Pioneering composer Nami Melumad reflects on her new Star Trek "family" and the future of Prodigy's music

Nami Melumad, composer, Star Trek: Prodigy. Image IMDb

NOVEMBER 7, 2021 - Composer Nami Melumad has been known for a while now as the first woman to score an episode of Star Trek as well the first woman to score a Star Trek series, the latter being the currently running Star Trek: Prodigy. Now that Prodigy is well underway, Melumad is talking about her background and her approach to the series’ music in an interview with StarTrek.com.

Melumad remembers seeing but not understanding Star Trek while growing up in Israel, then much later encountering the themes of Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage as well as the music from other films. She would play the scores on piano then wonder what might come next. “I'd come up with ideas, and I started learning the software and the tech behind it. It became a passion.”

Melumad says she is approaching the music for Prodigy like the characters themselves, and the series’ young viewers, both of whom are new to the Federation and to Star Trek. She says, “You'll see that the more the show evolves, the more Star Trek-y it becomes music-wise.”

As far as being a part of Star Trek herself, she says, “…I got a family, like a new family. I know it's kind of cliche to say that, but it's so true. I feel very close with Kevin and Dan [Hageman]. It's just like... just being part of that world is exciting and fun. And it's rewarding on its own, just to be able to bring [something to] this story and to create it. It’s so important. It's so huge for the filmmakers, but also for me. I get to be part of the team that brings a new generation into Star Trek. Everything is exciting about it. Everything is rewarding. I feel very blessed for sure.”

For more on Star Trek’s first female composer, Nami Melumad, including her approaches to our new heroes and her collaborations with Star Trek: Prodigy theme composer, Michael Giacchino, you can read the entire interview at StarTrek.com.