WITH MARC FINDON & ANDY FINDON
London, 2026
During this interview, I change seats, place myself in front of another artist and ask him the questions I wish people asked me. Today, I meet with English musicinas Marc Findon and Andy Findon, who have just released their latest collaborative project, Flautando.
Marc, Andy, tell us a bit about yourself.
M: I have been writing music on and off for the past twenty-five years or so. I have two sons (and a dog) and when not writing music I can also be found driving commuter trains!
A: Dad to Marc. Longest serving survivor of The Michael Nyman Band, and still active with two other historic bands from the 1970's, Gryphon and The Home Service. Currently principal flute of London's National Symphony Orchestra (have been a member since the early 1980's) and enjoying regular concerts with the standard orchestral repertoire, as well as working on TV & film scores both in London's studios and at my home studio. Busy writing, recording and producing for many Library Music companies.
Tell us about Flautando, your latest collaboration.
M: It takes its influence from electronic music of several decades ago but as an acoustic piece using nine flautists across piccolo, flute, alto, bass and contrabass flutes. It’s more traditionally composed than work Dad and I have done recently together which has relied more on improvisation. I wanted something which works equally as a recorded album and in live performance.
A: I have recorded many of Marc's compositions over the years and was, once again, challenged by this one. Presented to me with Marc's usual understated "have you got any time this week to record a few simple flute tracks"!
Marc, how did the initial project come about?
M: The piece came out of a period of playing about with various synth samples and the idea of introducing acoustic instruments amongst the synths to combine - and eventually replace - the sounds.
Andy, how did you approach the recording the pieces — both from a macro and micro perspective?
A: I worked from the bottom up, using a "music-minus-one" approach from the Sibelius audio, (ie, muting each part) as I recorded through the different flute parts. Generally completing the whole piece on the one instrument, then repeating on the next. I used different flutes on the higher lines, (I hae got two altos and several flutes) intending to sound like different players but inevitably they always generally ended up sounding like me!
Explain us how the conception of Flautando evolved, from initial idea to finished product.
M: As the piece developed I decided to try and replace all electronic sounds with acoustic flutes with the intention of then applying various levels of electronic processing. The more I got into the writing the more I decided it may work to try to imitate various electronic effects with acoustic techniques such as drones, stereo spread, delay and echo effects. The idea, for example, of the dynamics and range of the instruments in the opening section mimicking the sound of an organ or synthesiser building up the texture of its sound.
What were some of the influences, both in the composition and the performance, of the collaboration?
M: Each of the five pieces draw on different influences which have been brought together by use of the flute choir. Andy has recorded flute and woodwind tracks for me since I started composing as a teenager and I thought that this was a good opportunity to create an album featuring only his flute playing. “FlautandoFour” is in fact a reworking of one of the first pieces I ever wrote which was recorded on a very early home computer sequencer by Andy in the late ‘90s!
A: We have worked together on many collaborations over the years but I am still always challenged by Marc's stuff! Multi track recording is always quite an intensive process but also, most enjoyable, as it takes shape.
What is the importance of live performances for Flautando, and have you got any plans with bringing it to concert venues?
M: I wanted this piece to work equally well as a recorded album and in a live setting-my more recent projects have been very focused on recorded music. I will actively be looking to arrange performances although nothing booked in yet!
A: We will be actively looking for opportunities for live performances. There are now more groups with "low flutes" around, so, hopefully, this work will appeal to them.
So after Flautando what’s next?
M: I have a couple of projects on the go at the moment, I am in the early stages of arranging a collaboration with a musician I used to record with a number of years ago who now lives abroad which I hope can lead to an interesting album.
A: Standing by for whatever Marc throws my way with his usual "got a minute or two this week…!”
Thanks very much Marc and Andy. A last one for the road — one book, one album, one film —, tell us about your latest cultural findings?
M: A book, Red Riding by David Peace. An Album, Pink Floyd’s The Final Cut. A Film, I admittedly have not sat down and watched a film through myself for a while now — the latest cinema trip was to see the recent Mario film with my nine year old!
A: My latest read was "Suggs and the City", a combination of muso humour with London's history both culturally and culinarily! I was also lucky enough to work briefly with him on The Liberty of Norton Felgate, playing Duduk! Album: The Atomic Mr Basie. Film: Zulu.
Bouncing on Marc and Andy’s words, to experience fully the project, I recommend a close listening to Flautando, both through headphones and speakers! Read my review of Flautando.