Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jonathan Sanford. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Jonathan, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
I don’t think I’m old enough to decide if life is short or not, but I’ve decided it’s more fun for me when I have a smile on my face. The people I love the most give off a wonderful energy full of positivity and joy. It’s contagious. This type of energy fuels me up and I find when I give off this energy, I land closer to where I want to be. I work in music and entertainment. It’s competitive and it’s tough. Having a genuine positive outlook is essential because most days you find yourself in the grind, in the muck, and you need to see that little bit of light at the end.
I have a long history of team sports, into college, where I’ve been on underdog teams that won championships and everything started with the belief we had in ourselves and in each other. So, I must admit, being optimistic has been pretty rewarding in my life. The more wins we stack up, no matter how small, will yield a more optimistic approach. More importantly, when things don’t go your way, it keeps you standing or helps you stand back up. Mind over matter.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a composer and I play the saxophone. Primarily, I write music for film and television and I find every opportunity I can to work as a producer. I love helping artists bring their visions to life. I feel fortunate to write music for a living. Sometimes I reach out to peers to remind them, “we write music for a living, how special is that?” It sounds corny to say, but composers frequently find ourselves under stress from unreasonable deadlines and a piles of creative notes from clients.
Some of my recent work includes Killing It starring Craig Robinson (Peacock), Dear Edward with Connie Britton and Taylor Schilling (Apple TV+), and National Champions starring JK Simmons and Uzo Aduba. I also write music for theatre, live events, commercials, and I recently released the recording for my first ballet, There Were Two, which premiered in Toronto (Ballet Jörgen) earlier this year with choreographer Katlyn Addison. The music recording is available on your favorite streaming platform. Pardon the plug.
Recently, my wife and I built out my new studio. We took advantage during the slow pandemic time to build out my dream room. After different leases over the years, it’s great to have a studio to work in… forever. We also want it to be a gathering place for peers, friends, family, and whoever else brings good energy. We’ve been trying to bring back the “get together” where people just hang out for the purpose of hanging out, with no expectations.
As a composer, I love to explore and experiment with sounds. I like to start every project banging on some instrument as if I never played it before, like a five-year-old. This process let’s the magic in faster and makes me feel like I’m starting something new, from scratch. I work with a number of electronic instruments, vocals, saxophones, keyboards, and cello. I’m always searching for the vibe and I know it when I hear it, when I feel it. Oddly, even after so many years, I can’t quite predict what sound or note or image is going to spark the vibe. I just keep my ears and mind open. I love writing music after reading a script, just reading conjures up so many ideas for me.
The reason I’m so drawn into music for film, TV, and dance is the collaborative process. Even though I’m regularly in a room working by myself, I’m working with writers, show-runners, editors, producers, choreographers, and the list goes on. We’re all working together to bring a vision to life. It the end, it’ll looks and feel so singular, but there are so many hands that carry it all to life. It’s such a rewarding process. I love the process of creation. We’re making something that can last forever. I imagine it’s what architects, engineers, and builders feel when they drive past a sky-scraper they made. The feeling is special.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
If there are only three things packed in my bag on this journey…
Grit – the ability to grind and never quit. Most days are work days and I find the joy in the process.
Purpose – my friend Jade Simmons says it very well… “your purpose is the thing that happens in others when you do what you do.
A wonderful group friends – Some people call it a tribe, some call it a pack, and others might call it family. It’s very hard to go at anything alone. You need people to keep you humble when you get too high and folks to bring you up when you’re feeling low.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
Recently, the labor strikes in the television and film industries brought work to a standstill for me. Keeping my optimism high during this time was a challenge. I had to diversify and find other ways to use my skills. I had to stop looking at myself as a film and TV composer and think of myself as a musician, in the most general of ways. This challenge forced me to widen my scope and widen my network and plant seeds in other places. It got me writing music for documentaries, starting my next ballet, and recording a personal art project. This time also let me catch up on repairs and maintenance in the studio and in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sanfordmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanfordmusicdotcom/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sanfordmusicdotcom
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathansanfordcomposer/
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/sanfordmusic
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/22CvMTUZDPmEjaDtuIZwRk?si=w41aNoF6RtaqGzCcY2aL4g
Image Credits
Todd Westphal, Garrett Byrum
