Welcome to Ainulindalë

Hello and welcome!

I’m a writer, composer, and filmmaker with a lifelong Tolkien obsession. In 2026, I’ll be weaving those strands together in an ambitious (some might say audacious) project: creating my own version of what Tolkien called the Ainulindalë, or the “Music of the Ainur.” Here, I’ll be sharing my journey as I compose and produce this epic piece of music—and I’d love to take you on the road with me.

Along the way, I’ll explain who the Ainur are, what this music means, and how it fits into Tolkien’s broader mythos and cosmology. There will be plenty of Middle Earth lore, as well as behind-the-scenes glimpses into my studio, library, and research/composition processes. And of course—lots of music.

For those of you familiar with Hobbits but who have never heard of the Ainur, you may be more familiar than you think. If you remember in The Lord of the Rings, Frodo is given a phial of light by Galadriel to aid him on his quest. When he wields this phial in moments of danger, he calls upon two figures: Eärendil and Elbereth. We’ll talk about Eärendil later, but Elbereth is an Elvish name for the great goddess Varda, Queen of the Valar and kindler of the Stars.

The Valar are chief among the Ainur. Therefore, Elbereth is an Ainu, and she was involved in the creation of the universe. The song of the Ainu shaped the world, and it is my interpretation of this song that I will attempt to craft into being.

Fortunately, Tolkien left us many hints about how the music was structured and how it unfolded as a dramatic progression involving the fall of Melkor (later known as Morgoth), who went on to become the master of a fellow you’ll know as Sauron. Tolkien’s hints appear most prominently at the beginning of The Silmarillion (this is where we get the word Ainulindalë), but further clues and context can be found throughout Christopher Tolkien’s remarkable twelve-volume collection detailing his father’s unpublished work, The History of Middle-earth.

Context achieved! If all of this sounds like your cup of mead, go on and subscribe to my Substack. There’s a free tier and a paid tier; the latter will include deeper dives into the lore, a closer look at my creative process, and more extensive access to the music as it develops and gradually emerges from the chaos of my studio.