Interview: Yuval Lavi
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
I have always been very fascinated by how music affects us in our daily life. How music has the ability to control our mood, disconnect us from reality and throw us into a world of imagination. It is a unique art that has no physical shape or form but still is as real as anything physical. Photography is probably my biggest hobby. It is actually something I’m planning to pursue in the future along with music. As a film composer, I believe that every great piece of visual art can be supported by music. Music enhances the emotions the piece of art is trying to create.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
Other than photography, I spend a lot of my time cooking. I like being in the kitchen and making food my grandfather used to cook for me when I was I kid. It brings back a lot of warm and good memories for me. How long have you been making music?
I started writing music back in 2016. Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?
I’m based in Los Angeles, California. And as you can imagine, the music scoring scene is vast. There are a lot of talented composers in town and I am lucky to have worked with and even be friends with some.
What does your name mean?
My name is in Hebrew, it means a small river (or brook). But the origin of my name goes all the way back to the old testament. Yuval has the distant relative of Noah (from Noah’s Ark). He was the first musician in the Bible “Genesis credits him as the forefather of certain instruments”.
What is your favorite venue to play or record at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
As a composer, I don’t usually perform. However, I do record my music and I was fortunate to see my music be played and recorded by amazing musicians at EastWest Studios in Los Angeles. I hope one day I could record my music at Fox Studios or Abby Roads.
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into music and some advice that you would give to your younger self?
Try to find your own voice. That is something that takes years for people to develop but each one of us has a unique way of creation and an original story to tell. Also, I think it’s important not to compare yourself to others. Each one has its own path and progression. Compare your work to YOUR work only.
If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?
The best advice I’d like to give to young me is to appreciate my work more and give myself more credits for the small accomplishments I’ve achieved. It's not always about being at the top/
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
One of my favorite scores is the ending track I wrote for “The Fisherman’s Wife”. It was a challenge for me to write a piece of music for that scene, but the results were fantastic. It enhances the emotion in a natural and organic way, and supports the storyline perfectly. Both me and the director were very satisfied with the results.
What is the creative process, and what inspires you to write your music?
I usually watch the video the director sends me a few times. I find inspiration in the characters and environment which leads to me writing a draft that, in my opinion, supports the storyline and overall mood. After presenting the draft to the director and receiving his feedback, hearing about his vision, or sometimes even getting a few reference tracks, I start working on what will eventually become the final piece.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
I’m releasing an album next month. The album is influenced by artists Ludovico Einaudi, Evgeny Grinko and Olafur Arnolds. If you are interested in my work, please follow me on social media and website to hear more about the album and other upcoming projects!