Testimonials
I had the pleasure of working with Alex on ACROSS THE RIVER TO MOTOR CITY.
It was a very difficult assignment for Alex as he had never worked with me before, and anyone who knows me, knows how near an impossible thing to do, that is! Second, I asked him to go further than normal in creating a musical environment that supported the two major eras of the project, contemporary times, as well as most of the decade that was the 1960s, while being bound by the normal restraints of budget and time. As usual, we had a very limited amount of both, as we tend to have in today's TV drama world.
To make things more difficult for him was when we met during our first real music spotting I pointed out I needed him to go further with the score and the number of expected cues than we ever discussed during prep. This was due to the fine cuts all being on the short side, and thus, once we altered them to length, the music score had to create the illusion of a more rapid picture pace than actually existed.
Alex accomplished this.
Then, when he played for me his score for the final episode - I changed my mind. Literally and completely. I threw the whole thing out, 72 hours prior to the pre-mix. We put a gun to Alex's head, and said, "Forget what I said was in my head - get what's in my head, now." Alex acomplished this, too. He did this translating all of my new ideas and notes, sent him by cell phone from hiway 401, by working two and a half days without rest. When next he hit playback, I accepted every cue which went into the mix note for note.
Now. If we could only teach Alex to speak English....
Robert Wertheimer (producer)
Jonsworth Productions Inc.
Charlie Jade
Across the River to Motor City
The Bridge
Rio Grande
My Mother the Bookie
The Picker
R U There?
Nazi Mom
Alex Khaskin is the most talented composer I have worked with. When he watches a rough cut of a film he understands immediately what the director is trying to say and do with the movie .He has an insight into all the characters When he composes a score it's always the film that takes precedence and no matter how beautiful the music if it doesn't work with the scene he reworks the music till it does. He is always willing to take suggestions from everybody from the editor to the writer and director. He is a team player and the only thing that matters to Alex is did his music make the film better. He is a tireless worker and a perfectionist. He will work late hours so you can meet your deadline. And when you watch the final product you always think that he elevated the film to new heights. Alex has worked on my last five movies and I look forward to working with him in the future.
Alan Mendelssohn is international award winning writer/director and producer of documentaries
Alex Khaskin composed wonderful music for my documentary series Exotic Lives. He is a good collaborator who knows how to work effectively with a team and he delivers on time. I highly recommend him to any producer.
Vanessa Dylyn
President
Matter of Fact Media Inc.
"Music is the heartbeat of any show and Alex Khaskin operates like a skillful surgeon, creating and selecting just the right music to make your show comes alive. He can devise a musical pulse to any show that enhances and contributes to the whole overall theme and bring the show to life on screen."
Joe Recupero
CBC Sports, Producer/Director
Alex Khaskin is an extraordinarily gifted, versatile composer; a creative talent who is truly a delight to work with. Alex knows when and when not to use music. His instinctive grasp of narrative allows him create subtly nuanced, sensitively layered tracks that are dead on and often quite transformative. In the 30+ years that I have worked as a television producer/director I have had the privilege of working with many talented individuals and Alex is one of the best.
David Tucker
Producer/Director " Nature of Things "
Alex Khaskin is a very talented composer. He listens well, works fast and creates wonderful music for our Gemini-nominated series Ancestors in the Attic, a series that requires versatility, subtlety and a deft touch, skills that Alex has in spades.
Dugald Maudsley
Producer and Co-Creator
Ancestors in the Attic
Primitive Entertainment and History Television
Alex is as good as they get. His ideas are from the soul. He has the versatility to score an action scene with drive, turn around and provide sensitivity and poignancy in a documentary. Love his work!
Jim Corston
Executive Vice President, Production
CCI Entertainment Ltd.
"Alex is great. He's professional. He cares about his craft...composing music which fits the content, emotion, and pace of the film. He's met many impossible deadlines. And he's fun to work with.
Cheers
Alan Burke
Producer/Director
From the first moment I heard Alex's music, I knew I was in for a treat. He can expertly pull your emotional strings with the nuance of the simplest melodies to layers of lush and complex ideas. Equally impressive is his understanding of technical requirements of weaving music around dialogue in a dramatic situation. His score was a vital contribution to the soundscape of Across The River to Motor City, which garnered a Gemini for Best Sound in a Dramatic Program. Thank you, Alex!
Andrew Tay
Re-recording Mixer
Music affects our senses and emotions like no other experience in life, which is why it is such a critical element in telling a story in Television or film. Alex has an amazing gift of not only translating a vague concept into sound, but carrying it beyond expectations to the highest level no matter what the genre. More amazingly he has pulled off some of the most dazzling and imaginative tracks while shackled by extreme deadlines. I have worked with and recommended Alex on a number of occasions and it's always a privilege to have his talent lift and enhance my work.
Jim Goertzen
Senior Video Editor
Science & Documentary Production Unit
CBC Television
If you give this man a composing job, he will be relentless in nailing exactly the overall tone, mood, shape of the musical landscape required. He will not rest until you are satisfied. He is skilled in composing across a wide range of musical genres. In addition to scoring for long form documentary, drama, television series, he is skilled in composing for show animation and show openings. Working with Alex, I found him to be responsive to criticism, deadlines, direction.
Janice Tufford
Production Executive The Food Network, HGTV
Former VP, Barna Alper Productions
I have worked with Alex Khaskin across two series of our 3D animated series Erky Perky and I have found him to be an outstanding composer. Erky Perky is not an easy cartoon to score and I wanted a sound that would be immediately be associated with the series. He has achieved a very distinctive, original and fun sound that I am extremely happy with. His work on the theme song was also inspiring and helped create the tone for the rest of the show. I look forward to working with Alex on Series 3.
David Webster
Co-creator and Series Director, Australia
Erky Perky
Alex Khaskin is a very talented composer that we at the CBC value highly. His music scores for several of our productions including 'The Greatest Canadians: John A. MacDonald', The Documentary Unit's 'Happiness', and The Nature Of Things with David Suzuki's 'Change of Heart' & 'Hot Times in the City' greatly enhanced these films. Alex is very creative, original, and inspirational with the talent and ability to realize any musical approach, from full 'classical' orchestral to contemporary pop; he is extremely hard-working, doing his utmost to help maximize the quality and originality of every film on which we have collaborated and is a team-player. I have no hesitation in recommending Alex for any project involving his musical skills.
Patrick Russell
CBC TV Music Supervisor
I've had the privilege of working with Alex on both documentary and dramatic productions and I'm always incredibly happy with the outcome. He is both insightful and daring, and I feel his work raises the caliber of the production. Alex understands the power of story and approaches his work like a filmmaker - adding colour and contour, and ultimately helping the film achieve it's goal of connecting with the audience.
Jeff Vanderwal
Producer / Director
Alex Khaskin has an amazing ability to create exactly the feeling you are trying to achieve with music. Whether you're a musician or just enjoy music, he can interpret what you want; and Alex won't stop tweaking a cue until it's bang on. He's a perfectionist, and it shows.
Nadine Pequeneza, Producer/Director of "Women Cops"
When I need a classical score, I think of Khaskin. If I have to swing, I go to Alex. If it needs a groove, Sascha's my guy. He covers it all – rock, country, cool, classic and contemporary. The Russian does the job for you and the borscht isn't bad either.
David Langer, Producer
He's a mad Russki who brings truly awesome production values to any track no matter how tight the timescale or budget...'Alex has a truly original ear, melding phat beats with symphonic voicings to produce a highly contemporary sound with truly awesome production values.'
Chris Lent
Producer /Director "Underworld", England