Norwegian composer and pianist Susanne Darre invites listeners into a world of quiet introspection with her latest EP, Travel Back. Through soft, emotive modern classical compositions, she crafts an atmosphere of stillness and sensitivity—where time slows, and each note becomes a moment of reflection. The four piano pieces are intimate and spacious, each one exploring subtle emotional landscapes with clarity and grace.
“What if you could pause time, even for just a moment?” Susanne asks. In a world driven by noise and motion, Travel Back offers a gentle retreat—an invitation to sit with your thoughts, breathe, and simply be.
Recorded on her Schimmel acoustic piano in a rustic barn surrounded by Arctic wilderness, Susanne found inspiration in the elemental forces around her—the sea’s rhythm, the silence of snow-covered landscapes, and the ever-changing northern light. Subtle electronic textures weave through the acoustic sound, adding depth and a dreamlike quality.
With Travel Back, Susanne Darre blends personal history with modern classical artistry, crafting touching compositions that unfold like a gentle breeze. Her music gently guides listeners through meaningful memories while offering a sense of hope and possibility for a better future.
FACTS
1: I take my morning coffee down by the sea as often as I can.
2: I have two acoustic old pianos placed in my 100-year-old barn and considering a third one.
3: While doing this interview I have a moose in my garden.
QUESTIONS
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
The Arctic nature where I live. The majestic snow-covered mountains, the rough sea, the northern lights, polar nights, midnight sun and the rough Arctic storm. I also get inspired by human relations, attachment and emotions. I have many years’ of experience also working as a children’s nurse, and with youth and mental health, and every vulnerable story have touched my heart and inspired my music and still do.
2. How and when did you get into making music?
Since I was a child playing my childhood piano. I went to piano lessons, but I wasn’t very interested in learning notes. I wanted to learn the piano in my own way and make my own melodies. And so I did. I’ve composed a lot during my childhood, and in my youth it was definitely a safe haven for me.
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Almost impossible, but this is what`s pops up for me right now:
Nils Frahm: Spaces
Sigur Ròs: Takk
Røyksopp: Melody A.M
Hania Rani: Esja
Òlafur Arnalds: Re:member
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
A creative environment, creative open-minded people and a lot of good music. I was in Berlin for the first time in 2023, joining the first Opia festival in Silent Green. I would really love to visit again soon, listen to some good music and hopefully play a concert in Berlin too one day :).
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
Spectacular Lofoten Island which is quite nearby. And simply right where I live, home, just a few meters down from my house at the Arctic seashore with the majestic mountains around. Ultimate calm. I feel small and big at the same time.
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
Silence can also be beautiful. But hopefully we would still have our voices so we could sing! And I would listen to the song of the birds and the rhythm of the waves.
7. What was the last record/music you bought?
The last record I bought was a vinyl of Van Morrison to my father. He is a music and vinyl enthusiast and has an extensive vinyl collection from the last 60`s until now.
And the music I`ve been listening to a lot lately is the Norwegian composer and brass player Daniel Herskedal and his magical “Call for Winter”.
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I would love to have some beautiful trautonium layers from the wonderful Matheus Lodewijk (LudoWic) on my piano pieces. And I also have to say my beautiful daughter Ada, she has this lovely soft and tender voice.
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
I feel that every gig is magical and unique, but it was wonderful to finally see Hania Rani in Oslo last year.
And as a performer I did a concert for 200 youth at a local youth conference about mental health last year, playing some of my piano pieces for them. I felt really emotional playing my “Dare to Dream” for them, talking about dreams, hope and getting out of the comfort zone. Some of the youth told me after the concert that they have listened to my music at night when they couldn’t sleep. It made me really humbled :)
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
I love to work acoustic, just sit by the piano and improvise and that’s often how the creative process begins. My old acoustic and slightly out of tune pianos placed in my old barn, is quite a contrast to technology and AI and I love that! I really appreciate the imperfections in the making of music and recording. It gives me a wonderful feeling of freedom and flexibility in my creative process.
11. Please tell us a bit more about the creation of your new EP Travel Back?
It started with an Opia composer challenge on Discord where I composed the piece Travel Back and my title track was born. The ideas came and the process went on. I recorded the title piece Travel Back on my childhood piano back in my childhood home, and it brought back so many memories and emotions. I wanted to make something nostalgic and dreamy for my EP, in a chaotic period in life, getting older, missing my Norwegian childhood memories. Then I composed three new pieces for my EP: Nostalgi, Pictures and Håp (Norwegian for Hope”). These three pieces are recorded on my beautiful Schimmel piano in my barn here in spectacular Arctic Norway, with my piano slightly out of tune, perfect for the nostalgic, dreamy theme. With Travel Back I hope I can take the listeners to an emotional landscape of meaningful memories and moments of reflection.
