Samuel Andreyev, composer

Who or what are the most significant influences on your musical life and career as a composer?

Many of my greatest influences have been painters, poets, photographers and other artists who are not directly involved in music. I do however take inspiration from great composers of the past, who serve as a reminder that there may be no upper limit for musical quality.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?

It took about 20 years for my career to become both viable and sustainable. Keeping going through some very lean times required a very high tolerance for instability and distress, and it was certainly challenging for people who were close to me and depended on me during that time. Fortunately, I had some very supportive friends and family members.

What are the special challenges/pleasures of working on a commissioned piece?

It depends on the commission. The projects I enjoy the most are the ones where I know I will be working with performers I know very well, because their personalities as players inevitably become a part of the fabric of the piece. I am always open to new collaborations, but there is more uncertainty for me when I am writing for a group or a soloist I don’t know as well, which tends to make the writing process somewhat more challenging.

Of which works are you most proud?

I am my own harshest critic, so pride in my work is more aspirational than actual, but there are works that represent particularly crucial moments in my development as an artist, and I think those are the ones that tend to stick most in my memory. I would cite the piano concerto, A propos du concert de la semaine dernière ; the sextet Vérifications ; the cantata, In Glow of Like Seclusion ; and the septet, Sonata da Camera.

How would you characterise your compositional language?

I don’t know how to characterize it, which is why I don’t generally talk about it. It’s a compulsive, rather than voluntary activity. I write the things I can’t prevent myself from writing, and whatever emerges out of that, I must accept.

How do you work?

I maintain the highest possible standards, which means I make high demands on my abilities, which are modest. This makes the work quite arduous. In order to sustain such intense effort over time, I tend to structure my writing time in 2-3 hour segments, with breaks in between to attend to other things.

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

Having the continued desire to work represents a kind of success. Additionally, I do find it quite fulfilling when my work seems to connect with people.

What advice would you give to young/aspiring composers?

Maintain your artistic independence as much as you are able, do not hand over control of any aspect of your work to anyone else, and watch what happens. It takes bravery to stick to a personal vision that may not align with the Zeitgeist, but the rewards are greater.

What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?

On a broader societal level, probably nothing needs to be done, or can be done. It’s up to individual artists to make a persuasive case for their work. Many composers are either terrible at marketing, or actively disdain it. It should come as no surprise that artists who are charismatic and skilled communicators have a distinct advantage when it comes to cultivating an audience.

What’s the one thing in the music industry we’re not talking about but you think we should be?

Most contemporary compositions are quite bad. There is nothing that can be done about this, of course, and it was probably just as true of earlier epochs as it is for our own. It’s something like a natural law. It would possibly be helpful for audiences if this fact were openly admitted, rather than trying to convince them that modern music is always worth their time. You have to be a bit of a scavenger, looking for the gold amidst the dross.

What next – where would you like to be in 10 years?

I would like to write more orchestral music, and I have a long-term opera project on the table.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Living a normal and anonymous life in the border region I live in, between France and Germany.

Samuel Andreyev’s new portrait album ‘IN GLOW OF LIKE SECLUSION’ is released on Métier / Divine Art Records (UK) on 17 November 2023. Find out more

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samuelandreyev.com