRAVITYDRUM (2023) is an explosive, avant-garde work written for solo snare drum and electronic track. The piece begins in stark acoustic isolation with disconnected snare springs before dropping into a dense electronic soundscape filled with free-jazz elements and vibrant vibraphone counterpoints.