Geoff Knorr (born 13 June 1985) is an American composer, orchestrator, and sound designer. He has worked on video game titles such as Civilization V, Civilization: Beyond Earth, Civilization VI, Galactic Civilizations III, 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. 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. He has since collaborated as a composer, orchestrator, and sound designer with Firaxis Games and Stardock.
Works
| Title | Year | Developer | Notes |
|---|
| Civilization 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 |
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 Award | Civilization: Beyond Earth | Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media | Won |
| 2015 | ASCAP 2015 Composers' Choice Award | Civilization: Beyond Earth | 2014 Video Game Score of the Year | Nominated |
| 2015 | International Film Music Critics Association Award | Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide | Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media | Nominated |
| 2016 | ASCAP 2016 Composers' Choice Award | Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide | 2015 Video Game Score of the Year | Nominated |
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