Growing up in Surabaya, Indonesia, did you have a formal musical upbringing or studies? What early education, composers/artists, or local traditions (e.g., gamelan) shaped your compositional voice?

Definitely. I studied piano through the Royal ABRSM method and, ever since deciding to become a film composer, spent a lot of time studying various orchestral music from past and present. I’m also a bit of a nerd for ethnomusicology and absolutely love the combination of folk music with the Western palette.

I had the privilege of encountering the works of Colin McPhee, a Canadian composer who spent a lot of time in Bali and tried to translate gamelan into the Western orchestra. I draw a lot of inspiration from him and truly wish his work were more well known. He’s definitely one of my inspirations.

At Bleeding Fingers Music, how do you navigate creative differences for cohesive scores on docs like Island of the Sea Wolves and Planet Earth: Asia? What have you learned from being part of a composer collective, as opposed to working as a solo composer?

I think when starting a project—especially one between two composers—it’s important to agree on a certain palette. I’m often very mindful that we are using the same sounds for little loops, textures, transitions, percussions, bells, etc. The devil is in the details, and a little attention goes a long way in creating a cohesive score.

I’ve learned a lot being in a composer collective. Firstly, it’s definitely less lonely. You can draw from each other’s creative energy and have a sense of camaraderie when things get hard. You can also challenge yourself. It’s a different energy when you’re in a building full of composers actively trying to get better at their craft 24/7. It motivates you to improve as well.

How do you approach scoring for live events, such as the Delta Centennial Celebration performed at the Las Vegas Sphere? Do you see them more from a score perspective or as a song producer?

I’ve only worked on very few live events, but the most recent one last year, the Delta Centennial Celebration, was interesting—and I definitely had to adjust my workflow.

I initially wrote an eight-minute suite produced by Russell Emanuel, and then went on to work on it some more with another composer here, Thom Lukas. Our music editor, Harsha Thangirala, was instrumental in bridging the gap during delivery—especially since we had to work within their custom-built system, the Sphere Immersive Sound. However, in terms of the purely creative process, it’s all about delivering the right emotion that will invigorate and amplify their keynote speech. In that respect, it’s very similar to my day-to-day work, just in a different format.

As a composer across genres, how do you adjust your approach or writing process when handling different styles (cues, themes, orchestration), when shifting from something more contemporary chamber writing like WOACA, to intimate banjo-fiddle music like Island of the Sea Wolves, and to sweeping orchestral gestures like Planet Earth: Asia?

Hmmmm. I think I’ll refer back to my answer to the first question. I feel like I have a decent foundation of music and arrangement, and when you know how music “works,” it becomes more natural and intuitive to jump between styles. Exposure to different genres and emotions played a great role, along with a strong understanding of the language of film, music, and human emotion. The core principles are the same, and I see genre/style more as a vessel for those three things.

With new music technologies emerging, what tools are you experimenting with, and how might they transform composer workflows? Which traditional scoring processes do you see as irreplaceable and likely to stay unchanged?

I’m very excited to see if AI will somehow be integrated into our workflow—not as a creative force, but as a tool. I hope one day I won’t have to do so much programming and that AI can handle it for me.

What have you gained from being part of the Alliance of Women Film Composers (AWFC)? How has it influenced your career or shaped your path as a female composer?

I think people underestimate how lonely and isolating this job can be, and they underestimate how important a sense of community and belonging is to the soul. The AWFC, along with other groups that highlight minorities in the industry, like the Composer Diversity Collective and the United Talent Development program, makes me feel seen, heard, and represented. And when you feel seen and represented, you become more confident and self-assured. That, I feel, is crucial for the growth of an artist.

Interview by Jocelyn Scofield

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