Djawadi scored a 2019 Primetime Emmy nomination for his musical score on the eighth and final season of the hit HBO drama series Game of Thrones. “That was incredible. With the season ending, it was a great honor to finish it up with an Emmy nomination. It felt really good,” he said.
His composition, “The Long Night,” has been nominated for “Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score).”
On Saturday, September 14, Djawadi will be performing at the Jones Beach Theater on Long Island, as part of the “Game of Thrones” Live Concert Experience. “This is our third year of having the tour out there. Each year, we would always update the show and now we will be adding the new material in there,” he said.
“In this tour, we will be performing at open-air venues,” he said. “This was something we wanted to explore, and we have to re-work the stage for that. I think it will be very special to be performing this outside.”
For the last two years, he brought the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience at Madison Square Garden. “That was incredible. If you had asked me 10 years if I would ever be performing at Madison Square Garden, I would have laughed,” he said. “To be in front of a full house performing this music was mind-blowing and absolutely unbelievable.”
When asked what inspires his music and compositions, he said, “the stories.” “The score is supposed to enhance what you see visually on the screen, but it’s also supposed to tell a story on his own. I really draw from what the story is, the character development, and arcs. I try to put all that into notes,” he said. “When you turn the picture off you can really relive these scenes and emotions. Concerts are a big part of that since they are music-driven. Emotionally, the music can take us through the entire story arc.”
Now that the show is over, he admitted that it is a “bittersweet” feeling. “I absolutely loved working on the show, as well as showrunners D. B. Weiss and David Benioff and the entire team around it,” he said.
“We started in 2011 and every year, we would work on a season. I don’t know if it still has sunk in for me that next year, we will not be getting together again for another season and more music to come for the show. I will probably be in denial. I wished this show would just go on forever,” he said.
On his dream collaboration partners, he said, “I do like to collaborate so I am open for anything and everything. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of doing some great collaborations. As a musician that is something I definitely enjoy from a creative standpoint.”
Digital age of music
Regarding the impact of streaming services on the music business, Djawadi said, “They are going with the times. I know the streaming services drop all the new episodes at the same time. What I like is when you get an episode and then you wait a week to get the next one. In that one week, everyone can have a chance to catch up and have a discussion about it.”
On being a composer in the digital age, he said, “Sometimes, you would compose an episode and then you would get the next episode, and one episode would air, and it would be a rolling continuation. Now the episodes drop at the same time and we will finish all of the episodes before a single episode airs. Schedule-wise, it is still the same for us. All of the information online moves so quickly these days.”
For young and aspiring composers, he said, “Focus on what you want to do musically yourself.” “Try to find your own artistry. Stay true to yourself. That is important when making art,” he said.
When asked what the title of the current chapter of his life is, he responded, “Untitled.” “I am not good with words. I don’t write lyrics. My chapter would not have a name to it,” he said.
For his dedicated fans, he said, “A huge thank you for listening. I love that there are people out there listening to my music. With Game of Thrones, my music has had such a positive response. That is very rewarding since people dissect the themes. I am very thankful for that and that makes me happy.”
Djawadi defined the word success as contentment in life. “I am able to this for a living and that’s something I wanted since I was a little child. I have been living my dream and I’ve done what I always wanted to do,” he explained.
To learn more about the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience and their show dates, check out their official homepage.
For more information on acclaimed composer Ramin Djawadi, follow him on Facebook and on Twitter.
