Q & A with Jessica Curry

When composer Jessica Curry was studying composition at film school she was told by the Head of Music that 'the only reason a woman should be in his office is to clean it."

Nearly twenty years later, Jessica is a BAFTA-winning composer of contemporary classical music and is also co-founder of renowned games company The Chinese Room. She's written a string of scores for video games, is heard on many of the UK's radio stations, and was awarded the Outstanding Contribution award at Women in Games in 2018. Later this month she presents an episode of Scala Radio's 'She Scores' (Sundays in March, from 6pm).

We spoke to Jessica a few weeks ago and asked her a few questions.

What were the games from your childhood that triggered your interest in terms of video games as a platform for creative output?

I’m going to be totally honest and say that game music wasn’t where my musical inspirations came from when I was a kid. The first record I bought was Chi Mai by Ennio Morricone - of course I didn’t know who he was at that point.

The soundtrack for Little Orpheus has a three-dimensional quality to the orchestration that roots the gamer in the centre of the action. To what extent are you thinking about how the music will sound across a sound system at the point of writing or scoring the material?

Thank you - yes, you’re always thinking of the end point of the music- will it be primarily listened to throughs speakers or headphones, is the game for VR? I always start with the emotional intent. I think that’s what people respond to in my music. It’s never a technical exercise.

There's a strong narrative arc to the soundtrack without even playing it. Video game composers have the opportunity now to create for the gaming experience and create something that has listening appeal. Is that a challenge creatively or a liberating kind of brief?

When I wrote the music for So Let Us Melt, Creative Director Dan Pinchbeck said “I want people to understand the story of this game just by listening to the music.” Luckily, I think that that’s my strength. Lots of media composers say “the most important thing is to serve the project” but I shout poppycock to that. I consider any project I do that doesn’t have a fabulous, interesting, beautiful soundtrack at the end of it a complete failure. It means I wasn’t trying hard enough - so wallpapery, supporting, bland music begone!

What were the three most important pieces of advice you received when you were studying? What advice do you offer now for those with an aspiration to create?

Well, when I started at film school the Head of Music brought me into his room and told me that the only reason a woman should be in his office is to clean it. That totally did a number on me but to be honest and I had a miserable three years there. I wish I had given myself the advice to never, ever listen to those whose only desire is to bring you down. I’m just starting to be able to follow that wisdom now but it’s taken 20 years too long. I am obsessed with Maggi Hambling who is so strong and funny in the face of creative criticism. She quotes Oscar Wilde – “when the critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself.”

How has your creative practise changed over the years? If we asked you to describe your approach at the beginning of your career, what would you say? What do you look to as the most significant development point?

I think my approach is the same. My heart is, and always shall be, worn firmly on my sleeve. I only take on projects that I burn with passion for and that comes through in the music I think. The project that changed my life was Dear Esther, the first game that I scored. I look back at that time with such fondness as it was before it all got really serious running a big company. We didn't really know what we were doing but we had a wonderful time doing it.

Jessica Curry presents the second episode of She Scores on Scala Radio. The series begins on Sunday 7 March at 6pm.

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