I remember walking my dogs one morning (as I do every morning, afternoon, and evening) and listening to the music of Ólafur Arnalds for the first time. My wife and I had been watching “Broadchurch”, and Ólafur had written the music for it. I was captivated. In my opinion, the first season of “Broadchurch” is one of the best TV series ever.
As I listened to Ólafur’s soundtrack, I fell in love with his music. But it also struck me that this was the kind of music I had been writing all my life!
Disclaimer: I’m not comparing my music to Ólafur’s!
Mine is WAY better. Just kidding.
But seriously, I realized that I had been creating and exploring this kind of music for years, but had never really imagined that you could actually record and release it! I always assumed that it was just something you improvised and enjoyed privately.
This epiphany planted a seed. Later that year, I wrote and recorded “Songs for the Evening” as my first venture into this new world. I didn’t really know what I was doing, except that I wanted to write music that spoke to me and hoped that it might speak to others as well.
When I finally released “Songs for the Evening”, I was blown away by the response from friends and family. Their love and encouragement were incredibly rewarding. After that, I began to wonder how I could reach a broader audience, so I began to do a bit of a deep dive into into the world of streaming music.
Fast forward about four years, and I am incredibly grateful for this journey. It has been nothing short of amazing. I’ve had the privilege of meeting many wonderful people along the way. In the early stages, I reached out to fellow musicians and composers who were thriving on streaming services. Their generosity, advice, and even their help in adding my songs to their playlists have been invaluable.
One of the most rewarding aspects of all this, has been connecting with many of these various composers and artists whom I deeply respect. This journey has reignited my love for neoclassical and classical music. Although I spent a lot of time learning and playing classical music when I earned my Bachelor of Music years ago, it was more out of a sense of duty than genuine passion. Now, I’ve truly come to love and appreciate this music again.
I am profoundly grateful for this experience and owe much of my inspiration to the show “Broadchurch” and the music of Ólafur Arnalds. And of course, I’m so thankful to all of you that have made my music part of your listening experience. It truly means the world to me.
Thanks for reading a bit of my story. I’d love to hear yours. What’s your experience with discovering new music that resonates deeply with you? What was your “epiphany” in your creative pursuits? I’d love to hear your stories and thoughts in the comments below!
