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The most recent death on Mt. Wilson claimed the life of a man identified as New Zealand-born, L.A.-based composer Mark Smythe. Following the tragedy, his colleagues and family poured out their hearts as they remembered a man they called smart, funny and a true supporter of his peers.<\/p>\n
Smythe died Saturday at 53 after suffering a cardiac emergency on a hiking trail, according to the coroner\u2019s online database. His cause of death was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, in which plaque builds up in arterial walls and can lead to a heart attack. <\/p>\n
The Sierra Madre Police Department said Saturday that a man \u2014 at that point unidentified \u2014 died after having a medical emergency<\/a> on the trail and that no foul play was suspected. First responders arrived at the site around 10 a.m. and administered aid but were unable to save his life. <\/p>\n Smythe had been head of the department of Composing for Visual Media at Los Angeles Music College since last summer, according to his website. Among other honors, he was nominated for a 2023 Society of Composers and Lyricists Award for his work scoring the movie \u201cThe Reef: Stalked<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Kate Ward-Smythe, the composer\u2019s sister, acknowledged his death late Sunday on Facebook<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is a comfort to know that he was doing one of the things he loved, hiking in the hills, and we are grateful to his wonderful friends (and emergency service responders) who tried so hard to resuscitate him,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cMark was a strong larger than life connector in LA, as a professor, composer, musician, and loyal friend. He was also fiercely talented, and an absolute cheerleader for music performance and recording across multiple genres.. he was only just getting started and had so much more to give .. We are heartbroken and trying to process this tragedy, as are all Mark\u2019s friends and family.\u201d<\/p>\n Bear McCreary, known for scoring TV series including \u201cOutlander,\u201d \u201cThe Walking Dead,\u201d \u201cBlack Sails\u201d and \u201cSnowpiercer\u201d and movies including \u201cHappy Death Day,\u201d \u201cGodzilla: King of the Monsters\u201d and Blumhouse\u2019s \u201cFantasy Island,\u201d called news of Smythe\u2019s death \u201cawful and surreal,\u201d saying they had just been chatting at a mutual friend\u2019s party a few weeks ago. <\/p>\n \u201cMark\u2019s enthusiasm and humor were off the charts,\u201d McCreary wrote Sunday on Instagram<\/a>. \u201cHe 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).\u201d<\/p>\n Having said he always thought he would get to know Smythe better one day, McCreary called his death \u201ca stark reminder to spend time with the people you care about while you can.\u201d<\/p>\n John Massari, who has more than 150 music credits stretching back to \u201cLittle House on the Prairie\u201d and contributed music to TV series including \u201cDancing With the Stars,\u201d \u201cPawn Stars\u201d and \u201cIt\u2019s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,\u201d said in comments<\/a> that \u201cMark was a bright light and a refreshing spirit in our community. He is greatly missed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so deeply sad to lose my friend. Mark, I miss you and love you. Thank you for your love, passion, humor, and joy and for always making me feel loved and valued,\u201d singer Baraka May, whose voice can be heard in \u201cAvatar: Fire and Ash,\u201d \u201cWicked: For Good\u201d and \u201cBeavis and Butt-Head,\u201d wrote Monday on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was funny and snarky and whip-smart, yet when we collaborated, he just melted into the music and gushed like a fan with child-like wonder. What a tremendous heart and mind!\u201d the vocalist wrote. \u201cI had the honor of collaborating with him on three of his beautiful pieces as a conductor, and I loved his boyish, genuine joy and excitement even in our rehearsals. He wrote and voiced his music beautifully, which often felt haunting, romantic, deep, and sensitive, and his bass playing was so beautiful and thoughtful. He was such a vivid, enthusiastic music lover, and I was very much looking forward to making more music with him.\u201d<\/p>\n The Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive also mourned the loss, saying online<\/a> that \u201cMark was a brilliant talent and a genuine friend to all, a true pillar in our scoring community.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the pandemic, Mark generously joined our 2020 New Music Project to support new repertoire for our music community during a time of great uncertainty and when most traditional pieces could not be performed.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hollywood Music in Media Awards remembered Smythe winning a career-propelling prize at the organization\u2019s 2013 ceremony, soon after he arrived in L.A. from New Zealand. <\/p>\n \u201cHe quickly built a distinguished body of work for film, shorts, and television, earned multiple HMMA nominations, served as COO of the Society of Composers & Lyricists, and returned to present at the 2018 HMMA Gala,\u201d the organization wrote<\/a>. \u201cMark\u2019s talent and generosity enriched our community \u2014 he will be greatly missed.\u201d<\/p>\n Smythe\u2019s death was the second this month on Mt. Wilson. On May 3, a man identified<\/a> as John McIntyre, 66, was declared dead<\/a> on the same trail after falling down a ravine at Mt. Wilson Road and the Little Santa Anita fire break in Sierra Madre. His cause of death was blunt force injuries.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n