Mark Smythe, a New Zealand-born and L.A.-based composer, died Saturday after a medical emergency on the Mount Wilson mountaineering path close to Los Angeles. He was 53.
The L.A. Coroner’s office reported that the reason for loss of life was heart problems. The rescue crew stated in an announcement, “Sierra Madre Search and Rescue extends our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased man. We also extend our thanks to the man’s friends and other hikers who assisted today.”
Smythe was nominated for an SCL Award and a World Soundtrack Award for his rating for Hulu’s “The Reef: Stalked” in 2023. Amongst his different composing credit have been horror film “The Possessed,” rom-com “Love You Like That,” horror film “Boar” and conflict journey “Unfallen.” He was chosen as a Composer Fellow for the 2024 Choral Arts Initiative PREMIERE|Mission Competition, which included the premiere of his “Song of the Sea – Part I” for choir and electrical guitar.
He additionally served as COO of the Society of Composers and Lyricists for a number of years. Smythe was a frequent participant and visitor at The Night time Temple, a composer group with month-to-month performances. The subsequent efficiency on Saturday night can be hosted in his honor.
Composer Bear McCreary paid tribute to Smythe on Fb, writing “I’m shaken to hear of the shocking and untimely passing of Mark Smythe, a prominent figure in the Los Angeles film scoring community, particularly with the Society of Composers and Lyricists, and a talented composer in his own right. Mark’s enthusiasm and humor were off the charts. He brought a shark with a bowtie to the red carpet of an SCL awards ceremony when he was nominated for his work on a shark movie – hilarious! When he found out I was writing a metal album, he curated his favorite German folk metal bands for me (turning me on to his favorite band, Finsterforst).”
Smythe performed in a number of rock bands in New Zealand and has a masters in display screen composition from the Australian Movie, Tv and Radio College. He taught media composition at Cal State College, Northridge and served as Division Head of Composing for Visible Media at Los Angeles School of Music.
