Ahead of World Piano Day next week, Poppy Ackroyd, Büşra Kayıkçı, Sven Helbig and Hania Rani discuss not putting your thoughts on paper, why composing is a game, the frustration around discovering a melody that already exists, why humming is a good way of getting your ideas down, and thinking about songs for a couple of years before recording them.
Poppy Ackroyd is a British composer, pianist and violinist who creates atmospheric music blending classical instruments with electronic music. Last year she released Pause, a collection of ten solo piano works composed shortly after the birth of her first child.
Büşra Kayıkçı is a composer and pianist from Istanbul, Turkey, who brings inspiration from her background in architecture into her minimalist piano compositions. She also releases music on composer Nils Frahm’s record label Leiter Verlag.
German composer, director, and music producer Sven Helbig is known for combining lush orchestral and choral music with electronic sounds. He’s worked with everyone from metal band Rammstein to synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys.
Pianist, composer and singer Hania Rani's Esja was nominated for five Fryderyk awards in Poland. As well as composing for solo piano, she combines her voice, strings, and electronics to create incredibly dramatic works.