Terry Oldfield

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AV:  Once you get an idea for a music project like Yoga Harmony do you set aside the time to work on the music and dedicate your full attention to the project or is it a little less structured than that?

TO:  I tend to integrate my current project into my daily life in such a way as to create a balance once again between the inner and outer, the physical and the mental, the head and the heart, etc., etc.   For example we have a large garden here and it takes a lot of physical work to maintain. So I might do a couple of hours in the studio and then go out and plant a tree or two.  This helps me to keep a focus on what I'm doing as it satisfies the whole Me in a way that maintains both health and peace of mind which are both essential to creative work.

AV:  Did beginning Yoga Harmony bring to mind echoes of your previous works and how do you let your new work be its own creation without becoming too derivative of what you have created before?

TO:  When I finish a project I hardly ever listen to that music again and once I am sure that all the groundwork is done for its' release into the world I tend to let it go completely. Also I rarely listen to any musicians at all who work in the same field as myself as I have a retentive memory for tunes, which I feel, could definitely influence my work. This is not true of classical music and I often listen to the great classical composers, particularly in the car whilst driving, or whilst flying. I feel that I have a general style of flute playing which is generally a reflection of how I respond and feel about life. I try to free myself from patterns and habits in my playing and Yoga once again is a great help in keeping the music spontaneous and free of repetition.

TO:  Nobody hears what I'm working on until I am happy that it is finished. This keeps the work clear of any outside influence in the way of likes and dislikes because on the face of it everyone has different tastes and it is easy to be affected by the opinions of others. Of course when the work is complete it is open to all. This does not apply to my work with film as then I am acting as a tool or what I like to call a 'Tunesmith' for the people who are making the movie. It is not essentially my project and I am open to the influence of others.

AV:  Tell me about what you found satisfying within Yoga Harmony and is this feeling the same for all the music that you create?

TO:  Satisfaction is in completing things - whether this is a whole CD - a single passage or track - or even just a flute take. The actual experience of playing contains no satisfaction as I am immersed in the experience and the subject-object division is not there - However when I listen back the satisfaction comes - when I can stand back and witness the work. Perhaps all artists are the same?

AV:  If someone were to pick up Yoga Harmony what would they find there? Give me an idea of the feel of your latest release as compared to some of your other work. Would your regular listeners recognize it as your “style” or might they be surprised?

TO:  It is quite Indian-Oriental in feel and I hope that people who know my music would recognize the essential essence in it but at the same time feel the newness and spontaneity that surrounds me in those creative moments.

AV:  When did you know that this project was done and that tweaking the mix would not make it any better?

TO:  Each track is completed before I start on the next so that there is a fresh approach to each. Somehow I just know when it's finished and usually that comes about suddenly - much quicker than I thought it would. For instance, I might come into the studio expecting another 2 days work on a track and be out of there by mid morning with a happy smile on my face.

AV:  Do you ever feel apprehensive when it comes time to take a project like this to the next stage and release it to the public?

TO:  Not at all.  The main thing is that I have done my best and I just let it go.

AV:  What kind of feedback have you been getting since releasing this CD? How closely do you follow reviews or the comments you receive from your listeners?

TO:  My web designer and friend Carole Martin keeps a very close eye on things for me and I hardly take any notice although I read all the reviews and am happy when people send me letters and say nice things about the music.

AV:  When you finish a project like this and it has had a little time to settle down after the official release do you ever go back and take a critical look at the project and think about things that might have been done differently or have you already moved on in your mind to your next creation?

TO:  Already moved on and away into something else.

AV:  Being intimately familiar with this work what will listeners take away from this CD after they have listened to it a few times? What are you own hopes for this music when it leaves your hands and is given over to the listeners? 

TO:  I just hope it gets spread about as much as possible and that it brings some joy and peace into people's lives whilst at the same time providing me with a living that will enable me to carry on composing music.

AV:  When will this release be available and how can AV’s readers get a copy of their own?

TO:  It is available now and has been for a while from all good retailers and from my own internet shop at: www.TerryOldfield.com, where I am happy to provide signed copies at no extra charge.

AV:  Thanks for taking the time out to talk to us and give us some insights into your latest release.  I wish you much success with all the music that is still yet to be released by you in the years to come.