Arend Bruijn

Creating the score of 'Aeronaut'

To tell the story of Aeronaut, I used three distinct instruments to represent each character: a trumpet/flugelhorn for the boy, symbolizing his dream of becoming a proud pilot; a xylophone for the girl, reflecting her playfulness and innocence; and a raspy trombone for the father, representing his drunken, violent nature.

At the director’s request, the entire film was built around a single, simple theme. These instruments, along with the rest of the orchestra, come together in the form of a waltz, emphasizing both the joy of play and the fantasy of flying.

Different variations of this theme were crafted to highlight key moments in the story:
- Metal percussion underscores the moment when the boy builds the plane.
- A playful xylophone variation takes over during the girl’s turn, but the waltz quickly intensifies as the  children begin to fight.
- The waltz halts abruptly when the father cuts them off — playtime is over.
- And when the plane, a symbol of their dream, crashes, the music falls silent.

Exploring storytelling possibilities through a single theme and its variations was an incredibly rewarding challenge. I had an absolute blast collaborating with Bas Duister on flugelhorn and trumpet, and, of course, the amazing Dominique Vleeshouwers, whose xylophone skills brought pure magic to the score.

I’m truly happy with how this one turned out! Watch the making-of video here or stream the music on your favorite platform.