THE TEAM
Clean underwear can’t hurt
For over 25 years award-winning creator, composer, songwriter, lyricist, producer and director Kevin Saunders Hayes has created film scores, songs, and a variety of immersive and interactive music experiences that defy classification and delight audiences worldwide.
The Daily Breeze may have said it best, “Hayes’ music is always interesting and intriguing, crossing genres from gothic to punk to pop. He clearly has the skills to make an audibly exciting performance.”
His international upbringing allowed Kevin to absorb a rich and diverse array of musical styles and genres, passionately consuming everything from London’s rock scene to opera, EDM, hip hop and symphonic classical music.
This, along with his curiosity, dedication and unique skills as both a film composer and songwriter, contributed to his success as the creator of more than 50 feature film scores (a roster that includes two Academy Award® nominated documentaries), as well as two 21st Century Filmmaker Awards for Excellence.
His passion for creating distinctive and deeply emotional sonic stories has also driven his production of a large catalog of songs, including 15 albums of his own music, the title songs for 12 feature films and the book, music and lyrics for 15 stage musicals. Not surprisingly, his formidable musical skills are in high demand from a wide variety of talent including Tony Award winner Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid), Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe nominee Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Spanish classical guitarist Angel Romero and actor Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas).
After formal training at London’s Royal Academy of Music and Abilene Christian University, Kevin toured the South Pacific with the USO, performed throughout the US with a variety of bands, and eventually landed in New York where he quickly became a first-call composer and songwriter for commercials and jingles. He often recalls his years in New York as “the best music training I could have ever hoped for” and it prepared him for the day film composer Christopher Young asked him to come to Hollywood and work on the Paramount feature film ‘Synchronicity’ starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. This experience helped launch his film scoring career and he soon became an in-demand composer in Los Angeles.
However, Hayes never suspected where his next life-changing inspiration would come from.
“Underwear”, says Hayes dryly. “I don’t know why, but Mom would say, ‘Be sure to wear nice underwear. You never know when you might get in an accident.’ Well, I was wearing a pretty ratty pair when this thought ran through my head, so I went to a bargain store looking for the cheapest Fruit of the Looms I could find.”
While walking the aisles, his eye caught a cardboard sign that read, “Silent Movies $1.00” that stopped him in his tracks. “Film scoring had gotten me thinking about how you might add lyrics to the instrumental themes to enhance the storytelling.” He knew that no director in their right mind was going to let him experiment with their film, so, he had pretty much scrapped the idea until he saw that sign.
He quickly forgot his mother’s admonition and went home with a bag of silent films.
This search for underwear led to the creation of the award-winning Vox Lumiere, his immersive concert experiences that combine singers, band, multimedia, AR and classic silent film into radically unique, immersive and interactive events. Or as The Phillylist describes it, “Silent film with musicians, singers and dancers performing along with it. How friggin’ cool is that?”
From its humble bargain store beginnings, Hayes has built Vox Lumiere’s unique brand of entertainment into a commercially successful franchise with six different productions that have performed throughout North America and Europe. His productions have received extensive coverage in the media, built a loyal fan-base and have performed internationally.
Vox Lumiere has been featured in a critically-acclaimed PBS Television Special (which Kevin produced), and his productions have received numerous awards, including seven Los Angeles Ticket Holder Awards and five LA Stage Scene Awards (including “Best Special Event of the Year”).
Kevin has also remained productive during the recent Covid lockdown, creating Quarantine Stories, a weekly series of original music he wrote, recorded, produced and distributed every week for 76 weeks.
His current projects include AliƧin, the seventh album and immersive and interactive Vox Lumiere concert experience, featuring a trippy mash up of four Alice in Wonderland silent films and a psychedelic Alice animation from the 1960’s, and King Laugh, a gothic mashup of French silent vampire films and the landmark silent classic Nosferatu. In addition to the expanded role of augmented reality in King Laugh, Hayes is using a new multi-dimensional approach to the audio storytelling and, with the application of cutting-edge technology, is creating a soundtrack that immerses listeners in a multi-dimensional sonic environment.
REVIEWS
To say we were blown away would be an understatement. Mind-blowing entertainment… truly different, incredibly exciting, and definitely the ticket for one of the coolest events to be found. ~ Broadwayworld.com
Spectacularly unique: a blend of soul-pumping rock concert, dance, and theater intertwined with a silent film. A captivating, one-of-a-kind experience that had the audience cheering, singing and ready to dance! ~ Buzzine
WOW… a sound-and-light extravaganza that leaves you wishing for an extra pair of eyes and ears. Whether you’re a diehard theatergoer, movie buff or concert regular, you’ve never seen anything like it! ~ Stage Scene LA
Clean underwear can’t hurt
For over 25 years award-winning creator, composer, songwriter, lyricist, producer and director Kevin Saunders Hayes has created film scores, songs, and a variety of immersive and interactive music experiences that defy classification and delight audiences worldwide.
The Daily Breeze may have said it best, “Hayes’ music is always interesting and intriguing, crossing genres from gothic to punk to pop. He clearly has the skills to make an audibly exciting performance.”
His international upbringing allowed Kevin to absorb a rich and diverse array of musical styles and genres, passionately consuming everything from London’s rock scene to opera, EDM, hip hop and symphonic classical music.
This, along with his curiosity, dedication and unique skills as both a film composer and songwriter, contributed to his success as the creator of more than 50 feature films scores (a roster that includes two Academy Award® nominated documentaries), as well as two 21st Century Filmmaker Awards for Excellence.
His passion for creating distinctive and deeply emotional sonic stories has also driven his production of a large catalog of songs, including 15 albums of his own music, the title songs for 12 feature films and the book, music and lyrics for 15 stage musicals. Not surprisingly, his formidable musical skills are in high demand from a wide variety of talent including Tony Award winner Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid), Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe nominee Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Spanish classical guitarist Angel Romero and actor Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas).
Hayes is also passionate about his listeners and determined to always bring them a fresh and audibly stimulating experience. “People want something authentic , something that tells a compelling story and communicates true emotion.”
One of the ways he does this is by challenging the notion of ‘genre’. “I think people don’t think about “genre”, says Hayes. “Music is music, and they just like what they like.”
“I create drastically different genres of music and always have,” says Hayes. “What do I sound like? I sound like me, and that sound changes, morphs and grows depending on what I’m feeling, what I’m experiencing, what I’m curious about, intrigued by, and the sounds I’m fascinated with and excited about exploring.”
“Is it electronic? Is it rock? Is it alternative? Why do we have to choose just one bucket to put things in? Besides, popular music has always been a hybrid, and the result of various traditions getting together, ‘making sweet, sweet love’ and creating something new.”
“I’m really fascinated with mashing things up”, he adds. “Taking a bunch of sonic stuff that shouldn’t go together, tossing it all into the pot and stirring it up – like fusing crushing metal guitars with operatic sopranos, or adding deep EDM beats to a symphony orchestra. It works. It’s exciting, and it does what all good music should – it surprises you, delights you and makes your body start moving as you lean in closer to listen.”
This deep musical appetite to explore and expand musical norms shouldn’t be surprising given all the places he’s lived and his diverse music training that has stretched from such diverse places as London, New York, Hollywood and Abilene, Texas.
After formal training at London’s Royal Academy of Music and Abilene Christian University, Kevin toured the South Pacific with the USO, performed throughout the US with a variety of bands and eventually landed in New York where he quickly became a first-call composer and songwriter for commercials and jingles. He often recalls his years in New York as “the best music training I could have ever hoped for” and it prepared him for the day film composer Christopher Young asked him to come to Hollywood and work on the Paramount feature film ‘Synchronicity’ starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. This experience helped launch his film scoring career, and he soon became an in-demand composer in Los Angeles.
However, Hayes never suspected where his next life-changing inspiration would come from.
“Underwear”, says Hayes dryly. “I don’t know why, but Mom would say, ‘Be sure to wear nice underwear. You never know when you might get in an accident.’ Well, I was wearing a pretty ratty pair when this thought ran through my head, so I went to a bargain store looking for the cheapest Fruit of the Looms I could find.”
While walking the aisles, his eye caught a cardboard sign that read, “Silent Movies $1.00” that stopped him in his tracks. “Film scoring had gotten me thinking about how you might add lyrics to the instrumental themes to enhance the storytelling.” He knew that no director in their right mind was going to let him experiment with their film, so, he had pretty well scrapped the idea until he saw that sign.
He quickly forgot his mother’s admonition and went home with a bag of silent films.
This search for underwear led to the creation of the award-winning Vox Lumiere, his immersive concert experiences that combine singers, band, multimedia, AR and classic silent film into radically unique, immersive and interactive events. Or as The Phillylist describes it, “Silent film with musicians, singers and dancers performing along with it. How friggin’ cool is that?”
From its humble bargain store beginnings, Hayes has built Vox Lumiere’s unique brand of entertainment into a commercially successful franchise with seven different productions that have performed throughout North America and Europe. His productions have received extensive coverage in the media, built a loyal fan-base and have performed in six countries.
Vox Lumiere has been featured in a critically-acclaimed PBS Television Special (which Kevin produced), and his productions have received numerous awards, including seven Los Angeles Ticket Holder Awards and five LA Stage Scene Awards (including “Best Special Event of the Year”).
Kevin has also remained productive during the recent Covid lockdown, creating Quarantine Stories, a weekly series of original music he wrote, recorded, produced and distributed every week for 76 weeks.
His current projects include AliƧin, the seventh album and immersive and interactive Vox Lumiere concert experience featuring a trippy mash up of four Alice in Wonderland silent films and a psychedelic Alice animation from the 1960’s, and King Laugh, a gothic mashup of French silent vampire films and the landmark silent classic Nosferatu. In addition to the expanded role of augmented reality in King Laugh, Hayes is using a new multi-dimensional approach to the audio storytelling and, with the application of cutting-edge technology, is creating a soundtrack that immerses listeners in a three-dimensional sonic environment.
REVIEWS
To say we were blown away would be an understatement. Mind-blowing entertainment… truly different, incredibly exciting, and definitely the ticket for one of the coolest events to be found. ~ Broadwayworld.com
Spectacularly unique: a blend of soul-pumping rock concert, dance, and theater intertwined with a silent film. A captivating, one-of-a-kind experience that had the audience cheering, singing and ready to dance! ~ Buzzine
WOW… a sound-and-light extravaganza that leaves you wishing for an extra pair of eyes and ears. Whether you’re a diehard theatergoer, movie buff or concert regular, you’ve never seen anything like it! ~ Stage Scene LA
Victoria Levy
Victoria is a singer, songwriter, recording artist, live performer, voice-over artist, vocal producer and vocal contractor for film, television, theater, animation, recording artists, video games and national brands. She is also an accomplished producer with over 25 years experience in all aspects of live event, theater, audio and television production.
Highlights from her production career include Canadian Music Week, Holland in Canada, Mariposa Folk Festival and the prestigious Juno Awards, (Canada’s Grammys). She has also produced all of the company’s 300+ productions, as well as its critically-acclaimed PBS Television special.
As a singer and voice-over artist, Victoria can be heard on numerous feature film scores including Tomorrowland (Walt Disney Pictures), Real Steel (Dreamworks), and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (20th Century Fox), as well as the television soundtracks for The Scream Heard ‘Round The World (Bravo/Trio), Expecting Mary (Netflix) and the award-winning arts education series Posie Paints (Mississippi Educational TV).
Victoria has lent her voice to many commercial and corporate brands and her voice has been featured on countless jingles including:IBM, Kodak, Motorola, Mattel, Blue Cross, Fisher Price, Corona, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Radio Disney and Power Rangers.
She has also recorded with artists that include Diana Ross, Meredith Brooks, Michel Polnareff, Roch Voisine, the Grammy nominated John Prine, Juno Award winner Sass Jordan, as well as noted composers, songwriters, and producers such as Danny Elfman, Michael Giacchino, Matthew Gerrard, Stephen Bray, Ralph Schuckett, Ellen Shipley, David Foster and Christopher Ward.
Victoria is also the singing voice of Barbie.