Mark Smythe, Composer and Professor, Dies on Hiking Trail at 53

Mark Smythe, a composer originally from New Zealand who had been residing in Los Angeles, passed away on Saturday at 53 years old. He succumbed to a medical emergency while hiking the Mount Wilson trail in the San Gabriel Mountains. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s office confirmed that cardiovascular disease was the cause of death. In a statement, the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue team expressed their condolences to his family, also thanking the friends and fellow hikers who provided assistance on the day. The Mount Wilson trail is notoriously strenuous, featuring steep ascents and panoramic vistas, and has historically been the site of altitude-related issues and cardiac emergencies requiring rescue services.

Smythe first captured the industry's attention in 2023, receiving nominations for both an SCL Award and a World Soundtrack Award for his score on Hulu's "The Reef: Stalked." His filmography further includes the horror film "The Possessed," the romantic comedy "Love You Like That," the horror movie "Boar," and the war-themed adventure "Unfallen." Colleagues have been vocal in their grief. Composer Bear McCreary, known for his work on "Battlestar Galactica" and "The Walking Dead," shared a personal tribute on Facebook. "I'm shaken to hear of the shocking and untimely passing of Mark Smythe," McCreary wrote. "He was a prominent figure in the Los Angeles film scoring community, especially within the Society of Composers and Lyricists, and a genuinely talented composer. 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." This anecdote highlights Smythe's playful personality and his deep passion for music across genres, a quality that endeared him to many in the industry.

Before transitioning to film scoring, Smythe performed with several rock bands in New Zealand and earned a master's degree in screen composition from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. He later taught media composition at California State University, Northridge, and served as the Department Head of Composing for Visual Media at the Los Angeles College of Music. His dedication to mentoring aspiring composers was well recognized. In 2024, he was selected as a Composer Fellow for the Choral Arts Initiative PREMIERE|Project Festival, where his piece "Song of the Sea – Part I" for choir and electric guitar premiered. The composition showcased his skill in blending classical orchestration with contemporary instruments, a signature of his style. Dr. Elena Torres, a music professor at UCLA, remarked, "Smythe's ability to bridge traditional and contemporary styles made him a unique voice in the industry, and his loss is deeply felt by those who followed his career." This fusion of old and new, combined with his educational contributions, ensures his influence will persist in the world of film music.