Universal Names Eight Composers for 2026-2028 Initiative

Universal has named the eight composers who will take part in the next edition of its behind-the-scenes talent scheme.

The 2026-2028 Universal Composers Initiative will include Annah Tencic, Marcus Norris, Logan Nelson, Katya Richardson, Kristen Personius, Forrest Gray, Claudio Olachea and Jeremy Earnest, according to Variety. The announcement was reported on 12 October 2026.

The scheme is run by Universal Talent Development with Universal Film Music, with DreamWorks Animation and Universal Studio Group Music taking part. It was established in 2018 and is designed to find and support rising talent in entertainment. In practice, that means writers of original music who are starting to get noticed but have not yet had many studio jobs.

It runs for two years. Participants get access to the studio production process — in plain terms, a close look at how music moves from a written score to a finished film inside a major studio. A film score is the original music heard under dialogue, action and closing credits, often recorded with live players.

That access matters because breaking into studio scoring is hard without contacts. The initiative was first set up to develop early-career composers with limited or no experience of that system, as reported by Deadline in 2018. It looks beyond the usual routes, seeking artists from both traditional and non-conventional professional backgrounds.

Applications for this fourth group opened in January, as reported by The Wrap. Applicants were asked to submit a completed form, an original music sample and release forms.

Universal points to jobs as the measure. Since the start, 10 alumni have gone on to score features for NBCUniversal labels including Universal Pictures, Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation. Overall, 90% of alumni have been hired on a project connected to NBCUniversal, according to Variety.

For context, the 2021-23 class also numbered eight and included five women and composers from Costa Rica, Hong Kong and Korea, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

What makes this stand out is the direct line to work. Many talent schemes end with a showcase. This one counts feature credits. The places cover the 2026 to 2028 cycle.