Havens
The Havens project, with its roots going all the way back to the last century, is a testament to never giving up on your dreams.
Sometimes described as a concept album, Havens is a unique musical journey that spans genres - orchestral, choral, cinematic, Asian, new age. The experience is enhanced by stunning original art, providing a glimpse into the powerful imagery of nature, fantasy, and love that inspired the composer.
The beautiful Havens media book CD is available to buy now in the Shop.
In his own words -
Nick's Havens odyssey
With good fortune, our unpredictable journey through life will find a new and exciting pathway, one we could only have dreamed of taking. I’ve been following just such a path for the last 3 years, and around every corner, more beautiful landscapes seem to await me. I don’t yet know what the final destination will be, but the journey itself has already given me so many experiences to treasure.
Back in the mists of time, in my shy teenage years, I chose the academic subjects that came naturally to me—maths and science—while feeling there was nothing I could achieve in music classes. I headed to university with the goal of becoming an astronomer. Outside my studies, I finally discovered the styles of music I felt passionate about. I also wanted to find a new creative outlet as I got used to life away from home. And so the unlikely dream of being an amateur composer was born.
Over the next 10 years, I had numerous creative periods, making use of early composing software to put notes on a staff. The results were understandably simplistic, but I did feel I had an ear for a good melody. The compositions then lay dormant for a long time, but always, in the back of my mind, was the dream of eventually recording one track (The Grey Havens) with an orchestra. Years later, in 2021, my ability to work from home and save myself a 3-hour commute became permanent. For other reasons too, the time was finally right.
I feel very proud of these additions, and of all aspects of the artistry involved; the musicians, the singers, the mixing, the cover painting, and my weeks spent designing the CD and media book. May the odyssey continue for many years to come.
Luck was on my side, as I had recently met a singer, and she had worked with a local producer who would be a perfect fit for professionally orchestrating my melodies. The initial plan was to orchestrate and embellish a full album's worth of my 20-year-old tracks, then to finish with some relatively small-scale recording sessions. Part of my motivation was to provide some extra work for musicians who had faced so much recent disruption to their profession, as well as giving local singers the chance to be on an album.
The plans grew organically into something far more ambitious, and as each milestone passed, I would see exciting new possibilities for the next stages. I felt the music we were creating had the potential to reach beyond a personal project for myself, and so I should go as big and professional as I could—no cutting corners! This approach led to a recording session at the historic Air Lyndhurst, with the highly regarded Orpheus Sinfonia providing the string ensemble. A truly unforgettable experience, but I couldn’t stop there, adding a 2nd day with Orpheus in the gorgeous Angel studio. A 3rd session in London recorded the traditional Chinese instruments, a real privilege to witness.
Throughout the 2 years of making the album, I dusted off my old software to compose some entirely new passages, re-orchestrate others, and even write a new track especially for a pickup recording session with my flautist in Devon. Another inspiration was adding nature recordings to make the pieces more immersive. I tried to record as many of the sounds as possible myself, in locations I have a special connection to, such as my childhood home, or the harbour town where my grandparents lived.
I feel very proud of these additions, and of all aspects of the artistry involved; the musicians, the singers, the mixing, the cover painting, and my weeks spent designing the CD and media book. May the odyssey continue for many years to come.