Meet Ben Andrew | Film Composer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ben Andrew and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Since an early age, I always seemed to lean towards creative pursuits.
I started learning to play the piano at the age of six and, after a few years, my aptitude for music began to blossom. I was always at my happiest when I was making music in some way, shape or form. I think the idea of creating something from nothing has always fascinated me and when I saw that it was possible to combine my hobby with my career path, it was a no-brainer for me. Sharing music with others gives me so much joy, whether performing a piano concerto, encouraging and helping young, gifted musicians to aim for new heights or scoring music for a film – for me, it’s all about sharing and telling a story. Music is immensely powerful, and I have always been fascinated at the way in which it can affect and convey emotion.
I remember as a young boy (and even today as an adult) being utterly captivated by the music of John Williams, and how his artistry brought such a sense of excitement and energy to my favorite movies. I cannot imagine watching Star Wars or Indiana Jones without his score – his score and the themes he wrote are so much a part of the characters on screen.
I believe that learning from and being inspired by others is the best way to harness our own creative power.
I spent a great deal of my early adult life as a pianist giving concert performances of works by composers who wrote music long before the advent of movies and cinema, yet many of them drew inspiration from visual arts or literature, such as classic novels, Bible stories and classical paintings. Whatever the context of the music, there is often an accompanying narrative to enhance the performance. The opportunity to compose scores for movies is like a dream come true for me, and I am grateful for the influences which helped me through my earlier performing career, to give me many of the tools I needed to tell a story effectively.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey started in classical music. I trained under British concert pianist John Bingham, who was a student of the great Russian pianist Heinrich Neuhaus, at Trinity College of Music in London. After that, I continued my studies at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest with Jenõ Jandó. I’ve had the privilege of performing at some pretty iconic venues, from St Martin in the Fields in London to City Hall in Hong Kong. As a young pianist growing up, I wanted to do what all young pianists want to do: tackle some of the toughest piano pieces out there! Performing Rachmaninov’s 2nd and 3rd Piano Concertos, and Beethoven’s 4th concerto have been a real highlight for me. Not only are they some of my favorite pieces of music, but they also gave me a chance to push myself. To perform pieces such as these demands hours and hours of practice time and dedication. My musical interests span all genres however, and I’ve also had the chance to play pop music alongside, or supported artists like Tom Walker, Rick Wakeman, Bernie Marsden of Whitesnake, and Roger Hodgson of Supertramp, which have been totally different but equally rewarding experiences.
Writing music has always been something I have enjoyed. I used to be in several bands growing up and learnt to improvise well. Improvisation is essentially live, real-time composition, so it felt like a natural transition for me to then try my hand at composition. I really enjoy working across different genres—rock, classical, you name it, I have probably tried it. A song I co-wrote and orchestrated called Not in My Name, featuring a guitar solo from Bernie Marsden, got airplay on BBC and LBC in the UK. It was also a great honor to have my arrangement of Hatikvah form part of the grade 8 syllabus for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM).
When I met Harry back in 2013, and I have to say, it was a pivotal moment in my life, although I didn’t know it at the time. As I mentioned earlier, Harry is a composer whose work I’ve admired for years—Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia, Man on Fire—his catalogue is legendary. Fast forward twelve years, and I’m now living in LA, working full-time for him. It’s been amazing to contribute to some of his projects, like the scores for Meg 2: The Trench and Gladiator II.
I believe collaboration is at the heart of good composition, whether I’m working with musicians in the studio or working collaboratively with a creative team. One of my favorite recent collaborations has been with Tony Iommi (founding member of Black Sabbath). I had the chance to orchestrate his latest release, Deified. It was incredible to work with the man who is widely recognized to have invented Heavy Metal. There aren’t really many artists who I can think of who are credited with inventing an entire genre, so working with him is really inspiring.
My career so far has been an exciting mix of many creative avenues. I’ve always been passionate about music education. For 12 years, I was Head of Keyboard at a leading private school in the UK, where I led a team of piano teachers and organized weekly student recitals and masterclasses. I’ve authored several books for Hal Leonard, the world’s largest music publisher. I also created ScaleTracks, an iOS app designed to make practicing scales and arpeggios fun. With over 1,000 backing tracks across genres from Dubstep to Baroque, ScaleTracks has received rave reviews in BBC Music Magazine, The Strad, and Music Teacher Magazine.
I’m so fortunate to be doing what I love doing every day, and writing for film and TV has always been my dream. Right now, I’m living that dream here in LA, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next. There are always new sounds to discover and new compositions to write, and that’s what keeps it fresh and exciting.
Of course, as with any career, there are obstacles and challenges, but that’s all part of the ride. Whilst pursuing a career as a composer, one of the toughest obstacles for me was time—or rather, the lack of it. Composing is a time-intensive process, and before I made the leap to full-time composition, I was working long hours in music education, and this made it very difficult to maintain any kind of work/life balance. Avoiding burnout was a constant challenge. But through a combination of patience, tenacity, many cups of coffee, and keeping my eyes firmly on the end goal, I eventually made it happen, and transitioned into full-time composing.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
That is a tough one, as I haven’t been here in LA very long. Based on my current experience however, I would recommend a walk along the boardwalk between Venice and Santa Monica, perhaps followed by a meal in one of the many amazing restaurants in Santa Monica. As an Englishman, I am bound by duty to recommend Ye Olde King’s Head – they do great food that reminds me of being back home. I would also recommend a visit to one of the fantastic concert venues here, such as the Greek Theatre or the Hollywood Bowl.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout has to go to Harry Gregson-Williams, my boss and mentor. He is an inspirational film composer who I hold in the highest regard. Without his support, affirmation and encouragement, I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing today. Harry has a unique ability to really connect with the story in a movie. He is a risk taker and a visionary, as well as a consummate musician – I have learnt and continue to learn a great deal from him.

Website: https://www.benandrewmusic.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_andrew_music/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@benandrewmusic

Image Credits
Mike Banks