HISTORY

In 2015 composers Joanna Bates and Sylvio Pretsch met for the first time and discovered an immediate creative affinity. Their collaboration began with shared interests in contemporary songwriting and expanded into orchestral, cinematic and production-driven projects.

Joanna’s body of work includes the documentary score for Bear Sanctuary (Discovery Channel), collaborations with orchestras in Moscow, the Czech Republic and Poland, and the composition of the musical drama CELT, staged at the Brecon Theatre in 2005. Earlier in her career she was a finalist in the Best Song category of The Musical Of The Year competition in 1996.
Sylvio’s background spans international remix and production work, audio post-production for albums later placed in television programming, and the creation of demo compositions for established VST instrument manufacturers.

Together they contributed music to commercial and entertainment productions, including projects for major digital-media companies. When global production cycles slowed during the COVID-19 years (2020–2022), the resulting pause became a decisive moment in their artistic development.

At the end of 2024 they established Saltman Audio Lab, an international collective of songwriters, composers and producers dedicated to contemporary music creation, high-level post-production and artist-focused collaboration. The team grew in early 2025, bringing additional creative expertise into the Lab.

Throughout 2025 the collective developed original music for selected private commissions and curated events. Among these works were a bespoke cinematic soundtrack and a dream-pop production premiered at an exclusive event in October 2025, both receiving a highly positive audience response.

Since mid-2025 Saltman Audio Lab has concentrated on a select portfolio of confidential commissions, artistic collaborations and specialised scoring and production work.