ComingSoon recently spoke with composer Dara Taylor about her score for the new George Clooney-directed drama The Tender Bar, which was released on January 7 on Prime Video.
The story follows a boy growing up on Long Island who seeks out father figures among the patrons at his uncle’s bar. Dara’s score is used sparingly throughout to create a sense of hopeful melancholy. With such limited time to leave an impression with her music, she knew it would need to be both decisive and impactful. Using the score this way and allows the incredibly emotional moments speak for themselves, and the music builds anticipation to those moments then celebrates the main character’s successes or tumbles down with him into his lowest of lows.
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Jeff Ames: What led you to become a composer?
Dara Taylor: I always loved music, but I wasn’t sure how to channel it. I knew I didn’t want to be a professional performer, so when I first discovered composition in college I held on tight and haven’t let go since.
Were there specific artists or composers who influenced your style?
There are lots of composers that I love that have influenced my style over the years — Stephen Sondheim, Thomas Newman, and of course my mentor Chris Lennertz.
How has your technique/style evolved over the years?
I think over the years I’ve learned to be bolder and take more risks in my choices and overall trust my instincts more. As I do more of each style I both learn to meld into the vernacular, how to break it, and when to do either for dramatic impact.
What was it about The Tender Bar that made you want to work on it?
The Tender Bar was such a charming story made by a host of charming humans. I loved how the story dealt with self-discovery and rediscovery, family, recovery, and accepting but not being limited by life’s challenges.
What was the most challenging aspect of The Tender Bar and how did you overcome it?
Like many films these days, the most challenging aspect was working around the pandemic. Not only were all my interactions with the filmmakers remote while writing, but all recording and mix sessions were remote. And while I’m very thankful for all of the technology that helps us all continue to create and collaborate in a multitude of circumstances, there is still nothing quite like being in the room with a director or musician.
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Do you have any fun, behind-the-scenes stories about the making of The Tender Bar, or working with George Clooney?
It was a wonderfully fun experience overall. George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and the whole team were such collaborative partners and a joy to be around (though digitally). So while I might not have any cute little anecdotes, I give the experience 5 stars – would visit again.
What does George Clooney bring to the table from a musical perspective?
George really helped us nail down the tone that best worked not just for the narrative, but also between the needle drops so the musical landscape felt cohesive while still keeping the score distinct. He was very tapped into the emotional arc of J.R. and where he’s feeling hope, even though the circumstances he’s dealing with may seem dire.
Were there things you learned from working on The Tender Bar that you’re excited to apply to future projects?
I think that the overall notion of finding and following the hope or lack thereof in each scene is a very useful skill that applies to any genre. It is something I’ve already used in projects since and will continue to do so in the future.
Do you have any other projects coming up that you can share with us?
My next film is Netflix’s The Noel Diary, directed by Charles Shyer and starring Justin Hartley.
