Meet Emma Clarke, a classical guitarist and relative newcomer to composition. Find out more about her here:
So many things! I find inspiration in all sorts of places: random thoughts, philosophy, science, art, architecture, books, photography, films, food, nature… I find I’m writing a lot about current affairs and I’m in the middle of a whole load of pieces about the ethics of technology.
It’s not the sort of stuff you’d rock out to! I write music about the things I can’t say in words, I suppose. I love to write for choreography and film. Writing for opera is also top fun.
I only started writing seriously in September 2020 so it’s been a very fast process for me. (I wrote bits and bobs when I was a kid – I’m a classical guitarist – but they were just fragments). I was driving along the M40 and I just asked myself what kind of music I’d write if I ever tried. Then honestly I could suddenly hear loads of music and felt compelled to write it down. I couldn’t NOT write!
Music is an inexhaustible source of wonders. It helps me understand myself and the world around me. Music helps people develop empathy, emotional intelligence and can open people up to new ways of connecting with themselves and other people. I think music helps people cope. Life can be extremely challenging sometimes…and music can change the world!
I love writing music for full orchestras. I’d love to hear my stuff played at the Royal Opera House, or the Proms… Well, a girl can dream!
Beethoven’s 5th. Marjan Mozetich’s ‘Affairs of the Heart.’ Radiohead’s ‘Everything In Its Right Place.’
How long have you got?! Nakd bars (chocolate orange). Pineapple. Toast. Any form of bread. Rice cakes with dark chocolate on the top. Roasted sunflower seeds. And Bendicks Bittermints are basically currency in my house…
You can discover more about Emma’s work on her website.