Meet The Musician: Interview with LifeScore Music

Welcome to #MeetTheMusician! We’re big fans of music around here, in all its forms. From the upbeat and playful to the sleepy and gentle, there’s a tune for every family with Yoto - and what better way to celebrate the joy of music than to meet the awesome artists behind some of your favourite Yoto tracks? This month, we sat down with the dream team behind LifeScore Music… Mary Lockwood and Danny Ryan. Keep reading to learn more about the magic that goes into making immersive audio!

About Mary Lockwood: Mary is the Chief Audio Officer at LifeScore Music. She is French, hails from a family of musicians and is passionate about interactive music. She's grateful for getting to work with the most talented audio team each and every day! 

About Danny Ryan: Danny is the Lead Composer and Audio Innovation Researcher at LifeScore Music, where they innovate all sorts of beautiful new ways to experience music. He grew up in the countryside of England, loves video games and is obsessed with music. He is delighted to get to contribute to the world of Yoto!

Q: Share a memory of music in your childhood - why is it special to you?

M: As far as I can remember, I have always been immersed in music. I think the most beautiful childhood memories remain the moments shared with my grandfather, who was a double bass player, he made me rehearse my cello, work my music theory a bit (I hated it) and we sometimes improvised small concerts for the family.

D: I remember first sitting on the stool of the drum set as a toddler. I remember the feeling of fascination at pushing the pedals and swiping at the drums with two big sticks. I had a similar feeling when picking up a friend’s trombone in my late teens, by this stage I could ‘play’ music, but I’d never played the trombone and loved the newness of the sounds and sensations of making them. My main instrument is the saxophone, but I think it’s important to remember that feeling of playing a new instrument. It’s not about being ‘good’ at an instrument, but ‘enjoying’ the instrument; enjoying sound. Ability is just a means to an end. 

Q: Why do you love making music?

M: It is sometimes easier to express oneself with musical notes than with words! I think it's a great means of expression, universal, and where we can just disconnect, and let our imagination run free, it's a bit limitless. And especially with interactive music, there are infinite possibilities and everyone is then free to adapt the music and tell their own story on it.

D: So many reasons… But one of the main ones being that it simply makes our experiences even better and more meaningful. Whether it’s in a concert, or in a film or video game, or in the living room with a family dinner; it augments reality into something more. There are always new ways to innovate and reimagine how we experience it. It’s a whole world in which the more you explore and discover, the more it grows and reveals further possibilities.

Q: What was your inspiration behind the LifeScore Yoto Cards?

M: It was really a team effort! We all inspire each-other in our team. A sound, a melody.. But I can’t not mention my son! He is 3 years old and like many parents, sleep is sometimes a big topic of conversation :) Create a musical journey in space, try to give a feeling of floating, a bit of weightlessness.

D: I wrote "Dreams of the Forest." Every day I walk in the very old, dense woodland that surrounds my town, in the day or night. There’s an intriguing interplay between the serenity of the trees which stretch high above you protectively, and the bustle of badgers, muntjac deer, owls, and all sorts that inhabit them. The music plays with that feeling. We have comforting, safe spaces with natural timbres, with lots of smaller characterful gestures shimmering within. I hope it’s a lovely space to simply lose yourself, and if you like, listen deeper to see if you can hear some subtle stirrings within.

Q: All of the LifeScore Cards are themed around nature, do you spend a lot of time outdoors?

M: Yes I love it, going out, walking outside is healthy! And it's a great source of inspiration too, when you listen carefully.

D: As much as I can. Walking, running, mountain biking mostly, and surfing and kayaking if I have a spare weekend. It’s easy to think too much, and getting outdoors is the best and simplest way to recalibrate and live in the moment.

Q: If you were a musical instrument what would you be and why?

M: I think I chose to play the cello when I was a kid because it was the instrument I felt closest to, so I would say the cello! And I could also hide behind when I was young… more seriously, it's an instrument that has a timbre close to the human voice. It has a reassuring side that I really like.

D: Prepared piano - it looks normal, but it’s full of weird sounds, and it’s never the same twice.

You can follow along LifeScore Music on all their musical adventures on Instagram or their website. Stay tuned as we feature more artists as a part our monthly #MeetTheMusician series. Who would you like to see featured next? Let us know on social media, or send us an email at hello@yotoplay.com! 🎶