Joachim Horsley: From Pro Tools Assistant to Emmy-Winning Hollywood Composer, with a Quick Stop in Cuba

So excited to pull back the curtain on such an inspiring and super talented human! He is one of today's true musical jack of all trades: Hollywood composer, pianist, arranger, great friend and collaborator to Nu Deco, and now a science teacher, Joachim Horsley. There is so much life wisdom he shares with us today, such as learning that greeting fire always translated into amazing life changing events that brought new creative opportunities. He describes his lifelong  search for the connective fabric of music and life, a fusion of styles that bring us all a little closer together. After one particularly difficult event, being fired from a successful show, he created a life-changing project called “Beethoven in Havana,” which catapulted him to new musical horizons, albums, tours, and collaborations from the National Symphony to Nu Deco, including a viral video that garnered over 2M views. This set his musical life and personal journey into new and richer pathways. He expresses that you don’t need to create the "one masterpiece" to be successful. Just get up, do the work day by day, and watch the magic unfold over time. As a composer, being yourself is inescapable, and being scared of the path is most likely a good thing. So, just lean into it! He expresses how he maneuvers and handles the pressures of Hollywood, and that you can never duplicate someone else’s road, as your journey is all yours. Take ALL advice with a grain of salt, and ultimately you must be the CEO of your own career. This wide-ranging conversation is incredibly inspiring to all on any artistic endeavor and we can learn so much from his experiences and thoughts on being yourself while keeping perspective in this world. PLUS, we listen to some incredible, never-before-heard music that we performed with him here in Miami. This conversation will surely inspire and take you on a journey that connects the European art traditions with the Afro-Caribbean-inspired music from Cuba. Hope you enjoy! 

Om Podcasten

Miami’s 21st century genre-bending chamber orchestra, Nu Deco Ensemble, presents unfiltered conversations with dynamic and award-winning musical artists, trailblazing composers, and forward-thinking industry leaders and CEO’s. Hosted by Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Jacomo Bairos, these conversations dive deep into the lives and works of these exceptional artists and leaders, peeling back the mysterious curtain of creativity and inspiration, while exploring life wisdom gleaned from their stories and prolific careers. Composer, producer, and CEO of Nu Deco, Sam Hyken (also Co-Founder and Artistic Director) writes, arranges, and creates the majority of music for the ensemble and guest artists. Jacomo conducts the ensemble, and together they both curate and program, in liaison with composers and guest artists, content for performances, media distribution, and educational offerings. Described as “world-class” and “thrilling” in the press, Jacomo conducts around the world with institutions such as the Boston Pops, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Singapore Symphony. He regularly collaborates with Grammy-award winning musical artists such as Wyclef Jean, PJ Morton, and Jacob Collier, as well as hosts both Nu Deco’s performances and education concerts, reaching audiences across the globe and thousands of students throughout Miami and the nation. Jacomo also teaches and leads meditation as well as mindfulness and wellness courses for Nu Deco NXT, Nu Deco’s youth ensemble based in Miami.