We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Mike Fraumeni. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Mike below.

Alright, Mike thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

Early on in my career I worked as an engineer at a busy music studio in Santa Monica, then called Elias Arts. The owner and head composer, Jonathan Elias, had a unique approach to creativity that left a lasting impression on me. At the time, I struggled with the initial stages of composition because I felt this need for the initial idea to be groundbreaking and inspired.

I learned by watching Jonathan that it can’t be too precious or planned out. He would pull up a sound, hit record, and start banging away until something stuck. It wasn’t the most inspiring or glamorous process, but the results were undeniable. I took that lesson to heart. Often my best work comes from getting outside of my own head and letting my fingers do the work.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a composer for film, television, and branded content, and my passion for music started early, thanks to public schools that placed a strong emphasis on the arts. Starting in high school I was able to fill my school days with music classes that sparked my creativity and set me on a clear path. By sophomore year, I knew music was my future and committed to it fully.

What truly drew me to composing for picture was a deep love of collaboration. There’s something fascinating about being part of a team where each person brings their own strengths and ideas and pushes each other to achieve something greater than any individual effort. It’s that creative synergy that keeps me inspired.

I think one of the reasons my collaborators seek me out is that my compositional strengths are very broad. On any given day, I might be writing indie rock for an ad, sweeping orchestral underscore for a film, or EDM-infused pop for a short. For me, it’s important to approach each genre and medium with total authenticity, as if it’s the only style I write in. I enjoy the dexterity, and it makes the work deeply fulfilling.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

This is a tough question because, while voting with your money is incredibly important, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to do so in a meaningful way. My advice would be to start with small changes. For example, if you subscribe to a music streaming service, take a moment to research what they pay artists per stream and consider exploring alternatives that might be more artist-friendly. If you’re a fan of a particular artist, support them directly—go to their shows, buy merch straight from the band, or purchase their music directly.

As more people move away from cable and toward streaming platforms, there’s an urgent need for collective action to ensure that the people creating the content you love—whether musicians, writers, or production teams—are being paid fairly. Right now, that’s not happening, and it’s something we all need to be aware of and push for change.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are so many incredible aspects of what I do—a flexible schedule, work from home before it was cool, being my own boss, the freedom to pick and choose what projects I take on, etc.

But for me, the best part is simply that I get to make music all day. Though on some days it’s still ‘just work,’ on the whole I try not to lose sight of the fact that I am so completely and totally fortunate to make a living doing something that brings me so much happiness. If this weren’t my career, I know I’d still be carving out every spare moment to create music.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fopianomusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fopianomusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.fraumeni
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefraumeni
• Twitter: https://www.x.com/fopianomusic
• Other: https://www.vimeo.com/fopianomusic