Local composer Eamonn Watt releases “atmospheric” album ‘Pianissimo’

Local composer Eamonn Watt, otherwise known as ‘The Virtual Conductor’, has released a new album of piano compositions titled Pianissimo.

Watt ‘virtually composes’ and produces his diverse film score and classically inspired music through computer software.

In June 2012 Watt launched his first classical album, Bonhoga which comprised over an hour’s worth of piano and orchestral compositions.

Since then he has produced a variety of pieces including soundtracks for short films, an EP of virtually composed classical guitar music titled La Mariposa and another orchestral album called Haar.

As well as composing classical music Watt also plays the drums for BBC’s The Voice star Lisa Ward and her band the XYY.

One of Watt’s compositions, The Tale of Buckaroo Bill, won the finalist rank in the online UK Songwriting Competition in 2015 and has since gone through to the semi-finals of the online International Songwriting Competition of this year.

Pianissimo consists of 22 understated and beautifully rendered piano compositions. The tracks are short and sweet, with only two of them surpassing the four minute mark.

Overall the album is refreshingly simple. It is at once engrossing and cinematic, yet subtle and minimalist.

At it’s best – on standout tracks Dark Star, Sea of Tranquility and One Somber Day – Pianissimo is reminiscent of the works of the Italian virtuoso Ludovico Einaudi. Poignant, with rhythmic melodies which build towards emotional conclusions.

Pianissimo is an album blossoming with atmospheric, trance-like tones which, despite the occasional wobble, is a joy to the ear.

•CDs and Digital Downloads of Pianissimo can be ordered on his Bandcamp website: thevirtualconductor.bandcamp.com