What's it like to be Philip Martin?

A short, informal question and answer interview with Philip Martin.

1. How and when did you get interested in composing?

Aged about eight, mainly through my father's influence and help: love and devotion beyond the call of duty.

2. Is composing your 'day job' or do you do something else as well?

It's part and parcel of my day job but I am also a concert pianist, teacher and examiner.

3. Where do you mostly get your ideas?

A lot of my inspiration comes initially from paintings, places and experiences encountered in my life generally.

4. What are you working on at the moment?

I have recently completed a short orchestral piece to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the North Wiltshire orchestra. I'm also writing the third of three pieces for piano influenced by Mondrian paintings.

5. Describe your typical working day.

There isn't one really -- I seem to be either packing bags to take me to exotic places like Mexico last year, or the Netherlands or Ireland. I spend two days teaching piano and composition in Birmingham. At present, I'm preparing for my next big recording project for Hyperion records -- the piano solo music of Henri Herz (1803-1888).

6. What is it like hearing a new piece played for the first time?

Scary and wonderful all at the same time!

7. What has been the highlight of your career so far?

This is difficult, as I have been blessed with so many marvellous experiences. Just making and performing music is a highlight in itself.

8. What has been the lowlight of your career so far?

Every artist worth his or her salt has good and bad moments but I prefer to remember the good days. Call me an optimist!

9. What is your greatest ambition?

To keep developing and hopefully continue to fulfil any true potential I might have.

10. Which musician in history do you most admire and why?

Franz Liszt -- greatest pianist and most influential composer of the 19th century.
Rachmaninoff -- great pianist, marvellous composer and conductor.

11. Which present-day musician do you most admire and why?

Sadly, if we are talking about living composers there are many that interest me in a fleeting, spasmodic way. Only time will tell whether these people will turn out to be the 'great composers' of the future.

12. Which period of history would you most like to have lived in and why?

The present day, thank you! 'The other man's grass is always greener'

13. What is the best thing about being a composer?

??

14. What is the worst thing about being a composer?

??

15. If you weren't a composer, what other career might you have chosen?

I never wanted to do anything else other than what I'm doing and I feel so lucky in that respect.

16. What is your concept of heaven?

I think one's heaven is what you make it on Earth.

17. What is your concept of hell?

Having to practise, especially Beethoven who never gets any easier!

18. What is your favourite food?

I'll eat anything except aubergines!

19. If someone gave you three months off with unlimited travel and living expenses, what would you do?

Go to the Caribbean and sit in a hammock with pinna-coladas on a perpetual drip!

20. If you could have one thing in the world that would really help you as a composer, what would it be?

A shorter distance from the keyboard to the writing desk to get my musical ideas down even faster