Film buffs, take note: Sooner or later, you may hear Zach Moore’s work in theaters.

Zach — the son of lending sales specialist Jody Moore — was named second runner-up in the Emerging category in this year’s Marvin Hamlisch Film Scoring Contest. The global contest is named for the American composer and conductor who died in 2012. Hamlisch is one of only 12 people to “EGOT,” or win Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards. He is one of only two to have also won a Pulitzer, and scored movies including Ordinary People and Sophie’s Choice, among many others.

Zach is about to begin his second year teaching choir at Waukesha West High School. In the Hamlisch contest, his untitled composition for the film The Time Machine, directed by Mark Kendall, was up against more than 700 other pieces from 70 different countries. This was Zach’s first time entering a contest writing music for film.

He originally discovered his love of choral music as part of the choir program at Muskego High School, where he says choir director Matt Wanner does an outstanding job. “We performed a themed concert that had to do with going from darkness to light. By the time we were finished singing the six or seven songs that were a part of that set, most of us had cried at least once from how moving it was to us,” Zach says.

That experience moved him toward choral composition, and in college he began to experiment with instrumental composition, as well. He describes composition as “a realm of endless possibility.” He says, “It is almost surreal to think that a piece I wrote on my living room couch is being performed on another continent.”

Though Zach had been interested in trying his hand at film scoring since high school, he had never given it a serious go. He wanted to do it to expand his capabilities and because he loves how music can enhance a story. But, he says, “never in my wildest dreams did I think I would place in the top three on my very first try in film writing. I had written cinematic music prior, but never had to sync my music to the emotion of a movie. It is harder than it looks at times.”

Zach isn’t sure yet what the future holds — he may pursue the glamorous life of a Hollywood musician someday, but he also loves his job as choir director at Waukesha West. “Since the contest, I have wondered if I actually have a chance in this field,” he says. “But I love inspiring and connecting with young minds. I enjoying sharing the choral art with them and making beautiful music.”

As for Jody, she says she and her husband are deeply proud of and excited for Zach. “He’s been blessed with a God-given gift, and to see him embrace and share his gifts is amazing! He loves to test his skills, and the contest was an incredible opportunity for him to do just that. Mike and I feel incredibly blessed to watch him soar!”