Dessine-Moi Une Ligne (Draw Me a Line)

BIOGRAPHY A native of Scotland, born into a culture with a strong heritage rich in passion and expression for the arts, Craig was at a very early age intensely moved by the power of music. Craig began his musical career in the groundbreaking late 60’s/early 70’s, a time inspired by the impact of the Beatles, followed by Jimi Hendrix and Cream, a period of intense musical awakening within the UK. Possessing a deep passion for the electric guitar, his instrument of choice, he became the lead guitarist/vocalist in many UK based bands from 1967 to 1996 performing in the worlds of blues and rock, progressive rock and jazz fusion. Always inquisitive, Craig found an irresistible pull and embarked upon what seemed an inevitable journey… that of the composer. In what he felt to be a natural progression, Craig found himself working in 1997 with a kindred spirit, that of innovative New York Opera Diva Susan Belling with whom he composed and recorded in Paris. Both artists were worlds apart, but eager to embrace each other’s musical universe. This led to a mutual realisation that both disciplines could indeed merge and give birth to an exciting form of musical expression. Always fascinated by the realm of classical music, Craig was predestined to ultimately embrace the challenge of composing for the orchestra, which came to pass at the turn of the millennium when he left his homeland for the U.S. and composed the score for the modern ballet Leap of Faith. During his 5 year tenure in America he composed many scores for both feature films and documentaries, in particular the 2 hour WWI feature film Company K, produced by Waterfront Pictures, New York, detailing the wartime experiences of Alabama born U.S. Marine William March. His work during this period was also featured in New Zealand, the UK and Japan. In September 2005 Craig relocated to Geneva Switzerland where he was main composer for the films Dessine-Moi Une Ligne / Draw Me a Line, Une Femme Choucas and La Haute Route Des Pentes Raides (in production) featuring the work of Swiss world leading extreme snowboarder and base jumper Géraldine Fasnacht. Having spent a considerable amount of time in his recording studio, Craig began to miss the adrenalin rush of the live performance and endeavoured to assemble a group of musicians towards that end. In December 2006, he made the acquaintance of bass guitarist Christian Sallin and formed the progressive rock band CYNOSURA. THE STORY The album "Dessine-Moi Une Ligne" ("Draw Me a Line") is the soundtrack to the movie on the work of Swiss world leading extreme snowboarder Géraldine Fasnacht. This movie is an attempt to unify the world of the visual arts with the life threatening reality of extreme sports in the mountain arena. The movie draws upon the constant medium that expresses itself in both worlds, that of the line: the line on the artist canvas and the short lived line that the rider carves in the virgin snows of the mountain... TESTIMONIALS “Into the world of technology we travel, embracing the newest gadgets assuming this software, hardware, sample CD, etc., will improve our ability to create. If one pays attention, one will notice a profusion of accurately played sounds, clever, fascinating, but cold. Along the way, the human spirit has been lost to computer creativity. As we travel down the path of synthesized sound, the artist that remains in touch with his humanity spins a web of feeling and depth that is immediately arresting and provocative. Their work speaks to levels forgotten, but still alive. It awakens passions and opens the heart. Craig McConnell is such an artist. To say he has command of technology is only to point out his being in step with the changing world. What he brings, no, what he is, is a bridge to the forgotten land of feeling, soul, sensitivity, joy, and beauty. He is a profoundly moving composer and guitarist, able to weave the most beautiful soundscapes, at once as visually stimulating as aurally beautiful. Craig is a first-rate composer, musician, and engineer. He is up-to-the-minute in being able to respond to the needs of a film’s dramatic intentions, and support it without using the film as a platform for his ego. He supports subtly, and with constant good taste. When energy is needed, he has a thorough grasp of rhythm, as well as being able to shade his work with stylistic nuances of musical expressions of other cultures, blending his knowledge with the traditions of world music. In short, Craig expresses the best contemporary musical thinking: he honors the past, embraces the present, and points to the future, not afraid of infusing his work with that which makes us what we are, animals who think and feel. I would entrust Craig to work on any project that requires the highest commitment and invention.” David McHugh Hollywood Composer Head of Masters Program in Film Composition North Carolina School of the Arts, NC, U.S.A. "Craig McConnell's music for Company K has won high praise from all who have seen the film. As a director I found Craig totally attuned to the process of coming up with the right mood and orchestration we needed to make the film soar. He literally added an unexpected new dimension to the film. On very short notice he also provided a totally different sound for my documentary pilot Dream Street of the Americas. Craig is very much a professional and I couldn't want anything more in a collaborator in this very collaborative medium." Robert Clem Film Director/Producer Waterfront Pictures Corporation, NY, U.S.A. “I found working with him a pleasure and joy. Making this movie with strict adherence to time schedules did not waiver Craig’s commitment to the project and his tunes and melodies were always in synch with the project. He understood the mood and rhythm of the movie and composed most of the pieces without even seeing the rough cut of the movie – which in my mind was absolutely stunning because it helped speed up our editing process. The best part of working with Craig was his accessibility even though we were thousands of miles apart physically. The prompt responses to our requirements combined with delivering some innovative score in an incredible fast turnaround time were always reassuring for me as a film maker. Craig has this natural ability to understand your needs and modifies his score to suit the movie, which makes the process much more fun and creative. I enjoyed working with Craig immensely and would highly recommend him for any composing work for features and would definitely like to work with him on my future projects.” Amit Tripuraneni Producer/Writer/Director “Memories of Tomorrow” Memorable Productions, Auckland, New Zealand. “His abilities and range due to his enormous natural talent have been a gift on each project he has worked on with me. The other producers and directors I have recommended him to have always thanked me for the introduction and had nothing but complimentary words to say.” Giuli Dummit Schacht President, Film House, NC, U.S.A.