Newsletter #10 - Album Release
Kia ora everyone,
Today I am really excited to be sharing the album 'Shortland Street - Original Score Highlights 2023'
Consisting of 17 tracks totaling approximately 50 minutes, this album is a snapshot of my past year of work.
The album revisits a year of drama told through its original underscore. From the carnage of Milo Cross' violent assault on the Hospital (track 3), to the departure of fan-favourite TK Samuel (track 5), to the murder of Rahu Parata on the operating table of Harry Warner (track 17), this soundtrack album acknowledges the pivotal role of music in these memorable moments and gives the people who are keen on the show a chance to relive them.
Listen here:
The timing feels quite relevant, with local television currently going through a rough patch, with programs like Newshub, Sunday, and Fair Go all being shockingly canceled this month, and the New Zealand Herald questioning if the future of Shortland Street might be in jeopardy, I think we should appreciate and cherish the local programming that remains.
With a roll of a dice, New Zealand might not have a weeknight soap opera, and with another roll of a dice, Shortland Street might not have original music. I think the fact that the series has original music five days a week is something to celebrate and protect.
While many other shows rely on international production music, I think its exciting that I am able to craft an original score for each and every episode. Let's hope with future cuts, the powers that be remember how important original music is!
Often, a television score can be quite subtle, disappearing into the background, subtly enhancing the show and doing the work of making everyone else look good. So I hope this soundtrack album takes the backgound score into the forground. The album is intended to be a vibrant homage to the past year of the show, while highlighting the integral role music has played in it.
Thanks so much for listening.
Aotearoa SyncPosium
Cheers to everyone who came to my talk at the 2024 Aotearoa SyncPosium. I had a great time at the conference and spoke to many great and interesting people-- including asking a composer about his experience writing the You All Everybody song from LOST.
Thanks so much for reading!