MY
10. FAVOURITE Movie: Taxi Driver (with an incredibly evocative soundtrack by Bernard Hermann). Band/Musician: Currently Kitt Phillipa, winner of the Best Album at the 2020 NI Music Prize. Book: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Restaurant: Made in Belfast in Cathedral Quarter and The Old Inn at Crawfordsburn is full of charm and character. Holiday Destination: Japan, after going to Tokyo for buisness I brought the family there in 2016 and they still talk about that trip as one of our best family holidays. Drink: A pint of draught Smithwicks, I really miss that at the moment. Meal: Chana Masala or freshly caught mackeral cooked over the fire on a beach in Donegal (I miss that as well!).
SHERIDAN TONGUE Composer and Artist
1. What do you love most about your job? I love music especially composing soundtracks to pictures and bringing drama to life. My wife Pam often reminds me how lucky I am that I get to spend my days in my recording studio earning a living from my passion to create new musical sounds. 2. What has been your career highlight to date? I had the priviledge of composing the soundtrack for ‘Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking’ a few years back and getting to meet the emmient Professor in person at the press screening in London was certainly a career highlight. More recently I felt honoured being asked to compose the music for BBC NI’s landmark Troubles series. If you had told me as a teenager living through those dark days in Belfast in the 70s and 80s, that one day I would compose the music for a major documentary series about our history, I would not have believed you! 3. What are your favourite hobbies/ activities outside of work? Walking our dog Bella, an 11 year old bearded collie. Spending the weekend relaxing with the family. In normal times I love going to art galleries around the world and finding inspiration. Art can really nourish the soul.
4. What is your daily routine? Every day starts with an early dog walk, usually it is still dark as I like to be in my recording studio by 8am. I am definitely more of a morning person. I am usually working to production deadlines so I have a certain number of minutes of music that I have to compose each day for a television series to meet those deadlines. The composing day is interspersed with speaking to my music team and assistant (often all working remotely), new updates/cuts arriving from the production and usually a few quick texts/emails with my marketing director about my website or socials. Sometimes I will catch up on Zoom with my music publisher or agent in London. 5. Do you have a fitness regime? In the summer I like to cycle long distances and often do 50 miles on a Saturday morning and maybe another 50 miles during the course of the week. This time of year I tend to mountain bike more off road. I also have a good indoor bike trainer, so I can bring my bike indoors to keep fit. 6. Do you have any tips for staying positive during this time? I always feel so much better after exercise and filling my lungs with fresh air. I have found that reaching out to friends and colleages in the music business during the lockdowns has 24
been very postive. Just chatting and sharing stories and experiences is really beneficial. Some unexpected musical collaborations have even been set in motion that otherwise would not have happened. 7. What is the best thing about Northern Ireland? The people, the buzz around Belfast city centre, the musicians and the easy access to the sea. 8. What is your mantra or favourite quote that you live by? ‘Luck is when preparation meets opportunity’. 9. Who has been your biggest influence? My clarinet tutor Arthor Acheson at the City of Belfast School of Music. Not only did he teach me clarinet but he opened my ears to the world of jazz music, improvisation and synthesizers. I can honestly say that the reason I entered the music business was because of the following producers, artists and composers: Quincy Jones, Trevor Horn, Roy Ayres, Enya, John Barry, Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Philip Glass. Belfast born composer and producer Sheridan Tongue is internationally acclaimed for his incredible soundtracks for film and TV as well as his albums as an artist through his pseudonym IN-IS.
