Geoff Knorr (born June 13, 1985) is an American composer, orchestrator, and sound designer. He has worked on video game titles such as Civilization VII, Civilization VI, Civilization: Beyond Earth, Civilization V, Ara: History Untold, and Ashes of the Singularity.
Knorr was born in Framingham, Massachusetts and grew up in Marietta, Georgia. He took piano and cello lessons at a young age and he composed his first piece of music in eighth grade.Greening, Chris. "Interview: The Orchestral Music and Interactive Sounds of Civilization V", Square Enix Music Online. He studied composition with Christopher Theofanidis and Michael Hersch and recording arts and sciences at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
Knorr first came to the attention of the Firaxis sound team when he did score preparation for the choir recording for Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword.Van Zelfden, Alex. "Behind the Music of Civilization V" , 1up.com. He has since collaborated as a composer, orchestrator, and sound designer with Firaxis Games, Oxide Games, and Stardock.
Knorr's symphonic arrangements from Civilization V and VI are regularly performed by orchestras around the world as part of the touring Game ON! symphonic game music concerts, conducted by Andy Brick.Game ON! Concert, Featured Games https://gameonconcert.com/ __NOTOC__
Works
Title Year Developer NotesCivilization IV: Beyond the Sword 2007 Firaxis Choir score preparation Civilization V 2010 Firaxis with Michael Curran Elemental: Fallen Enchantress 2012 Stardock with Mason Fisher Civilization V: Gods & Kings 2012 Firaxis with Michael Curran Civilization V: Brave New World 2013 Firaxis with Michael Curran Haunted Hollow 2013 Firaxis Music and sound design At the Gates (video game) 2013 Conifer Games Main menu music Civilization: Beyond Earth 2014 Firaxis Lead Composer. Additional music by Grant Kirkhope, Michael Curran, and Griffin Cohen Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide 2015 Firaxis Lead Composer. Additional music by Grant Kirkhope and Griffin Cohen Galactic Civilizations III 2015 Stardock with Michael Curran and Mason Fisher Ashes of the Singularity 2016 Stardock with Michael Curran and Richard Gibbs Civilization VI 2016 Firaxis with Roland Rizzo and Phill Boucher Civilization VI: Rise and Fall 2018 Firaxis with Roland Rizzo and Phill Boucher Civilization VI: Gathering Storm 2019 Firaxis with Roland Rizzo and Phill BoucherCivilization VI: New Frontier Pass2020-2021Firaxiswith Roland Rizzo and Phill Boucher Ara: History Untold 2024 Oxide Games with Michael Curran and Jonathan Peros Civilization VII 2025 Firaxis with Roland Rizzo
Awards and nominations ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, 2004 NACUSA Young Composers Competition, Honorable Mention, 2007 Salvatore Martirano Memorial Composition Award, Honorable Mention 2009 Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute, Participant, 2009
Year Award Title Category Result 2014 International Film Music Critics Association AwardIFMCA Award Winners 2014 Civilization: Beyond Earth Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media 2015 ASCAP 2015 Composers' Choice AwardASCAP 2015 Composers' Choice Awards Civilization: Beyond Earth 2014 Video Game Score of the Year 2015 International Film Music Critics Association AwardIFMCA Award Nominees 2015 Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media 2016 ASCAP 2016 Composers' Choice Award 2016 ASCAP Composers' Choice Awards Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide 2015 Video Game Score of the Year 2017Game Audio Network Guild AwardsCivilization VI Music of the Year2019Game Audio Network Guild AwardsCivilization VI: Rise and Fall “Cree - The Atomic Era (The Drums of Poundmaker)" Best Original Choral Composition2019British Academy Games Awards (BAFTAs)Civilization VI: Gathering Storm Game Beyond Entertainment (entire development team)2020Game Audio Network Guild AwardsCivilization VI: Gathering Storm Best Original Soundtrack2020Game Audio Network Guild AwardsCivilization VI: Gathering Storm “Maori - The Atomic Era” Best Original Choral Composition
References
External links Official Website of Geoff Knorr