John Paul Hayward

In the artist’s words: Describe one of your earliest musical memories in detail. At 9 years old I was asked what instrument I wanted to play (besides piano), and I vividly remember enthusiastically requesting the Harp. However, my (and I'm sure most) elementary school didn't have one, so I picked the cello. What are your top 3 all-time favorite albums on Apple Music, and why? Why did you choose these three albums in particular? John Williams, John Williams & Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Collection London Symphony Orchestra, Final Symphony - Music from Final Fantasy VI, VII and X Final Symphony is the perfect marriage of the classical orchestra and the videogame music I grew up with. It was (and continues to be) an inspiration for my own work. John Williams is my favorite, and this is a solid representation of his work. Find a song of yours on Apple Music that you love and tell us what makes it special. Tell us why you chose this song. “Flocking” This was a theme I wrote many years ago, but loved it so much that I turned it into a song for this OST. This entire album is a different (less dramatic) side to my music and personality, and I love the whimsical-carefree nature of it. What’s one of the most memorable moments in your career so far? Recording Cross Symphonic is probably the highlight of my career so far. While I've had many fantastic experiences with orchestras before and since, Chrono Cross has a special place in my heart and experiencing that with a live orchestra was magic. Is there anything left on your bucket list as an artist or band? To take both my arrangement albums and my original music and tour the world with it. Working with orchestras all over the world will always be a dream of mine. I would also love to record an album at Abby Road with the London Symphony Orchestra.