Welcome, friends!

Dear Friends, I am delighted you have stopped by my page. Here’s what you need to know about me:

First of all, I’m a composer. That’s what I am before I’m anything else at all. When I think, I think in notes, and harmony, and counterpoint. The world is symphonic, and I veritably live to listen to it and repeat it back, however imperfectly, through my musical writing. I trained for this purpose at Berklee College of Music, where I received my undergraduate in composition. I’ve composed lots of different kinds of things, and I’ve released more than a dozen original recordings, which you can listen to on your favorite streaming service, like Spotify or Apple Music. I especially enjoy writing two forms of music. The first is orchestral soundscapes. For me, music is, amongst other things, a form of storytelling, and what more glorious way to tell a story than through a symphony of different instruments woven into a magnificent tapestry? Of course, music can be other things too, like a form of prayer. I’m especially fond of sacred music for this reason, and love to work with churches and choral ensembles when I can.

In fact, sacred music is my entrée into the second professional hat I wear, and that is my work as a theologian. After a number of years writing music, I decided to try and understand what music is from a spiritual perspective. That led me to the seaside University of St Andrews in Scotland, where I completed my Master’s and PhD in the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts. My theological observations cover lots of ground, from contemporary systematic theology, to the phenomenology of video games. My true object of interest, as you will at this point not be surprised at all to learn, is theology and music. I’m captivated by the way that music might act as a way of communicating truths about God to us, and perhaps even opening up encounters with the Divine too. As you might suspect, I’m fascinated by this subject, because I’ve witnessed precisely how music can achieve this in my own musical adventures.

So what is this Substack all about, then?

After pursuing music for a few years, and then theology for a few years beyond that, I’ve come to believe that they have a lot in common. Truth, as the great Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar said, is symphonic; and music is imbued with a deep spirituality that suffuses it and emanates from it out into the world, opening up a unique disclosure of the Truth. Sound + Spirit is one way for me to begin working out that conviction. It is my invitation to you to join me on a journey of meditating on God, creation, beauty, and faith through music.

This is my new hub online.

Even though I’m still active on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, this Substack is gradually becoming the mothership where you can access all my happenings, including:

• News about upcoming projects

• Essay reflections on life and current events

• Exclusive nature photography

• Excerpts of my new compositions

• Live performances of my original music on guitar, piano, and voice

• Hot takes on music, literature, film, and other art

• Spotify Playlists

And more! And I’m offering all of this completely for free. All you need to do is sign up today.

I would also greatly appreciate it if you would recommend me to your friends and family, and if you are yourself a Substack Writer, I’d be honoured if you’d consider recommending SOUND + SPIRIT to your readers.

Thanks for considering joining me on this journey. I look forward to getting to know you all along the way!