We sat down for an exclusive interview with Graeme Stephen, award-winning Scottish composer and guitarist, who is presenting his score for the 1927 silent film Metropolis at Soundhouse Winter Festival at Traverse Theatre. Running Thursday 27 November to Monday 1 December 2025 you can find the full programme here. Graeme will also be giving a non-participatory masterclass in Developing Concepts for Composition, Improvisation and Practice, for learners to explore creative ways to turn their ideas into compositions.
What drew you to composing a live score for the 1927 silent film Metropolis?
The first silent film I ever composed a score for was F.W. Murnau’s Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, back in 2011. I’ve always been fascinated by how music in films can shape atmosphere and convey emotional layers, often without a single word spoken. I really enjoyed the experience of working on Sunrise. It sparked something creatively for me, and I continued writing for other silent films, performing the music with various ensembles.
In 2015, I recorded an album of new music with an amazing string quartet from Amsterdam called Zapp4. Working with them was such a joy. I really loved their interpretation of my music, and it inspired me to write a silent film score for this ensemble.
Metropolis felt like the perfect fit. It’s one of the most iconic and visually stunning silent films ever made, rich in imagery, emotion, and scale. I premiered this live score with Zapp-4 at the Edinburgh Fringe, and since then had the chance to perform it internationally. The film’s vision of the future and themes of the human condition really invite musical interpretation. It’s always very exciting for me to perform my score to this amazing film.
How does working with a classical string quartet shape the sound and texture of your composition?
For this performance, I’m working with an unbelievably talented string quartet and a drummer. Their technical facility and musical sensitivity are astounding. The range of textures and dynamics they can create opens up so many exciting possibilities within the music, and they truly bring it to life in performance. When writing for a string quartet like this, I feel comfortable writing with adventure, knowing that they will understand the music and really bring it to life.
I’ve been working with violist Fiona Winning over the past three years on projects I developed during my PhD in composition. Fiona is such an inspiring musician to work with, bringing so much adventure to the music. I also know violinists Tom Hanky and George Smith through some of those collaborations, two very special musicians. This will be my first time meeting and performing with Sonia Cromarty on cello, which I’m really looking forward to.
Tom Bancroft on drums is one of my musical brothers. We’ve been collaborating on various projects for over 15 years. He’s not just an incredible drummer, but an all-round musician with amazing improvisatory instincts when playing live. Performing this score with such a remarkable group of musicians is incredibly exciting.
Can you share a bit about your upcoming masterclass and what participants can expect to learn?
I don’t do masterclasses very often, so I’m really excited (and a bit nervous!) about this one. I’m going to share some of the ways I work on my own compositions, especially how I use improvisation to develop ideas and shape pieces. I’ll probably take one of my own pieces and show how I can turn it into something new by approaching it in different ways, changing the texture, using effects, trying out different techniques, and so on.
I’m also really interested in talking about the process behind composing and improvising. I think everyone has their own way of doing it, and my recent PhD explored the things I do to shape my work. These elements are often things that are intuitive and get taken for granted, but are actually important in helping generate new ideas. I’m hoping to share a few insights from that which might spark something in others.
It’ll be pretty open too and could go in all sorts of directions depending on the questions I get from participants (if there are any!) Hopefully, people will come away with some new ways of thinking about their own creative processes.
How do you balance improvisation with structure when creating music for film?
I usually start by creating themes that fit the emotion of a scene and write the music quite organically, guided by the film. Once I have something structured for each scene, I start opening it up to improvisation. Sometimes, pieces get distilled down to just a riff or directions for improvisation.
A lot of the music can change in performance. Sometimes an improvisation takes over completely, and I love when that happens. These improvisations may develop across several scenes, and sometimes pieces I’ve written don’t get used at all. That flexibility keeps the music alive and means some performances are different from others while still connecting with the film.
What continues to inspire you to push boundaries between jazz, classical, and cinematic music?
Music is such an amazing world. There is always something new to explore. There’s always the feeling that you’re at the beginning of something. After I write a piece, I’m always hungry to do something else and discover more about music. I’m not sure about “pushing boundaries” between styles, it’s all just music.
What does performing at the Soundhouse Winter Festival represent for you as a composer and guitarist?
It’s just another gig… Joking! I love the Soundhouse organisation. They do so many great things, not just for the musicians performing but also for the audiences who come to the concerts. You need people like Soundhouse, they’re truly passionate about putting on great music in Edinburgh and supporting the musicians who make it. Douglas and Jane-Ann are absolute heroes for music! It’s great to be part of the Winter Festival, and I’m doubly excited to be performing this piece as part of it.