10/21/2024
Dutch Artist Channels Hearing Challenges Into New Compositions and Purpose
Personal Stories, Awareness
By Stephen Emmer
I am a Dutch composer, arranger, and artist from Amsterdam, and I've been immersed in the international music scene since the 1970s. Over the decades I've worked with Lou Reed, Chaka Khan, Patti Austin, and Midge Ure, and more recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I initiated a “Save the Arts on Radio and Television” campaign to support the arts.
My latest project, “Mt. Mundane,” is perhaps my most personal work. Essentially, I set my life to music and in the process, came to terms with a drastic experience: the loss of hearing in my left ear, which posed an existential threat to me as a musician and composer.
I recorded it this year at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, and it features over 75 musicians and collaborations with artists such as Anthony Weeden (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), Andrew Dudman (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy), GRAMMY Award-winning choral conductor Nigel Short, pianist Ben Dawson, and treble Joshua Davidson.
The complicated nature of composing when I have hearing damage forms the back story for “Mt. Mundane,” making it a deeply reflective journey that symbolizes the challenge of coming to terms with the permanent, ceaseless tinnitus that is my reality. The title refers to this difficult ascent, as I’ve had to learn how to accept and live with this condition.
Creating this album was like a duet between my younger and current selves. I’ve recalled melodies from my early musical career and infused them with the melodies that have been with me since the early days of my career over 45 years ago. I weave these themes into symphonic compositions that I hope are enriched by the insights and creativity of my current artistic phase.
“Mt. Mundane” comprises 15 “cinematic adagios.” I chose the adagio movement for its ability to convey music in the most personal manner, using a musical suite’s most stately movement as a model in order to convey the many elements of grief in a pared-down manner, including moments of despair, hope, regret, and gratitude.
For me the album symbolizes the many crises that individuals can overcome, no matter how impossible they may initially seem. It’s a message of hope and optimism that I am to convey to those who also face life-altering situations.
This album also draws inspiration from French Post-Impressionist composers like André Caplet, Lili Boulanger, Ravel, and Debussy. Their vividly colorful orchestrations and refined harmonizations have deeply influenced my work, and I've tried to infuse “Mt. Mundane” with the same vibrant energy.
The experience of losing hearing in one ear led me to found Artists Against Tinnitus, an organization that seeks to educate musicians and those working in the music industry about the occupational hazards of music production and performance. We also aim to provide resources for those struggling with tinnitus and to advocate for better hearing healthcare policies in government and the healthcare sector.
With “Mt. Mundane,” I hope to share not just music, but a piece of my soul—a testament to resilience, creativity, and the enduring power of art.
Stream the album “Mt. Mundane” here via Spotify, Apple Music, and other apps, and click here to learn more about Artists Against Tinnitus.
