Brian McNelis had the great pleasure of speaking with Grammy-nominated composer extraordinaire Nico Muhly. They discussed Nico’s stunning score for Pachinko, the concept of involuntary music and Nico’s dream to design new sounds for cars and public transit, composition for concert music vs TV and film, the practicality of solving the hardest problems first, establishing a vocabulary of trust with your team, creating Wagnerian themes vs a fluid score in constant flux, the invaluable music conservatory lessons about the golden triangle of how to hear music, see it, and be able to play it, working with the great Phillip Glass, and so much more.

Nico Muhly’s exquisite score for Pachinko is out now worldwide via Lakeshore Records.