Vangelis (from chorus sessions for Nemo Studios when I was still a student), George Martin (from the sessions with him at CTS in Wembley in 1991), William Orbit (for forever upping the ante in quality and innovation - stay in touch!), Trevor Horn (for obvious reasons), Steve Lillywhite, Stephen Hill and Mike Dixon (for his brilliant conducting and arranging). Others include Gian-Carlo Menotti (mi manchi tantissimo...), the opera director Jaroslav Chundela (sadly no longer with us), Paul Oakenfold, Danny Elfmann, Maddy Prior (for "Mother and Child" and so many more), and too many to mention all from around Europe I either saw in concert, met or worked with: Vasco Rossi, Liane Caroll (we did a Classical-Jazz piece together at the Strasbourg Jazz Festival in 1990), Sergio Rendine, Tristan Murail, Michele Certonza (the CD we did for Disney Classics in 1998), Gianni Tangucci (for giving me my break as an opera singer in Bologna in 1997), Luciano Berio, Luciano Pavarotti (il Maestro...!), Heinz Holliger, Paul de Leeuw, Marco Borsato, Renato Zero, Fiorella Mannoia (one of the best female voices in Europe) and Pippo Pollina (one of the most talented cant’-autori around).
After almost 20 years as an opera singer, I moved back to the UK a couple of years ago, to become an artists' manager for an international opera artists management company. The music I've produced here is a hobby I've always had, and one day - if I have enough time, it's maybe something I'd like to come back to.
I tried to approach the music I've remixed here with new, simple ideas and standard classical music compositional guidelines, rules of harmony, melody/counterpoint etc. The results - I hope - are quirky, attractive, idiosyncratic, and original-sounding "alternatives" to the originals.
Billie Jean was a remix I created at the beginning of 2009. Because of what happened, it's now a tribute remix to a great artist, who I suspect might have benefitted from some better musical-guidance in the latter part of his career.
Maddy Prior's "Mother and Child (Radio and Club mixes) were the very first full remixes (done on a laptop in 2006 hence the poorer sound quality). They were a labour of love, with the Club mix including 5 ground-bass lines and a Chinese Gong!
"Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" was remixed at the end of 2007 from American Mezzo-Soprano Cynthia Clawson’s original acapella, using a combination of the original 15th Century Gregorian harmonisation, and an "alla Cafe del Mar" minimalist bass-line, sprinkled with some subtle picardy-third suggested harmonics, just to keep things interesting.
Other remixes include a couple of commission examples, some slightly more serious scores, and examples of a couple of great tracks such as Ray of Light, Vogue and War of the Worlds I couldn't resist attempting (despite limited studio resources available) just to show how much you can achieve, despite basic software, if you understand the nuts and bolts of music. I hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Heyhey Si!! How are ya! Did you get the message I sent?? Wasn't sure if I should call the other nite since I hadn't heard back from you, so.. write back!! :P LOL
Anyway look forward to chatting soon... in the meantime, check out my page for new songs on my music player ok!!
Hi Simon, how are you?? It's been a long time, hope things are well! For me, I've been totally consumed by the workshop of my musical 'THE EDGE' which just completed end of July... so for a while now I have some much-needed free time to take it easy and focus on other projects for a bit. :))
Anyway, please do write back... I'll leave you with this video of the live performance, a scene from the musical featuring the mother of a suicidal boy, and she tries to address him to come back inside. Hope you enjoy!!
Hello, On my myspace page you may listen to my new track entitled "Blue Skies Over Arcadia". All sounds are originally synthesized. Arcadia was a very prosperous province in Ancient Greece. Track "Blue Skies Over Arcadia" portrays a fantasmagorical celebration of a prodigious civilization in a parallel world Ancient Greece or Rome.
Hi Simon, long time no see, I've finally got my computer back up and running again, and thankfully without losing my music files which I almost did (heaven forbid!)
Hope all is well with you and what are you working on these days?
Heyhey Si, how's it going? It's been a while, hope all's well!! Just dropping in to send some love your way, listen to some of your tracks and to invite you to check out the new demo I've got on my space! Would love to know what you think!! Thanks mate, write back soon ok!! ;)) Warmest regards, ~Nick
Heyhey Simon, how's it going mate? Just dropping in to see what's new on your space and also to wish you a very happy Easter. Hope all's well with ya!! Take care, hear from you soon, ~nick ;)
Hello, Thank you very much for accepting my request and for putting me on your top friends list! I enjoy your music, I like the most your Ray Of Light remix, very energic and dynamic. Best regards and warm spring Greetings from Moldova, Marcel alias Megatone
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