Kan R. Gao: The Composer Behind Emotional Video Game Soundtracks
Canadian composer, musician, and game developer renowned for creating emotionally resonant soundtracks for narrative-driven indie games.
Born in Shanghai, China; immigrated to Canada in 1997. Founded Freebird Games in 2011. Earned critical acclaim for composing and developing the award-winning game 'To the Moon' while studying at University of Toronto. Creates minimalist piano-driven scores blending classical, ambient, and folk elements.
- Composed 'To the Moon' soundtrack during university, with development spanning 3.5 years while balancing academic work and part-time jobs
- Suffered severe tendinitis during production of 'Finding Paradise' (2017), forcing him to compose single-handed using a touchscreen
- Openly discusses mental health struggles, channeling personal experiences of depression and loneliness into his melancholic compositions
- Performs all piano parts himself despite having no formal music training, describing his process as 'intuitive experimentation'