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

Alright, Daniel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

To me, music is more than just a series of random notes and pitches, organized together to make sound. And most people will probably agree with me. Music is dynamic and malleable. Sometimes, it rises to a climax and other times it falls to silence. It constantly changes in speed, volume, pitch, and timbre. The effect music has on our emotions is incredible. Music transports listeners from the heights of ecstasy to the depths of chaos, and everywhere in between. This is one of the reasons why we hear music every time we watch a movie. The music draws out the emotions experienced by characters on screen. It tells the audience when to laugh and when to cry. It helps us relate to the story we are watching. To me, music tells a story. And by composing soundtracks for film, I am able to tell meaningful stories that have a lasting impact on people in my community.

I am also able to share a part of who I am through the songs I write. When I face situations in life, I put it to music. When I got married, I wrote a song for my wife and I to dance to for our first dance. When I was struggling with a difficult job, I wrote a song to help me through the challenging time. When I celebrated my first anniversary, I set it to music and surprised my wife. Her face was glowing when I sang it to her for the first time. I know that I am not the only one who celebrates wins. And I am definitely not the only one who suffers losses or experiences difficulty. But what I do with music has a lasting impact. If I can encourage myself through the songs I write and if I can use music to help me through life’s challenges, then I can help others who find themselves in similar situations. This is my passion and this is what drives my mission to speak into other people’s lives through music.

Daniel, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Daniel T. Cooke and I am a film composer and songwriter based out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. I am husband to my wonderful wife Jennifer Cooke, who is a talented wedding photographer. We love working together as a team and helping each other with our businesses. I work as a second shooter for weddings and my wife helps me by videoing my music videos. For hobbies, we enjoy traveling to new and exciting places whenever an opportunity arises, binge-watching Netflix, and hiking through the woods in search of scenic landscapes.

My journey as a musician started like many others: sitting on a piano bench as a nine-year-old, listening to my teacher explain the difference between a half rest and a whole rest. Before long, however, I began deviating from the music on the page. I would add my own frills and embellishments to enhance the music I was playing. By my thirteenth birthday, I was busy notating my first piano solo entitled, “The Mysterious Lake.” My hunger for creating music intensified as I became older, and I started composing songs and orchestral mock-ups of my favorite soundtracks, including Pirates of the Caribbean and Transformers. Listening to soundtracks such as these inspired me to continue developing my craft as a composer. Additionally, I began creating songs with text. These songs that I wrote were often inspired by the Bible and they helped me during various life situations that I encountered growing up.

To enhance my skills as a composer, I earned a B.M. in Commercial Music from Liberty University, specializing in Film Scoring. My degree offered me the opportunity to collaborate with award winning directors from Liberty’s Zaki Gordon Center for Cinematic Arts. Additionally, it helped me to become adept at using industry standard software to produce my songs and soundtracks.

Currently, I offer music composition services. Creating custom music, I write soundtracks for films that are tailored to the scene, helping bring stories to life with my craft. Additionally, I write songs based off of my personal experiences, in hopes of encouraging people who have encountered situations like mine, whether positive or negative. These skills have lended me many opportunities over the years. I have been able to compose original songs for film, set people’s poems to music, assist other musicians and songwriters in developing their craft, and have my own symphonic woodwind piece be performed and recorded by a live ensemble. It is my sincere hope that by writing music, I am able to inspire others and encourage them through both the joy and pain of life.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I have found that the most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been to be personable. When I am willing to engage with people in a positive manner, I demonstrate that I care for my clients. For me personally, this has looked like taking the time to be on set with the film directors I work with, or simply reaching out to see how my director friends are doing. In terms of songwriting, consistently releasing content has been the best way for me to grow a following. Being personable applies to this as well and involves reaching out to my supporters to let them know about recent or upcoming content.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My senior year of college was a rough time. I was finishing my degree, managing stressful job and family situations, scoring multiple films, working on a symphonic woodwind piece, and planning a wedding with my soon-to-be wife. Countless sleepless nights during this time both pushed me to my limit and helped me realize what I was capable of accomplishing. A decision to cut back on things not related to my goals allowed me to focus on the things that really mattered. Specifically, quitting my student worker position gave me ample time to devote to scoring two short films, completing my symphonic woodwind piece, and having a beautiful wedding. My hard work and resilience paid off when I received IMDb credits for the films and when I had my symphonic work performed and recorded. And my wife and I were happily married the weekend of our graduation.

Contact Info:

• Website: danieltcooke.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danieltcookeproductions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.cooke.186
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dtcooke/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd_nRlnHv06dQSmtMFbE0Kw

Image Credits
https://jenniferjaquithcooke.com/