Uncommon Vision

"Despite losing his central vision to macular degeneration at age 25, Colin O'Donohoe has achieved what most sighted musicians only dream of: composing music for Emmy-winning television, earning 7 million Spotify streams, performing at Rio's Sambadrome, and founding two orchestras and beginning a third in Istanbul . As a composer, conductor, and cultural bridge-builder, Colin unites musicians from Iraq to Ireland, Mongolia to Brazil—proving that artistic vision transcends physical sight. His current projects include Dream CPR (therapeutic sleep music reaching listeners in 30+ countries), Apostrophate 'Me (an Irish-American musical), and Echoes from Arlington (his father's Vietnam memoir decoded with DBT skills for military families)

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Composer for TV, Film, and Beyond

Colin O'Donohoe has composed music for television since 2011. His music has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Access Hollywood, Chrisley Knows Best, and BBC Sport's 2025 Six Nations rugby coverage.

He is the credited composer, on cue sheets filed by the networks themselves, for Discovery's The Day I Ran China, Animal Planet's Northwest Law and Northwest Law: Uncuffed, and Dark Souls for Discovery en Español.

His television publishers include Harpo Music Publishing, Oprah Winfrey's company, and Discovery Networks Music Publishing. His independently released music has surpassed seven million documented streams.

  • Television composer since 2011

  • Music on The Dr. Oz Show, BBC Sport, Access Hollywood and Chrisley Knows Best

  • Credited composer for Discovery and Animal Planet

  • Published by Harpo Music Publishing and Discovery Networks Music Publishing

  • More than seven million documented streams

  • Icon of a vintage television set with antennas on top.

    TV COMPOSER

    “Composer for film and television since 2011 — including Emmy-winning productions. Featured on:

    - The Dr. Oz Show
    - Discovery Channel (4 series)
    - Chrisley Knows Best

    Additionally, Colin has composed for Film including the Award Winning “Earthbound” by Robin Shou (Mortal Kombat) IMDB

  • Icon of a drum with drumsticks above it.

    WORLD MUSIC

    Founder of Pangean Orchestra, collaborating with musicians from Iraq, Turkey, Mongolia, Burkina Faso, Ireland, and beyond. Lived on 5 continents (W. Africa, Turkey, Brazil, Ireland). Performed at Rio's Sambadrome with 2023 Samba champions Porto da Pedra. Music transcends borders—bringing cultures together through indigenous instruments and genre-defying fusion."

  • Icon of a musical note on a dark background.

    PASSION PROJECTS

    Apostrophe 'Me — A darkly funny, high-energy Irish-American musical premiering 2026, where family secrets and outrageous showdowns collide.

    Echoes from Arlington — A Purple Heart Vietnam vet's handwritten memoir, decoded with DBT skills to reveal hidden life strategies for military families. Memorial Day 2026.

    Neanderthal Bone Flute Project — Guided by Slovenian virtuoso Boštjan Gombač, bringing a 60,000-year-old instrument to Cleveland for its first U.S. concert in 2026.

“D'Artagnan of the Drums”

Colin's brother once joked that he was 'D'Artagnan of the Drums'—and looking back, he nailed it. Like that fearless Musketeer, Colin has built a career saying yes to rhythm wherever it takes him. From performing alongside jazz legend Clark Terry at the 1997 Paradise Valley Jazz Party to studying Senegalese Sabar drumming for months in West Africa, thundering through Rio's Sambadrome with Brazil's the Rio samba school Porto da Pedra, and collaborating with turntable legend DJ Qbert—Colin moves fluently between drum set, Irish bodhrán, and Middle Eastern doumbek. For three decades, he's treated rhythm as a universal language: playing blues in Cleveland and Antalya, bodhrán with a reggae band in Lomé, and performing with musicians from Dakar to Tokyo to Mongolia.

Group of people dressed in white costumes with elaborate headdresses, some holding drums and musical instruments, at a festival or celebration at night.

Colin has performed on five continents, with particularly deep connections to Brazil's samba tradition. He has performed multiple times at Rio's legendary Sambadrome, including the historic 2023 Carnival where he performed with the Rio samba school Porto da Pedra: a major achievement in the fiercely competitive world of Rio's samba schools.

International Performances & Rio Sambadrome

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The Pangean Orchestra (2010-)

Founded in Phoenix in 2010, the Pangean Orchestra was led by Colin despite the loss of his central vision in 2003. The ensemble brought together musicians from every continent and a wide range of cultural traditions, performing in Phoenix and New York City. While living in Turkey, Colin began developing an Istanbul version of the group, which drew recognition in the Turkish press for its ambitious global vision. The Pangean Orchestra embodied his commitment to building musical bridges across borders, proving that artistic vision endures beyond physical sight.

DREAM CPR

Dream CPR: Sleep Sounds for Stress, PTSD & Tinnitus

After years of living with PTSD and tinnitus, Colin O'Donohoe created 'Dream CPR'—a sleep music and stress relief series designed for relaxation and tinnitus relief. He has released nine ambient albums, seven of which have surpassed one million streams on Spotify. Because traditional music kept him awake and silence made his tinnitus unbearable, O'Donohoe crafted calming soundscapes that ease listeners into restful sleep without overstimulation. Save the curated Spotify playlist featuring the best relaxation tracks from each album—perfect for endless hours of peaceful sleep.

How to use:

Play at low volume overnight. Loop the playlist. It masks tinnitus and reduces hypervigilant waking.