 Both of his parents were involved in music and theater, and as a child he played the piano, saxophone, bass, and flute.He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, studied jazz at the University of Miami, and earned a master's degree as a composition major at the Eastman School of Music.LucasArts chose McNeely to compose the soundtrack to the 1996 "Star Wars" game, "", while incorporating the themes from the films by John Williams.