SIMEON WALKER

(I do not own the rights to any images used.)

Hello everyone, it’s Chef Gracie! Added to the Song Soup Menu today is someone I had the great pleasure of interviewing through email- brilliant pianist Simeon Walker! I am so blessed to have gotten to speak with Simeon, as his passion and artistry shown within his work is truly some of the most inspiring I have come across to this day. As always on the menu I will include insightful background information to give some good education on our musician being added, and once again present a super awesome interview. Let’s dig in!

Who is Simeon Walker?

Simeon Walker is an independent, Modern Classical (as seen on Spotify) Music artist and Pianist out of Leeds, United Kingdom. However, we can find “more than background music” written in Simeon’s instagram bio. In my interview with Simeon I asked him about this as it was something that really intrigued me when I first came across his page a while ago, but I feel the meaning behind said statement becomes more obvious when seeing all of his work come to life through his music performance videos on his YouTube channel. We can also see this within his Instagram lives and reels, where he showcases captivating piano playing in beautiful cathedrals for all people to come witness and be in the moment of music. Through his page he keeps us very informed, speaking on his latest music endeavors and processes, even doing live chats to talk with and answer any questions from fans. Simeon is currently on his Imprints Tour in the United Kingdom, which references his most recent release- the ‘Imprints 1 & 2’ compilation. Combined to form the compilation are Simeon’s Imprints 1 EP (2021) and Imprints 2 EP (2023). I was very impressed to see Simeon has corresponding videos for each piece on ‘Imprints 1 & 2’, stating himself that they were “filmed in many different (outside) locations…” and to “...look for the coordinates in the title video and descriptions on YouTube to find out where…”. I strongly suggest checking out his Imprints tour poster pinned on his Instagram for a great description of the tour, giving us even more meaning to “more than background music”. On Simeon’s website you can find a great biography on him (please check it out), all of his music, videos and sessions, a way to contact him, and a link to buy physical copies of his works along with other Simeon Walker music merchandise.

I could go on and on about Simeon and his unending, compelling music background- but now I’d like to showcase Simeons discography below.

The Works of Simeon Walker

I do not normally or intend to do this with every musician I add to the menu, but for Simeons part I would like to include his discography listed below along with release dates and a few other details (I do intend to update discographies as time goes on). :

*NOTE- listed next to some pieces you may see the word ‘rework’. This simply means the piece you are hearing is originally another musician’s, but with Simeon playing now- making slight changes and adapting his style to it.

Albums:

-Mono (November 24, 2017) 9 songs

-Winnow (November 20, 2020) 9 songs

-Winnow (Deluxe Edition) (December 14, 2022) 16 songs

-Imprints 1 & 2 (March 17, 2023) *compilation

EP’S (number of songs listed) and Singles:

-Preface (July 7, 2016) 6 songs

-Mono (Reworks) (November 15, 2019) 4 songs

-Imprints (October 29, 2021) 4 songs

-Imprints 2 (March 17, 2023) 4 songs

-Singles(as well as reworks):

-O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (December 1, 2016)

-Drift (Piano Day version) (March 29, 2017)

-Hush (October 5, 2017)

-Turn (November 3, 2017)

-Shelter (March 30, 2018)

-Absolution (March 13, 2020)

-Patterns, Erase (Simeon Walker, Illuminine Rework) (April 24, 2020)

-Homeglow (June 5, 2020)

-Speak, pt. 1 (September 25, 2020)

-Captive (October 16, 2020)

-Seasons (November 6, 2020)

-Shore (March 26, 2021)

-Inside/Out (June 25, 2021)

-E Minor Prelude (Simeon Walker, Frédéric Chopin) (July 30, 2021)

Rivali (Simeon Walker Rework) (Orange and Mountains, Simeon Walker) (August 13, 2021)

-Gleam (September 2, 2021)

-Ache (September 23, 2021)

-Bewild (October 13, 2021)

-Nocturne (February 24, 2022)

-Reverie (March 29, 2022)

-Unbound (April 15, 2022)

-Koi Swirls Piano (Simeon Walker Remix)

(Matt Emery, Simeon Walker) (April 29, 2022)

-Veer (May 20, 2022)

-Impromptu No. 1 (September 29, 2022)

-Impromptu No. 2 (October 13, 2022)

-Three Impromptus (October 27, 2022) ***(this has the previous 2 on it as well, along with Impromptu No. 3)

-Speak, Pt. 3 (Simeon Walker, Josh Semans) (November 23, 2022)

-Captive (Simeon Walker, Laura Masotto) (November 30, 2022)

-Seasons - Solo Piano Version (Simeon Walker) (December 7, 2022) ***(also has Speak, Pt. 3 and Captive on it)

-Paean (January 31, 2023)

-Crave (February 15, 2023)

Collaborations:

-Elegy for Solo Viola (played by Heather Wallington)

-June- Doug Thomas, Simeon Walker (January 1, 2019)

-Elegy- Simon McCorry, Simeon Walker (November 13, 2021)

-Found- Hannah Sumner, Simeon Walker (February 8, 2019)

-Ruht- Ell Kendall, Simeon Walker (May 30, 2019)

-Saturnine- (off of Realismo Mágico compilation) Simeon Walker (August 6, 2021)

-I Never Thought- Hannah Sumner, Simeon Walker (April 15, 2019)

-The Pauper- Kinnship, Simeon Walker (May 30, 2019)

-Roam- Simeon Walker (for the Project Thesis DRIVE *details on https://thesisproject.bandcamp.com/album/complete-drive ) (March 23, 2021)

Simeon Walker Speaks

I always like to present interviews as I sent and received them (feels more authentic this way), so how it was formatted over email is how it will be presented to you reading! When initially reaching out to Simeon via Instagram DM, he was super kind and genuinely interested in what I'm doing and the meaning behind it. Simeon’s responses are so special. We get to witness an outstanding musician’s personal thoughts, having a deeper inside look at information on the background and journey with their music. I’d like to again give a huge thank you to Simeon, because even though he was occupied with his own life he still took the time to respond thoroughly back to me- I will forever be so grateful for this as he is the first musician interviewed here on Song Soup.

SIMEON…

1. I am curious as to where your journey with playing piano began-

How old were you when you started playing and what was developing your talent throughout the years like (such as say, piano lessons or any schooling for piano/music)?

I came from a musical and music-loving family, so music was always something which I was surrounded by and interested in as a child. I started having piano lessons around 7 years old and continued with the same brilliant teacher right through to 18, taking exams in piano, theory and singing. I then moved to Leeds to study music at university, before spending around a decade developing and growing my career as a freelance musician including: performing, teaching, session-playing, arranging and performing in a range of musical contexts, styles and genres. Whilst I was always a keen composer, I didn't expect or believe that I would be releasing music as a solo artist under my own name, which was something I first did in 2015 with my piece 'January'. It's been a great journey of growing my audience, connecting with music/piano-lovers around the world, and becoming increasingly busy as a performing/touring artist. In 2020, I graduated from a Masters degree in Composition from the Conservatoire here in Leeds, and I'm excited about heading off on tour across the UK later this year.

2. Looking at your YouTube channel, you have chosen some very captivating settings to perform your pieces at. In referencing a post on your instagram about the cover art for your EP 'Imprints', you stated that as someone making instrumental music, having a meaningful visual identity is very important in telling the story and conveying the meaning behind the music you create. Piecing this statement in with your music videos-

How do you go about finding the perfect place?

What does putting these videos together look like- have you ever had any difficulties during filming, or have had to switch locations?

Yes, I passionately believe that instrumental music can have as much story, emotion and meaning as other forms of music which utilize words, lyrics and sung elements within them. However, I've often felt that some people don't always see it that way, so I'm trying to encourage people to think a little bit more about the music they are listening to. This could involve either thinking about what I myself as the artist/composer is trying to convey, or indeed how the listener feels and interprets the music themselves - it doesn't matter hugely whichever way it goes, as long as people are open to that interpretative element.

Of course, in the modern world of video-based streaming platforms, many of the primary ways people will come across new music is via a visual-based method accompanying the music, and this is what lies at the heart of this motivation, although I hope people will then move beyond that, and allow the music to speak for itself as an art-form in its own right, rather than us always relying on something visually captivating and arresting to grab our attention.

An important part of my creative and compositional identity is creating a sense of spaciousness within the music for listeners to engage with their own feelings, thoughts, perceptions and emotions - primarily an attempt to create "uncluttered" music. This is combined with my love for the outdoors, geography and encompassing a sense of place is what led my visual collaborator Will Killen and I to think about filming videos for my 'Imprints' release in outdoor locations. This fitted nicely with the theme of the release relating to music with an introspective feel which was composed during the lockdowns of recent years, and then attempting to bring it out into the open, with a sense of release.

I like getting out and about a lot, for walks, road trips and slow adventures to seek out new places. A number of the locations we filmed in were places I had already visited or was aware of, whilst for others, there was a fair amount of Google Maps research taking place! Crucially, we needed places which were remote and captivating, but which were also accessible by road (for our van with the piano inside), and preferably a path or trail to lead to our desired place. On a few occasions, this involved a pre-filming visit to check the access suitability.

For the 'Gleam' video, this was filmed on an Edwardian listed pier on the North East coast of England in November, and we got very lucky with the weather! This video involved liaising with the local authorities, contracts, risk assessments, hiring the structure and space for exclusive filming time, hiring a drone etc - a lot of work went into that. It was an idea I'd had whilst walking on the beach there (a favourite spot of mine), and I didn't really believe it would be possible. But sometimes, good things do happen.

For the other videos, there were a mixture of public spaces we were able to use. For one video, we might have inadvertently strayed onto privately-owned land (whoops), which caused a little bit of a problem but we were able to sort it without too much hassle. It was mostly the weather which was difficult to navigate around, and also being late in year, the amount of daylight hours to film in which created most of the challenges to overcome.

3. On instagram you have "more than background music" in your bio. Through listening to your discography I personally find this to be true and inspiring- as is being in the 'modern classical' genre. There are plenty of posts on your account where you show us glimpses behind your inspiration and feelings for music you make, to the process of having the perfect cover art for your work.

Can you tell us what this ("more than background music") means to you, and what you hope to convey to listeners through all of your lovely music?

Thank you for this - yes, the More Than Background Music tagline has quickly become something I have been centring my thoughts around as something to help me focus on why and what I do, and also perhaps to provide something a little provocative to the modern classical world which has grown hugely in the last decade or so. I write a little more about it on my Substack ,'The Cut Through' here.

Firstly, a disclaimer - I listen to lots of music everyday when I'm not practicing/composing; when I drive/am traveling; when cooking dinner etc. I'm well-aware we all use and have music on in the background, as I do. My greatest fear, however, is the degradation of music as an art form. Factors such as the advent of streaming; the availability of any music we could possibly wish for; and the ease with which we can access it on our devices (for a comparatively small subscription price), has accelerated this possibility, not least through the proliferation we have seen in people engaging with music via playlists rather than albums/artist discographies, and the ever-increasing choices we are being encouraged to make based around our mood, rather than genre or style of music.

Whilst preferred musical tastes have always existed, the way that the popularity of playlist titles such as 'Bath Time Chill', 'Piano Music For Sleep/Study/Dinner' (and literally 'Piano In The Background') has evolved, makes me concerned that what had become a new and exciting way for people to access music inexorably linked to and inspired by Classical music (through luminaries such as Nils Frahm, Olafur Arnalds, Max Richter et al) - perhaps for whom Classical had previously been a barrier - has now become something more synonymous with "switching-off" and "tuning-out", to the extent that the music becomes a vehicle for a different/altered state of mind, rather than an appreciation of the art, creativity, skill and meaning behind the music and it's creator/composer. I put so much into creating, composing, performing and engaging with people, and I guess it's my - admittedly provocative - attempt to pull people into the present and "be here" with me, in the moment, whether at a live show or just listening on Spotify, Bandcamp, YouTube or on vinyl and CD. Of course, I hope it is an inspiring, engaging, life-giving experience...just one that is real, genuine and honest, and given the focus that the work deserves.

I'm aware this could be read as quite critical of a scene which has done many good things for many people, including me, and is perhaps open to being accused of being reductive, and I fully appreciate that. I'm not seeking to aim criticism at any one thing or person in particular - it's simply an observation of how this has evolved into something which feels a long way removed from what I want music to be and what it is for.

I am not arguing for "No Background Music" - that would be silly. Instead, I want to challenge people to engage with the music a little more; to value meaning in music; to hear beyond what it can "do" for us as consumers (ugh) or where it can "take" us to; and to appreciate it as something created - or at least, I hope - with a desire to say something rather than just a slightly cynical approach to pick up millions of easy streams, where listeners have no idea who they are listening to, or indeed have any further engagement with the creators. Otherwise, we run the risk of creating more Muzak, forever on hold to customer services.

It's about a sense of more than background music, rather than no background music, and fundamentally a challenge to all of us as listeners and appreciators. You can't watch a film properly unless you give it your full attention. We visit galleries to see artworks in real life and stand in front of it, appreciating its perspective and the skilful vision it took to create it, rather than just looking at it on a screen. Why should music be any different?

4. Performing and touring throughout the years in various cathedrals to different venues around the United Kingdom and Europe, I can only assume your shows leave fans feeling inspired for life and in awe of how someone conveys their entire being so beautifully through piano. This being said-

Have you ever thought about touring in North/South America, or any other countries?

(America would love to have you!)

I LOVE performing live. I've been touring a lot in the last 5 years so, especially trying to encourage people who don't usually attend classical concerts in big, concert-hall style venues to come and appreciate a different kind of music in a different kind of way. Close-up, intimate, cozy, honest and genuine, interspersed with stories and relatable experiences that help place the music in context and allow for the holy grail of what many of us as artists are seeking through the performance and presentation of our work: connection.

I love playing in new, unusual and unexpected environments around the UK, and trying to grow the modern classical scene here, which has been quite slow in developing compared to elsewhere in Europe, especially in places like Germany, the Benelux countries and Scandinavia, where there is a great interest and appetite in this music. I have loved touring and performing there in recent times. Heading further west over the ocean would be an absolute dream which I hope to fulfill one day, but the challenges of high costs and visa/work-permits and regulations are hard to contend with as an independent artist.

5. Being a musician is a lifelong journey, just as one may find with their career, interests, hobbies, and self- growth is important. Not always constant, but that is normal.

How have you grown as a musician throughout the years, and what are you most proud of yourself for as one?

Could you offer the best piece of advice you have to aspiring pianists or musicians in general?

This is such an interesting question, and an area in general I've been thinking about and working on a lot in recent times. As with all of us, I have a significant number of regrets and frustrations about how much (or how little) work/practice/development etc I did at certain points in my life which I feel held me back from moving forward. We all make life-choices at certain times, some of which can be difficult and hard to look back on, knowing what we do or where we are now, and I have my fair share of those.

Something which I was fortunate to be able to work through in relation to this last year with a therapist is trying to challenge those elements of frustration, pain and regret with our feelings of how and why it means so much to us. With those things being in the past, they of course can't be changed, but focusing negatively on them often doesn't allow for us to feel pleased with and proud of our achievements and what we are working on now. Reframing it positively around the nature of why something like music means so much to me, both as an artform and as something fundamental to my identity and sense of self has been so helpful and valuable for me.

A helpful realization for me has been coming to terms with the fact that you can't make everyone like your music. We all have our varying tastes of everything, and it's unrealistic to expect that you can win everyone over to enjoy and like what you do. There are plenty of things I am not a fan of! It's about finding your real, core audience; the people who will be really invested in what you do; the people who will truly follow and connect both with what you make a musician, and who you are as a person.

A final thought relates to something which I think comes with increasing maturity and confidence in ourselves as we get older. By this stage in my career, I'm very aware of what I am not; what I have not become; and what I cannot do...and that's ok. But this also means I am much more sure and happy with what I am and do; why I do it; and what I am good at. Sticking to these things and being less regretful is helping me reframe who I am as a creative person, and after many, many years, it feels like it's finally starting to have an impact.

Concluding Statements from the Chef

As the chef of Song Soup I must say this is my favorite item on the menu thus far. Simeon Walker is an outstanding musician, pianist, and creative bundled all into one. He is a smart, respectable and introspective person and this clearly bleeds into his music career as well. I first came across Simeon’s music on a summer night in 2018, via SoundCloud. His song 'January' off of his EP Preface began playing on my phone, and it made me feel like I could really be in the moment with my emotions (something Simeon hopes to do and effortlessly achieves). In Fact, during this time of my life I was going through big changes, only eighteen and not exactly sure of my next chapter in life. The song gave me a feeling I can only describe as being accepting of whatever is to come while a bit sentimental of what was, but knowing everything will be okay. Simeon is in my mind and should be to everyone else a trailblazer of his own in the modern classical genre. He’s not only an incredibly talented pianist but is single handedly through his entire work showcasing the stereotyped genre as “more than background music”. If there was an award for the most genuinely passionate and creative musician on Earth, Simeon Walker would have one- no questions asked. I am delighted to be a big fan and see Simeon progress on his music journey and will forever admire him musically. Speaking with Simeon was more than I could ask for and I really hope you’ll support Simeon as well as check out his music on the various platforms linked below, you will not be disappointed! Thank You Simeon!!!

*You can find Simeon Walker on all streaming services.

Some Simeon Walker Platforms:

Website- https://www.simeonwalker.co.uk/

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/simeonwalkermusic/?hl=en

bandcamp- https://simeonwalkermusic.bandcamp.com/album/imprints-1-2

SoundCloud- https://soundcloud.com/simeonwalkermusic

Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/artist/5jEGjnI2WdRyJSUICQQIrK

What do you want to see next on the menu? Request an item by signing up at the bottom of the page! See you in the next one!

-Chef Gracie