Film composer George S. Clinton, an MTSU alumnus and the man behind the music of “Mortal Kombat,” “The Santa Clause 2” and the “Austin Powers” film series, shared his expertise with MTSU Oct. 19-20 as the 2011 Department of Recording Industry Artist-in-Residence.

During his two-day visit to campus, the Grammy- and Emmy-nominated Clinton presented two free public events and several “master classes” for MTSU recording-industry students.

George S. Clinton

The first public event, the SunTrust Brian Williams Entertainment Studies Lecture, was Oct. 19 in Room 101 of the Bragg Mass Communication Building on the MTSU campus.

Williams was a SunTrust Bank senior vice president who enthusiastically supported the Nashville music business community; the SunTrust Lecture Series, supported by SunTrust Bank, was renamed in Williams’ honor after his 2006 death.

Clinton’s second public event was an Oct. 20 question-and-answer session on the film-music industry and composition in Room 174 of the Bragg Mass Comm Building.

The 1969 MTSU grad spent the rest of his time at the University visiting classes, critiquing graduate recording-industry students’ film scores and discussing the relationship between film and the film’s musical score with a group of student screenwriters.

“George is a member of an elite group of film composers in Hollywood,” said Dr. Bob Wood, director of MTSU’s Master in Fine Arts in Recording Art and Technologies program. “The scope and quality of his work is remarkable, encompassing so many styles and genres.

“His insights into the film music industry and how to get started are invaluable to our students. There is also no substitute for the critiques he provided for our MFA student composers. Imagine receiving assistance on a student film score from a composer who has written music for so many films! They won’t forget the experience.”

Clinton is a native of Chattanooga, Tenn., and an honorary recording-industry professor at the University. He also is a member of the MTSU College of Mass Communication Board of Professional Advisors.

For more information about Clinton’s visit, contact Wood at 615-898-2532.