After months marked by personal difficulties and the weight of world events, Peter Manning Robinson turned to the piano looking for something lighter. The result is “Bent Out of Shape,” a lively instrumental filled with playful melodies and whimsical touches that reflect Robinson’s search for a little positivity during a difficult period.
“I needed an uplifting experience…some positivity,” Robinson says. “This is the beauty of music…we express our emotions and work out our issues through our art.”
“Bent Out of Shape” is part of Robinson’s upcoming neo-classical album Excursions, a collection shaped by grief, heartbreak, resilience and renewal. While the album explores some heavier emotional territory, this track brings a welcome shift in mood, allowing the music to move with a sense of playfulness and release.
The song is accompanied by a music video directed by Klaus Hoch. Set inside a picturesque mansion overlooking the sea, the surreal visual follows a couple as they revisit their shared history and find their way toward reconciliation. The film adds another layer to Robinson’s instrumental composition, giving its melodies a visual narrative without relying on words.
Los Angeles-based pianist Peter Manning Robinson is an Emmy Award- and multiple BMI Award-winning composer whose work spans film, television, orchestral music, and live performance. He has also developed the Refractor Piano™, an acoustic instrument that became central to his exploration of what he calls “Refracted Music.”
Robinson began playing piano at three and was performing professionally by twelve. His career has included work with musicians such as Ernie Watts, Phil Woods and Freddie Hubbard, as well as orchestral recordings by members of the London Philharmonic and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. His film and television work has earned an Emmy Award and five BMI Music Awards.
With more than 1.3 million streams across his music, Robinson continues to explore the emotional possibilities of instrumental composition. “Bent Out of Shape” offers one of the lighter moments in that journey, turning a difficult period into something playful, melodic and hopeful.
Listen Here: open.spotify.com/track/1gqSLb1c
Follow Peter Manning Robinson:@petermanningrobinson