Los Angeles Based

Composer.
Guitarist.
Storyteller.

Noah Straus is a musician pursuing a degree in Media Scoring and a minor in Philosophy at the Claremont Colleges. With a background in jazz, classical, and electronic music, his work is rooted in a deep appreciation for storytelling.

Noah Straus donning his Indiana Jones 2023 Dial of Destiny hat while standing next to the original hat worn by actor Harrison Ford

Noah Straus is a Los Angeles-based composer, guitarist, and passionate musician currently pursuing a degree in Music Composition at the Claremont Colleges. With a background in jazz, classical, and media scoring, Noah’s work is rooted in his deep appreciation for storytelling through music.

Noah’s love for music is only matched by his deep knowledge and passion for film.

His musical journey began at a very young age influenced by Jazz played non stop in his parents home and regulary outings to the Hollywood Bowl where he would listen and watch the Los Angeles Philharmonics under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel as well as other guest conductors such as Maestro John Williams.  At the age of five Noah began to play the piano, later transitioning to jazz guitar at 14—a discovery that shaped his artistic identity.

At the Claremont Colleges, and as part of the Pomona College Music department Noah has dedicated himself to composition, studying under esteemed composers Thomas Flaherty and Igor Santos, and exploring both classical and electronic composition.

As an active member of the music community at Claremont Colleges, Noah is the guitarist for the Pomona College Jazz Ensemble and leads additional musical groups on campus. His compositions have been performed by fellow musicians, and he has scored short films and written pieces for various school events. He has also participated in the Port Townsend Centrum Jazz Summer Program, where he performed in a jazz festival with a small ensemble.

In November of 2025 Noah was the youngest member elected to the Board of the Los Angeles Jazz Society.
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Noah is set to earn his BA in Media Scoring and a minor in Philosophy in May of 2026.

Artistic Influences

Musical Roots

Inspired by early exposure to jazz and classical music through family, drawing influence from Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, John Williams, Count Basie, Terrence Blanchard, Mark Knopfler, Alfred Newman, Henry Mancini, and Sergei Prokofiev.

Cinematic Vision

A pivotal moment for Noah was when he was 12 years old listening to a score of John Williams while watching one of Maestro Williams films which he had become familiar with since he was a young boy. However, the pivital moment was a full recognition that what drew him into the film was the score. It was in this moment Noah realized he wanted to bring to life the emotions we see on a screen through music.

Collaboration

Noah believes Media Scoring is a collabrative art form. There's no other way to go about it. Through engagment with the Director whose vision he needs to help come alive, to putting himself in the seat of an audiance member and the muscian playing the score, for Noah there is no other way to create music, then to co-create it with the inspiratoin of all stake holders.