A SKY FULL OF STARS (Orchestral)

Orchestra has interested me for the longest time because sound wise, the tapestry of instruments allows all sorts of musical colours and flavours to express emotion; although the thing I love the most, is all those musicians playing together in perfect harmony. I have fond memories of friends, in bands jamming together and the symphony orchestra is the ultimate band.

I had been searching for a song to adapt to orchestra as a means of learning orchestration and chanced upon the original song by Coldplay, whose ‘dancey’ quality is my cup of tea. My first draft was a crude arrangement simply to test feasibility and that sounded fantastic; so it was definitely worth proceeding with. 

Like a sculptor working with stone, I set about carving away at the sound to make sure every section of the orchestra had a part. Strings were an obvious choice for the chords and brass had to play the melody. It was the official music video where the band and their fans gather together that cemented the choice in my mind to opt for a triumphant sound and the trombones really deliver on that front.

Life is epic – my music is too.

As I immersed myself into the composition, I knew I could not write a straightforward cover – the tempo had to be lowered to 120 BPM,  a new introduction was written and the song is longer to build up the sound by layering the instruments over time. We start with a Tam Tam to get your attention and finish with a Triangle as a nod to my favourite comedy show ‘Frasier’ when he writes his theme song. I knew I was finished with the pre-mastered mix when tears started flowing from my eyes – tears of joy. There is a saying by Miyamoto Musashi which I prefer to express as follows:

“From one thing, ten thousand things can be known.”

Arranging ‘A Sky Full Of Stars’ in orchestra has taught me so many things from knowing more about each instrument  in terms of their register, music notation, timbre, voicing and more. I am grateful to Coldplay and Tim Bergling for their original song and to myself for having the courage and patience to give it a go.

Enjoy and Blessings!

ELECTRONIC PRESS KIT – CLICK HERE

QUOTES

“I recently had the pleasure of listening to your orchestral song, “A Sky Full of Stars,” and I must say it’s a breathtakingly beautiful and thrilling piece that exceeded my expectations! The song’s introduction with a gong sets the tone for an epic journey. The song’s ability to evoke a sense of wonder and transport me to a place of beauty, like watching stars in the night sky, is a testament to your talent and dedication. Your craft is evident in every note, and you’ve successfully delivered a masterpiece that will resonate with audiences worldwide. The purposeful use of the triangle at the end is a beautiful touch, and I applaud your attention to detail.

Well done, Atlas! You’ve created something truly special, and I look forward to hearing more from you in the future.”

Dulaxi

“Wow, this is amazing, I really love the power that gives this version to the original, now i can’t imagine it again without this arrangement, i love this and it’s now on our radio show at Mexiquense Radio.”

Fernando Dávila

“This one is really beautiful.”

Island Music

“This track takes Coldplay’s original and gives it a whole new vibe with an orchestra. What’s cool about this version is how it transforms the song into something epic. The orchestral arrangement adds this grand, cinematic feel that just sweeps you off your feet. It’s like being transported to another world where everything is larger than life. I love how the instruments build and swell throughout the song, creating these beautiful, dynamic moments that just give you chills. And even though there aren’t any lyrics, you can still feel the emotion and energy behind the music. It’s the kind of track that speaks to your soul without saying a word.”

Ron Murx

FURTHER THANKS

Guille  – You are best big brother a person could have. Thank you for letting me take over your house and roof  in the mountains whilst I did the work for the most important thing in my life right now.

Jose – thank you for accompanying me to Albufera at 2am in the morning so that I could get the Galaxy Shot. I got a lot of detail in the phot but need to work on processing it better for the best result.

Valencia City – You have changed my life and I love you so much. Thank you for being so awesome.

Francesco, Titila, Natalia, Andrea, Felipe, Maria-Paula, Pierce, Deepak, Alx Tayler – thank you for joining me on my dinner party celebration on release day.

La Blasca – every time I eat here, I am so happy. The food is amazing and my group and me had a wonderful at my dinner party celebration.

Ruben and Anna – Thanks for your help at UMPG in getting the the song approved for release.

Phil – Thank you for the piano lessons in helping me learn how to play the original version of ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ on the piano with both hands. We have a good rapport. I did not get to do the performance I wanted because of time. My friend the guitarist and I need more practice time together anyway. We are going to make a performance eventually.

Dad – Well there you have it, my first symphonic orchestral arrangement. I know you are not here to physically hear it but I know you can perceive it in the 4th dimension if you have not already incarnated into your next adventure.