Remain Composed

William King
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A podcast featuring interviews with people who write music. How do composers start new pieces? How do they take an idea and develop into a work of art? In Remain Composed, we meet people writing different kinds of music, at different stages in their careers, to find out what influences them and how their processes work.

Episodes

  1. 6D AGO

    Frankie Archer on electrofolk, tragic stories, MIDI controllers and the North East

    Frankie Archer is an electrofolk artist who blends traditional music with synths and electronics to create a truly distinctive sound. She says she didn’t set out to necessarily create electrofolk music at first, but to bring together her interests. Frankie explains how she comes across tunes and stories to work with and the process she goes through to make them her own, often starting by plucking melodies on her fiddle. Frankie suggests the reason folk music contains lots of sad stories may be a reflection of people’s obsession with drama and gossip. Frankie describes how she involves audiences in her live gigs, using special MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) controllers, and explains where the idea for that began.

    29 min

  2. FEB 8

    David Lancaster on ideas, influences and being a Birtwistle fanboy

    David Lancaster is a composer and associate professor of composition at York St John University. He says while he writes a wide range of music, all of his work is related and each piece is a chip off a bigger block. David constantly has a list of musical ideas queuing up, waiting to be written. He lives in York and he discusses how some of his ideas come from the city’s architecture, not least York Minster, and the stories of people who have lived in the city through history. David describes the process he goes through when writing a new piece: often starting with the structure, then collecting material and developing ideas in a sketchbook before stitching them together. And David explains the joy he gets out of working together with performers.

    29 min

  3. FEB 1

    Sharneisha Joyner on screen music, marching bands, Trump and teacakes

    Sharneisha Joyner is a composer based in North Carolina. She explains how she first got into composing for video games, and the difference between writing for games and film. She says starting with a blank sheet of paper can be frightening, but she draws inspiration from listening to a wide range of music as well as day to day life. Sharneisha’s music has also been inspired by political events. She tells us how Donald Trump’s first presidential victory inspired her to write a requiem for America, and apply to transfer to the UK. One of Sharneisha’s most formative musical experiences was playing in her school’s marching band. She gives us an education in American marching bands, and describes the practical requirements when writing music for them.

    30 min

  4. JAN 25

    Paul Mealor on royalty, poetry, productivity and doing your thing

    Paul Mealor is one of the world’s most performed living composers. He’s written music for many national occasions, including King Charles’ coronation. Paul explains how ‘Coronation Kyrie’ came into being, and how he marks the anniversary of the coronation each year. Much of Paul’s output is choral music, and he talks about the challenges of setting text. Paul says some poets speak to him musically, and others don’t, even if he enjoys reading their work. He also describes the emphasis he places on craft, ensuring lines are practical. He also describes the influence of growing up singing in St Asaph Cathedral in Denbighshire, his composition lessons with William Mathias and his time studying at the University of York.

    33 min

  5. JAN 18

    Anna Appleby on creative process, alter-egos, scrambled eggs and soup

    Anna Appleby is a composer and professor of composition at the Royal Northern College of Music. Explaining her creative process, Anna says music often starts in either her body or voice, or it comes from the environment around her. She explains how the music she hears contributes to her creative output, and the role synesthesia plays in her relationship with sound. Anna’s performer alter-ego is Norrisette. We find out how she found this voice during the Covid-19 pandemic whilst working on an opera for the BBC Philharmonic set on a fictional farm. Anna also describes how important she finds restrictions, and the role of collaboration with performers, when commissioned to write new works. And she discusses the differences between writing for professional and leisure-time musicians.

    33 min

  6. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Welcome to Remain Composed

    Hello! This trailer features some of our first guests, with episodes coming your way weekly from Sunday 18th January 2026.

    1 min

Trailer

About

A podcast featuring interviews with people who write music. How do composers start new pieces? How do they take an idea and develop into a work of art? In Remain Composed, we meet people writing different kinds of music, at different stages in their careers, to find out what influences them and how their processes work.

Information

  • Creator
    William King
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © William King 2026
  • Show Website
    Remain Composed