Ben Nobuto

Suzie Explores is a podcast series focussing on the nature of creativity and curiosity. Bringing her unique perspective of the world of music and beyond, Suzie joins forces with a host of luminaries in the creative field to explore what it means to be an inspired human being in this world.

My guest today is the imaginative and sonically adventurous composer Ben Nobuto. You may have encountered Ben’s work at the Proms with his genre-defying Hallelujah Sim, or experienced the vivid palette of his collaborations with the Manchester Collective.

In this episode, we dive into the craft of composing…but with a twist. At one point, I ask Ben to imagine a hypothetical idea for a new piece, and he suggests writing about a gecko! From there, we explore what it might mean to turn that tiny creature’s call into a composition—through rhythm, texture, character, and above all, curiosity.

At the end of our convo, you’ll hear and see Ben’s short and playful Gecko piece, imagined just for this podcast.