Biography
Hey! I'm Tom, I compose, produce and engineer music for dance, theatre and sometimes film. I'm a pretty light hearted guy that generally makes quite gritty, experimental and melancholic music (just throwing a few adjectives into the mix). I've put myself up to the dreadful task of writing a bio. So here I am, writing a bio in a very non-pretentious first person fashion. This site is filled with audio samples and is best experienced with the music so please grab some headphones or a space to use your speaker to get the best representation of my work.
(2022) OP-1 Sketch
It's quite complicated to box myself into a musical niche because I do so much commissioned work, the choreographers I work with all have different requirements and tastes. Sometimes it leans into the electronic side of things sometimes more traditional but most of the times I take a hybrid approach, like the sketch I have above. In the end every piece asks for a different soundscape, some need clear musical cues, direction and rhythm others just need some sparse tones and textures. I like to see myself as a scenographer but the set I design is an invisible space for the dancers to move through.
Collaboration is the most inspiring, exciting part of my job and the reason I've kept going for so long. Getting into someone else's creative vision, getting it right and maintaining my own artistic integrity is what I look for in all the projects I do. It is fantastic when it all comes together and it fits just right! This often happens in the most unexpected of ways, creating something from nothing gets me quite excited. Another good reason to write your own informal bio, to express these kind of emotions.
(2022) The Loop Demo - Run Quiet/Blackbirds AmsterDans
My approach is quite hands-on. I like to start my processes in the studio with the dancers and the choreographer. The compositions often sprout as improvisations that I later process into set pieces when the time is right. I experiment with different textures and techniques. Some pieces might need more traditional songwriting (rarely*) others start off with some droning and simple drum patterns. I'm a sound design kind of guy, chord changes and melodies carry a lot of emotional weight and are treated with extreme care. There is always a risk of piling up associations for the audience with sound instead of leaving space for the performers and choreography.
I've graduated from the Urban Contemporary dance department in Amsterdam in 2015. It's the ace up my sleeve since I am always aware that I'm not the most important person in the room, the dancers are. During my education I thought myself how to make music with Ableton and got the chance to work with Heidi Vierthaler and Gerleen Balstra who were my teachers at the time. I've been extremely fortunate to return every year after graduation to compose their pieces for them and by doing so developing my craft.
*(2022) Spreken Zonder Woorden - Op de Huid
This is the part of the bio where I'm supposed to start namedropping and throwing in reviews and testimonials. It's dreadful, it goes out of date so quickly and my job is writing music not whatever this is. So I'm going to refer you to my other pages on this site if you are interested. I have a comprehensive portfolio of diverse selected works and my complete works available for you to view. I've also added shortcuts on the page sound stories where I go in depth on the processes I've had with some pieces so you can read and hear how it's made.
Hope this bio gave you a bit of an idea of how I work. If you are interested in working with me or have any other questions then don't be afraid to contact me. Social media messages are also accepted of course.