Path of a Sunray is such a powerful piece of music, the success of the track comes from the fact that every moment is so perfectly thought and placed within the walls of sound – the scene is set by everything taking it’s place at just the right moment, the drama is created, the build up is intense and loud and bright, the drop down is gentle and smooth and striking. The story that is told is one that inspires listeners to explore their own imagination as they listen. There’s a very classic feel to this piece of music that is actually reminiscent some of the original and slightly older Disney films, Fantasia is one that came to mind, the lack of a lyric or dialogue goes almost unnoticed as the whole approach is that the music tells the story, the music creates the space and fills it appropriately, the music leads the way and expresses everything that needs to be expressed.
What was also great about this piece is that although it had some elements of nostalgia within it, a slight touch of familiarity, there is also this resounding awareness that it’s not something I’ve heard before. At six minutes long you get this rather great amount of time within which to escape from your day and be completely submerged in the music and the sound scape that has been so creatively put together. To imagine the orchestra at work is another thing, apart from the images and the ideas that the musical composition conjures up, the sheer magnitude of the sound, every instrument, the individual skill involved as each part steps forward. It’s a piece of music whereby you can clearly grasp that so much effort and planning and skill has gone into creating it.
By Rebecca Cullen
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become a composer?
I grew up in Bavaria/Germany and also spent time as a child and young adult in Northern Italy/lake Garda, where my grandfather lived. I started my musical pursuits with classical guitar and early on made first attempts to compose music. The need to create new and genuinely different music, but music that speaks to people, has been an essential part of my artistic aspiration ever since and has taken over as the main avenue of my musical expression. Growing up with stories of travel, surrounded by the tradition of folk, jazz and ethnic music as well as European classical orchestra music has shaped my own musical vocabulary and language. My own extended work travels, and my interest in nature, peoples & cultures of the places we visit and live at, are a natural outcome of how I grew up and a major influence on my work as a composer: what I see, do and experience leaves something behind that serves as nucleus and inspiration for my musical works.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with the title? What was your inspiration behind it?
“Path of a Sunray” is a very important part of my own spiritual journey and healing, hence the subtitle with the quote: “… si nos consideramos dignos de aquello por lo que hemos luchado, y nos convertimos en un instrumento de Dios, ayudamos el Alma del Mundo y comprendemos nuestra razón de ser.”
Paulo Coelho, El Alquimista (used with permission )
“Path of a Sunray” for orchestra is the impressionistic synthesis of many sun images – in the tropical and lush Sri Lankan rain forest, on dry and hot days in the North African desert or the East African savannah, and from views of tropical oceans and waterfalls sparkling with sun rays.
Another driving force in creating “Path of a Sunray” was my exposure to and interest in, Eastern and Western philosophy – how different cultures view the process of spiritual growth, healing and catharsis; different ideas and common human experiences.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather inspiration? What is your usual writing process?
Inspiration comes, for me, from experiencing, from actively creating memories through travelling, exploring, seeing, taking in, doing, trying. The memories, impressions, trigger my imagination. The actual creating and writing often happen without obvious connection to the relevant experiences. An example of this process is the orchestra work “Song of the Ocean”, an impressionist synergetic, atmospheric portrait of many scuba dives in different parts of the world
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
My website is: http://thomasjstief.com/. I have used, so far, mostly linkedin, but have also started working with facebook and stage32
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
None that I would find embarrassing, really. I am very selective when listening to music more than once, but I do listen to a wide range of musical styles jazz, rock, classical, ethnic, folk, but also, on occasion, hip hop and techno. I am trying to keep an open mind, also when listening to music. Same goes for reading there is always something to learn…..
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do?
How would you spend it?
Travel & discover write music, travel & discover some more, write some more……..
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
I am working with a very simple, easy-to-travel-with, set up of a MAC pro book and Oxygen8 MIDI controller and good old Finale. That works best with my lifestyle!
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
For most of my adult life, I have lived in different countries in Africa, South America and Asia. This means that I need to work with a team of trusted high caliber professionals in the US and Europe to accomplish high quality production, publication and successful marketing of my work. I consider myself fortunate in that I have managed to find people, who fit that description and who believe in my work.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
I would love to hear my work performed at the Sydney Opera, with Leonard Bernstein conducting. I think both the venue and the conductor have this in common: a living symbiosis of time honored tradition and new, different and unconventional approach
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
My next project is to get “Song of the Ocean” (Orchestra) and “Wind Spirit”
(Orchestra) recorded, to complete the sheet music publication at Imagine Music/NY of “Contours I” (Orchestra), and “Melody for Piano and Orchestra, then get those recorded. At the same time, I plan to have more of my orchestral works performed live and marketed for movie/video game productions.
“Path of a Sunray” for orchestra, “Song of the Ocean” (Orchestra) and “Wind Spirit” (Orchestra) together form the “Caribbean Trilogy” written while we were living on the island of Curacao; I would love to see the entire trilogy performed in one program!
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Something that involves travelling, working with expression and with people, and that somehow requires exploring and discovering.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Andres Segovia; classical guitar was my very first fascination in music and this is how I started my own musical journey; classical guitar remains an important part of my musical life.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
One day at a time different focus at different times. Teaching at an international school is very demanding; there are times when my focus is entirely on teaching and preparing performances with my students and when I don’t even think about writing music. I am fortunate, though, in that I have the ability to create and write very fast!
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
More presence of my music in different countries, streaming services, radio & tv, and in productions, such as live concerts, ballet/expressive dance productions, and hopefully as film soundtracks!
