Music of Films - inspiring feelings & memories

A human’s life story is the true document of time.

How can someone be so young, yet full of history? Our DNA is quite something.

It almost feels like our lives are not as personal anymore. As if there is a greater consciousness guiding it all. Yes, the physical representation changes from time to time, generation over generation. But the purpose and the meaning remain the same. For the soul to consciously unfold itself, to evolve! It almost feels like consciousness is speaking to us and through us at all times.

I had the honor to interview and unfold the layers of a soul that is present in our time. A soul that lives to express. And what is an expression, but the greatest gift of all time? The authentic opportunity to consciously share the impact of life in your formation and its outcomes. The only valuable way to share, some might claim. As it reminds us all, that purpose is not a goal to achieve, but to live authentically. And that’s how you fulfill your purpose.

Peter Ata is a composer and music producer. He is an artist that believes everyone is an artist. Even if you’re not a musician, or a painter, everyone is a form of expression, influence, and inspiration, and to Peter, that’s what art is all about.

Peter grew up in an artistic family. His mother is a music teacher and his father is a music producer, who also wrote and directed musicals for children. For him, music is his life. He mentioned how kids his age would play with toys and balls, but he would play with instruments and experiment with sounds. Even his family and social gatherings would usually turn into intimate jamming sessions. He also explained how his relationship with music started long before his birth, ‘Fun fact’, he said, ‘When my mother was expecting me, my father used to play the guitar for us. Well, I don’t know if that has had an impact on me, but that’s what they’ve told me.”

There was a sense of nostalgia as he spoke, which started to make sense the more I learned about Peter. Peter was born and raised in Lebanon and that’s where his relationship with music started. When he was around the age of 15, he used to break the rules during piano classes, wanting to modify or add something of his own to the classical music pieces. Once, at the age of 17, Peter’s father had to go on a business trip. So, he asked Peter to be in charge of his home studio and to inform his clients that he is on a business trip and that’s it. Until then Peter never worked at his father’s studio. During his father’s absences, he found himself spending more and more time at the studio experimenting with music. One day, Peter receives a call from a new client and instead of informing them that his father was on a business trip; as he was ordered, he instead said, ‘Well yes, how can I help you?’ And just like that Peter composed his first musical, for a dance show in his hometown of Zahle. The piece was a contemporary orchestral composition and that’s when he fell in love with the process.

To Peter, creating music feels like he is on a different planet. A state of flow! “It is noise until it becomes something,” as he puts it. To him, music was always meant for expression, but lately, that has not been the case “It has been a tool for change”, he said. Peter always dreamt of throwing big concerts in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, but he explained, “Now I have less time to focus on myself and more on delivering projects.”

When asked about his role models, among the many names who have inspired Peter are AR Rahman, for the “way he also brings out his Indian heritage in his music," and legendary Hans Zimmer, “for always stepping outside the box of normal and creating new paths for many film composers to follow. 

He is not a classical composer, he creates new worlds and that is what I try to learn and do myself. He inspires new composers including me because nothing is the same with his music, new sound or technique and that is the change I’d like to be and see.” Peter is currently working on a thriller feature film, in which he is exploring ways to create a piece of thriller music that does not sound like the usual ones. Walking in the footsteps of Hans Zimmer, Peter is experimenting with using the violin bow on a oud to achieve that goal.

Of course, it takes a rule breaker to become a composer. When asked about his life motto, Peter shared the following: “On a professional level: ‘Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist’, Picasso. Meaning, don’t do the normal, what people think is the right thing to do, add your touch, open a new path, and create something different, but you still need to learn the rules so you do not disrespect the craft and its history.”

“On a personal level”, he added, “Be the change you wish to see in the world. Try one step of change on yourself and it will have that ripple effect. Whatever you can do to help, just do it! But that can be on a career level as well. For instance, I am the change that is happening in Saudi and the Middle East, opening a new path for the future generation. How? Well, the Dahha has its traditional music done in a specific way and that’s it. No one heard it with an orchestra of modern music. Yes, it is tradition and we will respect it, but we will also enrich it and add value to it”.

But one, in particular, was very important to me because it was the first time that I’ve worked with a full philharmonic orchestra in Europe and that was for the Saudi Cup opening ceremony in 2021 which was played in the presence of his Royal Highness Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. This shows how much Saudi is willing to push boundaries with respect! That was not the case back in 2016 when I lived in Saudi Arabia. I love working with our culture and people, that’s what attracted me to go back and work with Saudis. Even though I am based in the US right now, 90% of my work is in and with Saudi Arabia. I cannot ignore who I am and where I come from. Arabic music is with me and that’s my added value. So, I am not like any Hollywood composer and not many people do what I do, which fueled me, even more, to do it more.”

According to Peter, with the film industry receiving so much investment in Saudi Arabia, many opportunities will arise for musicians, music producers, composers, sound engineers and designers, and all other sorts of jobs. He also referenced the rise of studios like Merwas and festivals like Middle Beast, as he explains how the music landscape is changing in Saudi Arabia; advising young musicians to keep an eye on such opportunities, but most importantly, to remember that hard work, dedication and valuing relationships is the true key to any success.