For Your Grammy® Consideration
"Full Circle" by Denise Santos
Best Instrumental Composition

About the Recording

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Full Circle reflects a season of personal discovery in which I slowly but surely allowed joy back into my life after a period of darkness. Rather than dwelling in the darkness, the music traces the subtle shifts that occur over time—the moments of uncertainty, reflection, acceptance, and, ultimately, clarity. Musical ideas reappear throughout this piece in altered forms, echoing the way familiar experiences can take on new meaning when viewed through the lens of growth.

 

As a composer working primarily in film and TV, I often think of music as a way of telling stories without words. With "Full Circle", the story is an inward one. It is an invitation to pause, reflect, and recognize that life's most meaningful journeys don't always lead us somewhere entirely new. Sometimes they lead us back to ourselves—with greater compassion, perspective, and gratitude for the path that brought us there.

 

I hope listeners find space within the music to discover their own healing, and perhaps a reminder that every experience, even the difficult ones, becomes part of the larger circle that shapes who we are.​

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Composed by
Denise Santos
 

Produced by
Denise Santos
 

Performed by
Denise Santos – piano
Lisa Liu – violin 1
Stephanie Matthews - violin 1
Chris Woods - viola
Niall Ferguson - cello
Jules Levy - double bass
 

Score Prepared by

Grigor Abgaryan

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Recorded & Mixed by
Alvin Wee
 

Mastered by
Jett Galindo
 

Published by
Gardenwire Publishing (ASCAP)

Special Thanks To
Queenie Li
Josh Atchley
Scott Fitzpatrick
Kevin Alejandro
Leslie Alejandro
Angie Martell
Louise Barretto
 

Recorded at
EastWest Studios, Hollywood, CA
 

Cover Artwork by
Josh Atchley