Nathan Barr

Biography

​Nathan Barr is an American film and television composer renowned for his distinctive musical style and innovative use of instruments. Born on February 9, 1973, Barr began his musical journey at the age of four in Tokyo, Japan, influenced by a diverse range of cultural sounds. His mother played the koto and piano, while his father played banjo, guitar, and shakuhachi, providing a rich musical environment. Barr studied cello and English literature at Skidmore College and further honed his skills by touring Europe with the Juilliard Cello Ensemble in 1993. 

In 1996, Barr moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in composing film and television scores. He began his professional journey under the mentorship of renowned composer Hans Zimmer, contributing to films such as As Good as It Gets and The Prince of Egypt. Barr's breakthrough came in 1998 with his first solo film score for Hairshirt.​

Barr is perhaps best known for his work on HBO's True Blood, where he composed the music for all episodes from 2008 to 2014. His other notable television projects include The Americans (2013–2018), Carnival Row (2019–2023), and The Great (2020–2023). In 2020, Barr won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music for his work on the miniseries Hollywood.​

Beyond his television work, Barr has composed scores for numerous films, including Hostel (2005), The Last Exorcism (2010), The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018), and Salem's Lot (2024). He is known for his ability to play a wide array of instruments, often performing many of them himself in his compositions. Barr is also recognized for his collection of rare and unusual instruments from around the world, which he incorporates into his music to create unique soundscapes.​

In his personal life, Barr was previously married to singer Lisbeth Scott, a frequent collaborator on his projects. In 2010, Barr publicly came out as bisexual and was subsequently named one of Out magazine's 100 most influential LGBT people.​