Graduate Spotlight – Dan Higgins

Your journey into composing for film, TV, and games has been extensive. How did your time at Riverside Music College help shape your creative direction and prepare you for working across different areas of the industry?

At first, I wasn’t sure where I was going as a musician, it felt like there was so much to think about and so many obstacles to consider. But I said one day, ‘I just want to write Music’, and the lecturers’ were able to guide me without it seeming so overwhelming. I learned about modern songwriting for various genres, and showed them my background in classical music, which they encouraged me to use when making music.

From classical composition to sound engineering , your skills cover a lot of ground. How did your studies at Riverside support that versatility?

The course I studied was music performance. But on the course, there was more to learn than I would’ve realised. Not only did they teach me how to function as a musician, but also how to function in the industry, my legal rights as a musician, basic sound production and the journey to making a top-quality soundtrack.

How has your approach to composition evolved since your time at college, and what influences are shaping your work now?

When I left the college, my initial approach was to sell my music online, either classical music, or popular songs. I leaned into composition, learning that each composer had a quality to define their work, for me it was about finding my quality. I tried many styles but realised that by combining the songwriting skills I learned at Riverside, I could combine my style of songs into classical music for making catchy and memorable music scores.

You’re active as a freelancer and involved in community projects too. What advice would you give to current Riverside students who are looking to start their own career in the music industry?

Networking is very good for meeting people and finding opportunities. When I came to Riverside, I was very shy and with little confidence, but my time there helped me to open up, be more confident and courageous to reach out and make an introduction for myself.

Looking ahead, what are some of your goals as a composer and creative professional? Are there any dream projects or collaborations you’d love to take on?

For me, I’m always looking for the next challenge, any project I look for or join is always one that I’m inspired to do and to make an impact with it. I’m always trying to push myself further, to bigger and more challenging collaborations and I look forward to seeing what happens next.