Our Christmas concert is going to be extra special this year as we’re performing the
world premiere of ‘Winter’s Light’, a new composition by Siobhan Connellan.
Siobhan studied Composition for Screen at the Royal College of Music and has
played bassoon with LCO since 2021. Here, she tells us about her experience as a
bassoonist and composer and reveals some of the themes and inspiration behind
‘Winter’s Light’.
How did you feel when you were commissioned to write a piece for LCO?
I felt really excited to be asked do this commission, especially getting the opportunity to compose something for the Christmas concert, which is such a lot of fun for everyone.
What inspired ‘Winter’s Light’?
In ‘Winter’s Light’, I wanted to take a different approach to the idea of a winter festival by focusing on ancient pagan traditions rather than a traditional Christmas feeling. I was inspired by reading about Ancient Roman traditions and music, and by listening to ‘Music from Ancient Rome’ by Synaulia.
Other musical inspirations include Harry Gregson-Williams’s soundtrack for ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and Bartók’s ‘Romanian Folk Dances’.
‘Winter’s Light’ is about light and darkness. Although winter can be a dark and miserable time, we also find ourselves drawn towards the light and wanting to celebrate and keep warm with each other.
When did you first start composing?
I started composing when I was 13, around the same time that I started playing the bassoon.
My first compositions were very much inspired by my interest in music that paints a picture - whether that was classical programme music or film music. One of the first pieces I composed was an orchestral suite with movements depicting different animals, including a stag, a mosquito and a penguin - my own version of Saint-Saëns’s ‘Carnival of the Animals’!
I also spent many years arranging various pieces of music from film and TV for my family to play together, including music from Harry Potter, Doctor Who and The Lord of the Rings. I think my first arrangements were for my brother to play on French horn with a piano accompaniment. Later, I wrote for a trio for oboe, bassoon and piano for my brother, my sister and myself.
What are your favourite pieces for the bassoon?
One of the first pieces I learned for bassoon that really stuck with me was an arrangement of ‘Summertime’ by John Alley and David Arnold. It’s a style of music you don’t often get to play as a bassoonist, and I love how the high register of the instrument is used in a way that’s both jazzy and melancholy.
When it comes to orchestral music, ‘The Rite of Spring’ and ‘The Firebird’ by Stravinsky have very famous and wonderful bassoon solos, but my favourite is probably the solo from the second movement of ‘Scheherazade’ by Rimsky-Korsakov which really showcases the beauty and lyricism of the bassoon.
Lastly, I have to mention ‘The Five Sacred Trees’ by John Williams, which really brings together my love of the bassoon, my love of film music, and my love of mythology and storytelling. Most non-bassoonists have never heard of it and it’s well worth a listen.
What was special about studying Composition for Screen at the Royal College of Music?
One of the most valuable things I found at RCM was being able to meet the other talented people on my course. We all came from a variety of musical backgrounds - some were more classically trained, like me, and others had more of a background in sound design or music technology. This meant we were all able to learn from and support each other.
The opportunities to have pieces performed or recorded by talented instrumentalists were also very important. It’s always special to work directly with musicians, not just with sound libraries!
What are your favourite pieces of film music?
I really enjoy Michael Giacchino’s work on Pixar films such as ‘Up’, ‘Ratatouille’ and ‘Inside Out’ - he writes wonderful melodies and his music can be incredibly emotional and evocative. I also love Joe Hisaishi’s work with Studio Ghibli for similar reasons - ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ is a soundtrack I go back to very regularly.
What do you enjoy about composing?
I really enjoy having variety in the types of projects that I’m able to work on. Since graduating, I’ve worked on TV productions, library music tracks, concert music and musical theatre orchestration. Getting to work in so many different genres, styles and mediums keeps things fresh and interesting, and can stop that blank page from feeling quite so daunting.
How does playing with LCO help you when it comes to composing music?
Orchestral playing has always been very important to me - I love the sound of the orchestra and the different ways it can be used. Playing in orchestras like LCO has given me the opportunity to experience firsthand lots of different pieces in lots of different musical styles. Rehearsing together and seeing how everything slots into place can be very informative when it comes to writing my own orchestral music.
Some of the pieces we’ve played in LCO have directly helped inspire ideas about textures and techniques that I’ve been able to incorporate into ‘Winter’s Light’. I found Bartók’s ‘Concerto for Orchestra’ very exciting and interesting to play. There’s a brief moment in the final movement that, to me anyway, really evokes a feeling of twinkling light, and I used those few bars as a jumping off point for the atmosphere of the opening of ‘Winter’s Light'.
How can we hear more of your music?
Check out my socials: Youtube & SoundCloud.
Hear the world premiere of ‘Winter’s Light’ at our Christmas concert on 7 December 2024. Check this page for tickets.