An email from Rhian Sheehan pondering an upcoming collaboration is the type of email you look forward to… knowing that you’re about to embark on an incredible musical journey and have the pleasure of exploring his masterpieces from within. In short, the guy is a bloody legend. The way he evokes emotion and explores texture and colour within music is something I greatly admire.

It was a year ago, September 2017, when we started working on the first track. Co-arranging and orchestrating the strings for what is now is latest album, ‘A Quiet Divide’. Over a few months we tweaked the arrangements, added layers, subtracted layers, lengthened, shortened, rewrote endings over and over until they hit the mark. Finally comes February 27th this year when we recorded in Wellington with some of NZ’s finest string players as part of Stroma FilmWorks.

Later Rhian recorded pianos in Auckland with his wife Raashi and the wonderful Justin Bird.

Depth of colour, textural clarity and control of phrasing were themes in these charts. Here’s two examples of how this was achieved:

This type of arranging/orchestration work is so rewarding. Working with such talented musicians and, with the strings, bringing out the magic that lies within their creations.

Fast forward to today, October 5th, and the album is released. And it’s pretty stunning. This is music for the soul. There’s been some good write ups on the album already. This from Drifting, Almost Falling I particularly enjoyed, which gives thoughtful insight on the inner musical elements:

“The highlight for me, is the string section. The depth of sound which they create as well as the previously mentioned emotion, transports the listener away from whatever cares they are currently experiencing and as the strings soar, so does the emotions of the listener.”

— Drifting, Almost Falling [on Lost Letters]

“The string section rises and swoons and the crotales provide a whimsical innocence that I am personally a sucker for. The track itself is the type that you could build an album around. You have moments of contemplation, a space for instruments to intersect and compliment each other and then finally, the music is given an opportunity to expand on its humble beginnings and becomes elevated to another level. As the track progresses it feels as if a whole orchestra is at once all rising as you feel the music become more intense, with the strings in particular aching with emotion. I defy any listener to not get goosebumps listening to this (or for that matter any of the tracks on the album).”

— Drifting, Almost Falling [on April]

Take a listen below and then buy a copy for yourself! Our string collaborations are tracks: 3. Lost Letters, 4. Soma Dreams, 5. Between Us and the Dying Starlight, 6. We Danced Under a Broken Sky, 10. Someplace and 12. April.

And if that wasn’t enough, Rhian is performing live shows around the country to celebrate. Dunedin was last week. But coming up there is:

12 October, Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington - TICKETS
20-21 October, Nelson Theatre Royal (Nelson Arts Festival) - TICKETS
26-27 October, Q Theatre, Auckland - TICKETS 26th, or TICKETS 27th

…and in Auckland you might just find a special guest in the viola section.

Back in October 2015 Rhian Sheehan asked me to help out on the music he was writing for a new rollercoaster ride at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. Yesterday it all came to fruition with five hours of recording down in Wellington with some of NZ's finest musicians. There was a 10-piece brass section and 19-piece string section from Stroma FilmWorks. Absolute credit must go to these amazing musicians who perform at such an incredible level, yet between cues are so friendly and enjoyable to work with.

Rhian Sheehan wrote the music, the brilliant Tane Upjohn-Beatson came on board as co-writer and co-arranger, the legendary Graham Kennedy and John Neill recorded and engineered the session, and I conducted, with some co-arranging, orchestration and music prep along the way.

Speaking of that small job of music prep, here are some stats for those delightful few who appreciate such things:

29 musicians, 16 cues, 48 scores (3 copies of each), multiple layers totalling 305 different instrumental parts, equalling 494 copies of the parts, 551 copies of scores and parts combined, don't ask for the number of actual pages, and thank goodness Jetstar didn't weigh my carry-on.

By far the best part of my involvement in this project was following it right through from early stages to recording. So often I prepare everything and then pass it on to be printed and conducted, but this time it was great to be printing and taping parts, and then seeing it on the stands and taking the musicians through it. Need more of this, it's good for the soul.

So, now we just need to go to Abu Dhabi to experience it.

String collaborations on Rhian Sheehan's 'A Quiet Divide'

Recording Mission Ferrari