Who or what are the most significant influences on your musical life and career as a composer?
My composition teacher, Buxton Orr, had the deepest, most lasting influence on my composing career. The three years I studied with him at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama were transformative in every way.
What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?
It’s always a challenge composing a score – it’s never easy finding exactly the right musical language that perfectly suits the production. Sometimes the ideas flow naturally, and on other occasions it can take what feels like an eternity to come up with the right music. Experience helps though – knowing when it’s working, and when it’s not!
What are the special challenges/pleasures of working on a commissioned piece?
As a composer, it’s a gift to know the purpose of the music you’re writing and how it’s going to be used. Having a film or TV project to inspire you is the most wonderful starting point. Collaborating with a director too is always stimulating and creative. When I’m commissioned to write a stand-alone piece for an album or event, I like to paint pictures in my mind, make up a story in my head. Then it’s a natural progression for me to write music that fulfils the brief.
What are the special challenges/pleasures of working with particular musicians, singers, ensembles or orchestras?
I love working with musicians and I particularly enjoy writing for musicians that I know and have worked with for years because I know their individual sounds, the particular way each musician makes their instrument sing, which assists the process of writing for them. It’s also exciting working with new musicians and discovering their sound and how they interpret your music for the first time. I love working with singers too and I’m hugely excited to have been given the opportunity by The King to write a new piece for the brilliant gospel choir ‘The Ascension Choir‘ for the Coronation service on 6 May.
Of which works are you most proud?
It’s impossible to choose just one piece – but I was thrilled to have the opportunity to write concert suites of some of my favourite scores for my new album ‘Signature‘. All the pieces will be performed by the wonderful City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by me and I feel very fortunate that they agreed to play for me on this album. It’s released on 30 June on Silva Screen Records – my 9th release with the label.
How would you characterise your compositional language?
Melodic – all my scores start with a melody and everything else flows from that.
How do you work?
I write at the piano with manuscript paper and pencil, and then start to orchestrate by playing each individual instrumental line into my music software programme so that I can build a full orchestration to preview to directors and anyone else who needs to hear and approve the music before I go into the studio to record the finished score.
As a musician, what is your definition of success?
Sustaining a long career doing what you love.
What advice would you give to young/aspiring composers?
Be tenacious, determined, and professional at all times, and don’t be afraid of rejection, because it will happen – many times – especially in the early stages of your career. Keep coming back, keep knocking on the door. It’s hard work but when you do get commissioned, it’s hugely rewarding and satisfying.
What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?
Classical music will always have an audience – making the concerts accessible to all and keeping ticket prices affordable is vital. Giving children access to music lessons in school is also hugely important in building the next generation of classical music lovers, and potential star musicians and composers too.
What’s the one thing in the music industry we’re not talking about but you think we should be?
We should be championing how great our musicians are in the UK. We have some of the best musicians in the world and I don’t think we shout about it often enough!
What next – where would you like to be in 10 years?
Still at my piano, still writing music – it’s always been the most rewarding and fulfilling experience and I still think being a composer is the best job in the world.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I’m not sure there’s one single ‘perfect‘ happiness – I think the perception of happiness changes depending on the stage you are in your life.
What is your most treasured possession?
My piano, of course!
What do you enjoy doing most?
Composing music!
What is your present state of mind?
Concentrating on my next commission!
Debbie Wiseman’s new album ‘Signature’ is released on 30th June whem Debbie conducts the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in new arrangements of some of her most popular and best-loved works.
One of the UK’s most successful female music ambassadors, Debbie Wiseman is in demand as a composer and conductor.
Throughout the past 20 years, there are probably few people in the UK who have not heard a theme from one of Debbie’s films or television productions. Whether it is watching Stephen Fry bring to life Oscar Wilde for the big screen, hearing the latest political commentary on a Sunday morning with Andrew Marr, or revelling in the Tudor world of Thomas Cromwell in “Wolf Hall”, Wiseman has gifted us iconic themes of beauty and passion, love and laughter.
Her credits, over 200 of them, for the big and small screen, include WOLF HALL, EDIE, THE WHALE, FLOOD, WARRIORS, JUDGE JOHN DEED, WILDE, HAUNTED, OTHELLO, LAND GIRLS, JOANNA LUMLEY’S NILE, TOM & VIV, JEKYLL, THE INSPECTOR LYNLEY MYSTERIES, THE PASSION, THE GUILTY, BEFORE YOU GO, ARSENE LUPIN, HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT, TOM’S MIDNIGHT GARDEN, LOST CHRISTMAS, STEPHEN FRY IN AMERICA, WPC 56, THE PROMISE, A POET IN NEW YORK, THE ANDREW MARR SHOW, FATHER BROWN, THE CORONER, SHAKESPEARE AND HATHAWAY and DICKENSIAN.
Photo credit: Michael Leckie
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