> Buy the Series 7 album on Amazon.
> Buy the Christmas specials album on Amazon.
Christopher Nguyen asks: What is your all-time favourite Doctor Who piece you’ve composed? And your favourite from Series 7?
“My favourite piece is always the last one I wrote… otherwise I would always be disappointed. But I do still like ‘Doomsday’, and Amy’s theme. And Rose’s theme. And Donna. And ‘A Dazzling End’. That’s all. Oh and ‘Abigail’s Song’. That’s definitely all. Apart from ‘I Am the Doctor’. Also ‘This is Gallifrey’. But other than those. Oh and ‘The Rings of Akhaten’… wait, do I have to choose? Favourite from Series 7 was probably ‘The Terrible Truth’ when Clara (Oswin) is revealed to be a Dalek.”
Brent Dreher asks: How do you determine what the main characters’ themes should sound like? Is this something you discuss with Steven Moffat?
“I usually just do it and hope it sticks. So far Steven has liked my themes and I haven’t had to go back and revise them.”
Emanuele Pezzani asks: Is there any chance that expanded albums for Series 1-4 could be released?
“Never say never, but I don’t envisage further CD format releases for those series.”
Elle Stevens asks: Which episode to date did you find the hardest to compose for and why?
“Well, there are the episodes that are hard because they don’t inspire me for some reason, which luckily doesn’t happen too often. And then there are those which are just technically very difficult – like ‘Akhaten’. The time we had available and the logistics of the in-camera singing made it very hard to do.”
Daniel Dwyer asks: Did you watch Doctor Who before you joined as composer in 2005? Who was your favourite classic Doctor?
“Yes, I did, and Tom Baker was my doctor.”
Susan N Leo Leppanen asks: What music are you listening to for your personal pleasure at the moment?
“Right now I am listening to C.W. Stoneking…”
Basil Blackwell asks: What are your TV/film music desert island discs?
“Back to the Future, Beetlejuice, Once Upon a Time in the West, Twin Peaks, The Muppets album, Taxi Driver, Vertigo, Quo Vadis, 8 1/2 (Nina Rota), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, ET…”
Jessica Rose Floray asks: Are there any composers/musicians you’d like to collaborate with?
“I don’t really think like that. If I like someone I don’t feel they need me. Although having said that I would like to work with Jónsi from Sigur Ros. So I’ve just contradicted myself.”
Clara Isabel Zennaro asks: What do you do for inspiration when writer’s block occurs?
“Exercise. Pump iron. Go boxing. Read books. Go to bed.”
Lorenzo M. Esposito asks: What advice would you give to an aspiring composer?
“Believe in the music you are making and learn from people but don’t copy them…. only yesterday somebody I really admire said to me ‘your music has so much mischief in it’ and I have never tried to take that away… it’s just me… if you can find the thing that is you that is through everything you do you will eventually have your own sound…”
Robert Sterling asks: Following ‘Rings of Akhaten’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’, would you like Doctor Who to do a full Buffy-style musical episode?
“What can I say: that would be fun!”
Luisa O’Connell asks: Have you started thinking about what the 12th Doctor’s theme will sound like? Are you going to miss using the 11th Doctor’s wonderful theme?!
“I’m not 100% certain they will let me drop that theme entirely… but yes, I have started to think about it. I really need to see Peter in the role to get it all firing up.”
Kevin Burnard says: Not really a question, but can [CultBox] thank him from all of us [fans]? I absolutely adore his work for the series!
“Aw, thank you Kevin. Your support is very important to me and greatly appreciated.”
> Buy the Series 7 album on Amazon.
> Buy the Christmas specials album on Amazon.
What’s your favourite piece of Doctor Who music? Let us know below…
> Order the 50th anniversary special on DVD on Amazon.
> Order the 50th anniversary special on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Watch the trailer for ‘The Snowmen’…