Music That Builds Worlds – George Strezov on Instinct, Atmosphere, and Imagination

In this episode, I talk with George Strezov about how imagination, world-building, and instinct shape the way he writes music. We dig into growing up in Bulgaria, discovering film and game music through RPGs and early PC games, and why “vibe” often matters more than rules or theory. George shares how he thinks about atmosphere, writing to picture, and creating music that places the listener inside a world rather than explaining it. This is a conversation about how music works on a felt level — how it creates space, meaning, and immersion — and what happens when you trust instinct over formulas.🔗 GEORGE STREZOV LINKSWebsite: https://www.strezov.net/enApple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/george-strezov/958294122Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2DNnA9F0OrEmC80UWEwrMi?si=jQrJ7S9HQcCPyP47jkEyNwYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@StrezovInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/strezov/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/George.Strezov🎻 STREZOV SAMPLING LINKSWebsite: https://www.strezov-sampling.com/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/StrezovSamplingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/strezov_sampling/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/StrezovSampling/X: https://x.com/StrezovSamplingMarkus Junnikkala is a Composer from Finland.https://www.markusjunnikkala.com/Support this podcast by becoming a member:https://markusjunnikkala.com/membership/Want me to answer your question?Ask it on social media:https://www.instagram.com/markusjunnikkala/https://www.facebook.com/markusjunnikkala/https://x.com/markusjunnikkalhttps://www.reddit.com/user/markusjunnikkala/https://www.linkedin.com/in/markusjunnikkala/Subscribing, sharing, and liking helps the podcast.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00:00) Introduction & meeting George Strezov (00:03:30) Bulgaria, culture, and creative roots (00:10:30) Family, upbringing, and early artistic influences (00:18:30) Discovering film music & formative listening (00:27:30) Art vs commerce and creative identity (00:38:00) Childhood, curiosity, and non-linear learning (00:50:00) Role-playing games, imagination, and world-building (01:02:00) First steps into music production and game music (01:15:00) Education, self-teaching, and musical foundations (01:30:00) Entering the professional world of composing (01:55:00) Large-scale projects, orchestras, and collaboration (02:20:00) Burnout, balance, and sustaining a long career (02:40:00) Philosophy of music, success, and the future (02:58:00) Final reflections and closing thoughts