Keeping it in the family

I’ve always thought myself incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such gifted musicians.

I guess it was a forgone conclusion really that I would end up doing what i do for a living. Both my parents were members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in the 70s, and I would often be left to my own devices running around backstage whilst they were rehearsing in such esteemed venues as the Royal Albert and Royal Festival Halls.

Sometimes I felt music was as much a part of life as the air we breathed. It was just always there. I remember roaming the halls of BBC Maida Vale Studios where the Radiophonic Workshop was located, the heartbeat of so much experimental electronic music in the UK at the time. Maybe that’s why I feel the need to take a rest from writing dramatic game scores and blast out some Orbital or Jon Hopkins at 100db on regular intervals.

The real benefit of being surrounded by such gifted musicians, however, is that I get to poach their incredible talents as often as possible! I’m lucky enough to be married to one of the greatest singers on the planet (biased you say? Nonsense, it’s a completely objective opinion!). I actually heard and fell in love with Ingvild’s voice before even meeting her, and was completely blown away after hearing her dulcet tones coming out of the speakers. Suffice to say, I was blown away for a second time when our paths eventually crossed (okay, sorry, enough of that!). Her voice is featured on both The Secret World and Dreamfall Chapters soundtracks, and will also be playing a major part in the Draugen soundtrack.

And then there’s my daughter, who has been blessed with a voice that melts the cockles of my heart (biased again, you say?). I roped her into singing a solo on Dreamfall Chapters when she was only six, and it’s proven to be one of the standout pieces of music in the game. Let’s not forget my son, who’s proving to be a right little Buddy Rich on the drum kit, and has already started putting me to shame by writing his own pieces on the piano before reaching double figures.

With this trailer for Draugen, however, it’s the older generation of my family that’s taking centre stage. On a recent visit to Norway, I sheepishly asked my Dad if he would bring his violin over with him, and maybe we could spend a few hours in the studio together. He duly obliged, and the result of that session can be heard in the Draugen teaser trailer. It’s not everyday you get to have a veteran of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in your studio, and i’m eternally grateful for him in bringing so much life and emotion to the piece.

For the main Draugen score, I’m lucky enough to be collaborating with another bunch of incredibly gifted musicians. The extremely talented LEO string trio will be performing, as well as a vocal ensemble comprised of some of Oslo’s finest singers.

So again, let me stress how incredibly fortunate I am to be surrounded by such gifted musicians. Without you, I’d be simply staring, uninspired, at a blank computer screen every morning.

Cheers!

Simon Poole
Composer and audio director