On Thursdays Del Osei-Owusu sits down with an artist on the FOTN radar and has a chat over a cup of tea and biscuits. This week it’s Andrew Hartshorn and he brought border chocolate ginger. Warning – do not dunk!

Hello Andrew how are you? 

I’m doing great thanks and the sun is shining at last. 

Congratulations on the release of your EP “Sketches For The Requiem” how does it feel?

Thanks, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by some of the comments and making it on to the Fresh Faves was a pleasant surprise. It’s certainly been one of my best critically received projects. 

What’s the story behind the project? 

I like albums that tell a story and with instrumental music that’s not always easy. The theme of this project is based around the belief that when someone passes on, a spirit or essence survives and when we die we are reunited with our loved ones. This is the story of that journey. In my case it relates to my son, Sam who passed away nearly 8 years ago. But I’d like to think people are thinking about their own loved ones in a similar way when listening to the album. 

It’s a very personal body of work, how long did it take to come together?

I’ve dipped in and out of this project for several years now. The “sketches” part of the title refers to the ultimate idea of developing the piece into a full suite and getting an orchestra to perform and record it. 

What was the easiest and most challenging part of composing it?

The easiest part was writing what I was feeling and the original ideas and themes came almost automatically. I normally start on the piano and take it from there. 

The most challenging part wasn’t really a composing issue but more deciding whether to ever release such a personal project or keep the whole thing private. But in the end it felt right to share the album. 

What’s your favourite track? 

“Requiem For The Boy” hands down, at 7:48 it’s the longest track I’ve written and I like the way it progresses and builds through the three sections. 

You are a composer, musician, record label boss and more from Leicester how did it begin for you?

I started playing guitar as a teenager and played in a few bands before moving into more electronic synth based music, but it was really only in lockdown I discovered my cinematic orchestral side and haven’t looked back since. 

What did you listen to starting out? 

Ha, here’s where you can work out how old I am! Early faves were The Beatles, ELO, 10cc, ABBA before pretty quickly discovering the wonders of prog rock, which got me interested in longer concept pieces. 

You are a musician who composes cinematic music, what’s your favourite film score?

I love the versatility of Johann Johannsson and “The Theory Of Everything” is a stand out for me. 

Who are your top 3 composers?

There are so many but if pushed:

Pop – Paul McCartney 

Classical – Ralph Vaughan Williams

Electronic- Jean Michel Jarre

What are you listening to at the moment?

I have a pretty wide taste in music. The new Crowded House album is on heavy rotation but I also listen to a lot of grassroots artists. All The Bees, who I only discovered thanks to the Neil March, Trust The Doc show plus I also love the latest JJ Lovegrove & John Serrano albums. 

What’s next for you?

With my label hat on we’ve got some exciting releases lined up for the next 12 months. So I’m really looking forward to sharing those with everyone. 

On a personal music side I’ve got a few projects in the pipeline including some exciting collaborations. 

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