Bah-vietz

“How do you pronounce your last name??” It’s quite easy – [Bah-vietz].

Who is David Bawiec?

David Bawiec

I am an award-winning composer, songwriter, and music producer/supervisor. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to delve into nearly every genre and project type. My work spans from TV shows and Hollywood feature films to live theater, musicals, theme parks, parades, shows, attractions, commercials, games, mobile apps, VR experiences, and a wide array of pop music.

I’ve always had both feet in two worlds of music. One in orchestral writing and film scores, the other in pop music. Having the opportunity to work in both of these worlds as well as blend them on occasion to create a new level of expression is something beautiful. Music is my endless love and passion and being able to express my feelings through music has honestly been the most amazing gift of my life.

I’ve had the privilege of contributing to various notable projects. These include the movie John WickNCIS, Arrested Development, National Geographic, and even prestigious events like The Oscars.

My educational background includes a triple Bachelor of Music degree in Film ScoringContemporary Writing and Production, as well as Songwriting from Berklee College of Music. This is where I learned my craft from some of the world’s best!

Where have you heard my work?

You can hear my music all around the world, from John Wick and a plethora of Netflix shows & movies, all the way to The Mandalorian Experience for Star Wars Celebration. Even Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! If you watched The 83rd Annual Academy Awards (Oscars) or the TV show NCIS then you’ve heard my work. I’ve had the privilege of working with some incredible artists, including on Michael Bublé’s and Jackie Evancho’s albums. I’ve written music for such clients as Nike, Dr. Pepper, Atlantis Resorts, Carnival Cruises, & National Geographic. I’ve worked on Peepshow Las Vegas, Arrested DevelopmentExeter – the newest horror film from the guys that gave you the Paranormal Activities. Those are just a couple of examples that don’t include the multiple movies that I have written music for, music supervised, or music edited. I’ve also worked with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, including a fantastic concert featuring brand-new arrangements of all the holiday classics!

I’m currently wrapping up composing music for an upcoming TV series on Netflix and a new firework show in a secret location. Details coming soon. ;)

Awards

Remember that thing about being “award-winning”? Here are just a couple of the awards I’ve received:

Song Of The YearSong Of The Year

Berklee Songwriting Competition: Song of the Year award for “Oh How I Love This Life”

Best Original ScoreBest Original Score

Academy Rewards winner as Best Original Score for Short Film for “The Snowman”

Best Pop/Rock SongBest Pop/Rock Song

Rhythm and Frequencies: Best pop/rock song award for “Heroes”

Johnny Mercer ProjectJohnny Mercer Project

Winner & participant of Johnny Mercer Songwriter’s Project

Outstanding Musicianship AwardOutstanding Musicianship Award

Contemporary Writing and Production Achievement Award for Outstanding Musicianship

Curtain Up AwardCurtain Up Award

"Curtain Up" - Musical Theater Competition. All three songs I submitted won the contest.

EmotionCrafters

EmotionCrafters was born from my deep love for themed entertainment and my unwavering belief in the power of music to evoke emotions and create lasting memories. Founded with the vision to infuse unparalleled emotions into every experience, we specialize in crafting immersive soundscapes. From composing captivating melodies for parades and firework shows to designing sonic environments for attractions and themed areas, our services span a spectrum of musical storytelling. With a dedicated team passionate about bringing magic to themed entertainment, EmotionCrafters has become a go-to destination for those seeking unforgettable, emotion-rich sound experiences in the industry. Through this venture, my team and I have had the privilege of collaborating on remarkable projects (including the Paramount Studios Christmas Tree Lighting Show many years in a row and The Mandalorian Experience to name a few), contributing our unique blend of musical expertise to elevate themed entertainment experiences worldwide. Join us on this melodic journey, where every note is a celebration of the magic that music brings to the world of storytelling.

My story

Born on July 11, 1985, in Brussels, Belgium, I was the first child to my parents Anna Kiełbowicz (Polish) and Wlad Bawiec (Belgian). By the age of 6, I had already lived in three countries: Belgium, Holland, and eventually Poland where we ended up staying for the next 19 years. No matter where we lived, at home we always spoke Polish. I attended a Dutch, French, American, and later even a Polish school, learning all of those languages in the process. Over the years English and Polish became my primary languages, both of which I speak fluently. In fact, I’ve always had a thing for languages, I speak 7 languages in total: 3 languages fluently (English, Polish, French) and 4 more on a basic level of communication.

My talent for music I received from my mother who herself is a pianist and a composer. Just like her, I started playing the piano as a child. My love for music grew stronger with every day of my life. However, my music education path was a very bumpy and tough one. Aside from going to a normal lower school, in the afternoons I attended a lower music school where I learned my first steps on the piano, music theory, etc. In the middle of seventh grade, my parents decided to transfer me from the American school system to a Polish school. I had so much catching up to do in my polish that I had to focus on that entirely and quit music school. I decided not to disconnect completely from my music education by taking private piano lessons. I started playing along with a lot of CDs and songs on the radio. Over time, I learned to improvise on given chords very well. This also gave me a breadth of knowledge in the world of pop and contemporary arranging.

Don’t ask me why, but after having finished high school I decided to study Roman Philology at the Warsaw University in Poland. It took me just a couple of months to realize that this was a bad idea. After a lot of soul-searching, I realized that music had always been the central passion of mine and so I decided to return to my roots and to completely devote my life to music.

David Bawiec

When passing the entrance exams to the Frederick Chopin University of Music in Warsaw (formerly the Fryderyk Chopin Academy of Music) I faced a lot of challenges. Mainly the fact that it was a requirement for applicants to have completed 12 full years of music lower, middle, and high school education. I had roughly a couple of years in my bag. But as they say, there are no limits to what you can achieve when you put everything into it and are driven by passion. Within half a year I learned 6 years’ worth of music theory to make up as many gaps in my music education. When the time came around, I passed the entrance exams into the Chopin University of Music, making me the first person in 25 years to pass the entrance exams into the university without having attended music middle or high school. In 2005 I began my studies at the University of Music at the “Choral Conducting” major.

Having already changed my life I was about to change something at the University itself! I always had two enormous passions in music: film music and contemporary music (pop/pop-rock/musical/gospel/ccm, etc.). After many discussions with the dean of my major, I was granted permission to start the first contemporary band in the history of the F. Chopin Academy of Music.

Singing and performing on stage have always been a part of my life. I sang in various TV & radio commercials like Kapitan Iglo, Yogobella, etc., and in film scores: “Bandyta” (music Michał Lorenc), “War & Peace” (music Jan A.P. Kaczmarek). In 2006 I won a casting to a big-production musical with an international cast. As a student, I started working at the Warsaw Chamber Opera House where I sing in the choir. I also sang in many other music projects varying from small ensembles, to large choirs with orchestra, and from classical to contemporary pop or gospel.

Apart from that, I compose a lot of music, ranging in style from serious orchestral works to light instrumental pieces, and from emotional ballads to fast-tempo rock songs.

In 2007 I started my application process to one of the leading music schools in the world – Berklee College Of Music in Boston, USA. Out of thousands of students who auditioned, I was one of the few who had been chosen to start their music education at Berklee. Not only did I successfully pass the entrance exams, but I also received a scholarship from the college for having presented a “high level of talent and musical promise”. At Berklee I pursued a triple-major degree program in Film Scoring, Contemporary Writing & Production, as well as Songwriting.

After graduating roughly 3.5 years later, I moved to Los Angeles, California, where I have been working professionally since. I continually work on major projects, films, and albums in the entire creative entertainment industry globally.

As for my current work, I am constantly writing new music and arrangements. From current pop music charts to Vegas shows, theme parks, and advertising, it’s always a new surprise. Be sure to check frequently for the latest developments on new projects!

© David Bawiec. All photography by Elena Ostroumova unless specified otherwise.