Music alumni Stephen Gott records debut album with movie composer James Sizemore
British-American concert pianist and Huddersfield alumni Stephen Gott is fulfilling a dream by releasing his first album in collaboration with and written by acclaimed Hollywood composer and music editor James Sizemore.
The pair have teamed up on a ground-breaking new album of classical music, Everything More Than Anything, after meeting when Stephen was invited to New York to compete in the prestigious 6th NTD International Piano Competition in 2022.
Stephen releases James’ next piece, Betwixt and Between, on 19 January via all streaming platforms.
James’ film credits include The Hobbit trilogy and the Oscar-winning Spotlight, but Stephen wanted to showcase the American’s music away from the big screen. In turn, James relished the chance to work with the University of Huddersfield alumni and piano prodigy, saying that he was “astounded at how much he brought to the table and how he really elevated the music I had written.”
Discover more about studying music at the University of Huddersfield
The album was recorded by Paul Antonell at the legendary Clubhouse Studios in the Hudson Valley, New York, where acts such as Shawn Mendes and Post Malone have recorded.
The first track released from Everything More Than Anything
This was made possible with support from the University of Huddersfield’s Enterprise Team funded by Santander Universities. The grants, together with a Kickstarter fund, enabled Stephen to hire the studio and a team of New York’s finest classical musicians.
Working with the cream of New York's classical musicians
“I worked with some of the best musicians possible, Juilliard graduates, so holding my own with some of the best musicians in the world was quite a learning experience for me. I loved it!
“James’ music is very classically influenced, even though it is modern, so it’s a nice fusion of old and new. After meeting him and playing some of his music, I realised that I needed to introduce more people to this music because it was so great. It was a crime that it wasn’t known so much.
“I am so happy with the album, which was mastered by Emmy Award winner Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios . I cannot wait to share his music with the world. It deserves to be more well know, and it is unique – it is James Sizemore in his own right,” says Stephen.
Now 32, Stephen only began playing seriously at the comparatively late age of 14 and subsequently attended the Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London from 2010 to 2015. He decided to return to Higher Education during the COVID-19 pandemic following a career break, seeing it as an opportunity to prepare for recordings, concerts and competitions for when they resumed. Studying for his Master's in Music Performance with Jonathan Fisher at Huddersfield gave him a renewed love of music.
Stephen met James Sizemore while performing prestigious 6th NTD International Piano Competition in New York in 2022.
“Musicians could not work during the lockdowns, but rather than quit music altogether I saw it as an opportunity to study and further my development. I was really blown away by how good the music department and the facilities at Huddersfield are and they are excellent, even compared to some of the London conservatoires.
“The support from the Enterprise Team helps students wanting to go into self-employment and they really help you realise your vision. This was one of the main factors in me choosing to study at Huddersfield for my Master's. No other specialist music Conservatoire offers this kind of support.
“The piano department is great, and Jonathan Fisher showed a lot of patience. I had lost my drive a bit, I had stepped away from music and I wondered if this was really for me. But going back to studying really regained my passion.”
James Sizemore has paid tribute to Stephen and how he coped with his first foray into recording.
“After I first met Stephen in New York, he performed some of my pieces which gave me a clear indication that he was well studied in my music,” says James. “I could see he had good insights into not just contemporary piano music, but also a deep knowledge of the music by Impressionist composers such as Debussy, Ravel, and Liszt.
Valeriya Sholokova, Maria Im, James Sizemore, Ljova Zhurbin, Sabina Torosjan, Stephen and Paul Antonell at Clubhouse Studios in New York State."I was very keen on bridging the many decades between these 19th century French composers and modern music. There is such a rich history of Classical music, and I love that we were able to bring some of those 19th century sensibilities to a very modern music production.
Coping with demands of recording for the first time
“I think Stephen will admit that the recording sessions were quite challenging for him, but we pulled it off and Stephen played it very cool. It wasn’t until after the session was over that he told me how nervous he was! Of course, this is always the case for musicians, and we usually address these fears in the same way that Stephen did. Playing in a concert hall, and recording in a studio are two very different requirements of a musician and I am grateful to have a collaborator who can do both.
“I feel great about the album. After spending so much effort in the creation and development of the music, it is a joy to see so many people listening to it, and sharing it with others. While the most enjoyment for me comes in the process of writing the music, it always feels good to share something with the world that comes from so close to the heart.”