An Interview With Bonnie Milne
A beautiful new single release from Bonnie Milne touches on a heartfelt and cinematic feel with passionate performances and wonderfully woven piano work.
"New Beginnings" is an outstanding piece that features a soothing set of colorful instrumentation including bowed instruments that add depth to the already tasteful song.
This track builds as it plays on which adds to that theatrical undertone and the playing gets intense and paces speed up and the whole thing surrounds you.
It's tracks like this that can have the ability to cause memories to flash in your head when you don't even expect it.
There is a beauty in this release that lets you float away with the sound and just let the music and notes swim around you in a graceful manner and in the form of layered textures.
Milne is quite known for her compositions and there is plenty to offer when it comes to emotion and balance in her songwriting.
"New Beginnings" is a taste of how Milne does her thing but it's a great one.
There is plenty more where that came from and you can find most of it on her Spotify or her website.
With the release of this single, we wanted to have a talk with her to find out what this song is really about to her and where it all comes from.
Here's what happened.
TSWS: Okay so let's start with "New Beginnings". This track has a very soulful and cinematic tone
to it. Where did this track come from?
I went through a challenging time where I experienced betrayal and loss, however my faith
and hope remained. I was inspired by the fact that a whole new world was ahead of me and
that all of that negativity was in the past. When I sat down at the piano that morning, I was
full of gratitude and anticipation for what may come next.
TSWS: I'm hearing several styles on this release. Who are some of your biggest musical
influences?
I grew up taking classical music lessons through the Royal Conservatory of Music and have
always enjoyed playing Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin to name a few. I also enjoyed movie
soundtracks, especially when the music had the power to uplift and make the viewers feel
as though nothing was insurmountable. Currently, I am influenced by Ludovico Einaudi,
David Tolk, Hans Zimmer and many others!
TSWS: So how did this all begin for you really? When did you fall in love with making music?
As a child, I enjoyed composing music such as “Childhood Enchantment” on my
Anticipation album. Although I liked learning the classical masterpieces and preparing for
exams, my mind always went to my own melodies. I remember when I was studying the
“Harmony and Counterpoint” course, I would submit my work and my very strict Teacher
wouldn’t be impressed sometimes, because I didn’t follow the rules. I would think to myself,
well it still sounds great! Years later, I realized that I could create harmonies and fell in love
with adding mostly cello and flute parts to my pieces.
TSWS: What's next for you as an artist?
I have many pieces already started and I would love the opportunity to finish writing,
recording and performing them. Now that we can perform live, I am working on filling my
schedule with performances.
TSWS: What inspires you to write a song?
My pieces definitely reflect what I am experiencing in life. When I am able to express myself
through my music, I feel passion and joy and a sense of release. I am also inspired by the
beauty of nature as you can tell from the names of some of my pieces, “Stream’s Gathering
and Green River Sway.”
TSWS: What are you doing when you're NOT working on music?
I am hiking and kayaking with my sons, keeping active and spending time with great friends.
TSWS: Who are you listening to right now?
Most recently, I am listening to David Tolk. His instrumental music that he refers to as “new
age” takes me on an emotional journey and makes me feel gratitude, which is fantastic!
TSWS: Are you putting any thought into live performances?
I am surrounded by great venues and hope to be able to schedule performances throughout
the summer. I am also hoping to work with musicians, to play my cello, violin and flute parts.
TSWS: Do you have a home studio where you track your stuff?
I do have a recording product, but find that my phone is still full of snippets of music! Then,
I call my engineer when I’m ready to actually record.
TSWS: This track seems like a big undertaking. What kind of advice might you have for other up
and coming artists out there?
I find that I have to follow my creativity and not try to force anything. I would tell other artists
that you have to go with the flow and not expect that you’re going to sit down and an entire
composition is just going to appear. It takes time and that’s okay. I would also, say don’t
over schedule yourself and be flexible.
TSWS: Before we go, what would you like to say to fans of the music?
I would say thank you for providing feedback, sharing my music and letting me know how
my music makes you feel.