Tanis Chalopin
on life in music

In conversation with:
TANIS CHALOPIN (OS 2011)

Tanis Chalopin studied music at Sevenoaks but didn’t always find it came naturally. Despite the challenges, she now has a highly successful career as a film and TV composer and singer-songwriter. Tanis reflects on her time at school, finding her confidence in a creative industry and the experiences that have shaped her musical voice.

“Follow the career path you love. No job is perfect but if you are happy with what you do all the challenges surrounding it seem superficial.”

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Congratulations on the release of your EP, Just Some Stories. How has it felt to bring this project to life and release it into the world?
Thank you! Releasing music as a singer-songwriter has honestly been a process that required a lot of thought. Since my university degree was in music composition and theory and I work full time as a film and TV composer, I have always felt that there was a stigma associated with singing and that some people took you less seriously as a composer if they found out you were a singer. Therefore, I wanted to give myself time to grow my film scoring career and find the right partnerships that believed in the singer-songwriter project. That partnership came early in 2025 with a management team based out of London and led to the release of Just Some Stories. All in all, the reception has been positive and encouraging. 

Do you have a song from the EP that stands out to you the most and why?
Each track has a unique significance to me so it is hard to pick one out, but if I had to highlight one song it would be Child in the Empty Forest. Being of mixed culture and growing up in countries that didn’t belong to any of my parents’ cultures, I usually found myself being othered regardless of where I went. When I first wrote Child in the Empty Forest, it was a form of clarity for me and acceptance that it is okay to feel alone, because in time you will eventually find your herd. 

Looking back to when you first discovered your love of music, can you tell us about your earliest inspirations?
As far back as I can remember I have loved music, mostly thanks to my father. I used to sit on his bathroom floor playing with his CD collection that comprised everything from Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong to The Beatles. I was never a talented sight-reader and eventually I began writing out my improvisations. I think this ultimately led me to becoming a composer.

What are your memories of studying at Sevenoaks School and how do you think that time shaped your love of music?
I was not classically trained when I joined Sevenoaks School but was foolish enough to study Higher Level Music for the IB diploma. I struggled quite a lot in the first year and had to do extracurricular music classes to catch up, but that challenge forced me to take music much more seriously and made it possible for me to apply for a bachelor’s degree in Music Composition and Theory. 

Since leaving Sevenoaks School what has your journey looked like?
After leaving Sevenoaks School, I moved to New York to study Music Composition and Theory with a concentration in Film Scoring at NYU’s Steinhardt College. After graduation, I worked as an assistant for the Music Director of Saban Brands in Los Angeles and later became one of the House Composers and Assistant Composers for an animation company called ZAG.

In 2020 I decided to go freelance as a film composer and songwriter and have been taking on all sorts of projects from horror features to animated educational shorts for kids. 

You have mentioned in other interviews dealing with shyness in an extroverted industry.
How have you learnt to manage this?
My biggest help was going to acting classes because it taught me how to put on a “mask” or a role for when I need to perform, which has allowed me to protect the shy person underneath that mask. 

Are there specific tips you might share with a student who wants to pursue a career in a creative industry but feels their confidence might hold them back?
Honestly, I think you should just follow the career path that you love. No job is perfect but if you are happy with what you do, all the challenges surrounding it seem superficial.