I am a composer, singer/ songwriter and producer with over twenty years of professional experience.
Born in Yorkshire but moving to the Isle of Skye during during my childhood, I grew up being inspired by the folk music and landscape of the Highlands and Islands, developing a keen interest in collaborative music making with artists of varying disciplines, from dance to art installation, theatre and film, storytelling and digital media.
Subsequently, I have composed and performed with a diverse array of Scottish and UK artists including Celtic world fusion band The Peatbog Faeries (2001-05), international artists Neil Bromwich and Zoe Walker (Celestial Radio 2011), Hebridean folk quartet The Dead Man’s Waltz at The Edinburgh Fringe & London Southbank Theatre’s ‘Festival of Death’ (2011/ 12), Eve Mutso and Tama Barry (Scottish Ballet 2011) and Scottish Opera’s ‘Pop up Theatre’ project touring in Glasgow.
My own projects have also been supported by Creative Scotland - my debut EP ‘All The Way Home’ EP (2015) ‘[Showcases] a palette that spans melancholic piano balladry with a meticulous approach to sound design' (The Herald). Garnering stylistic comparisons to Peter Gabriel and the synth pop of the early 80's, the record received national airplay on BBC Radio 3 and Radio Scotland and was performed live in St. Giles cathedral in Edinburgh as part of the Scot:Land 2016 Hogmanay celebrations.
In 2016 I returned to West Yorkshire to study and MA in composition at Leeds College of Music. I have since worked as composer and Musical Director for Proper Job Theatre in Huddersfield and their production of Kafka’s ‘The Trial’ (2021) touring theatre’s in the mid west, as well as scoring their lockdown filmed production of the same work (2022).
This summer, I composed soundtrack for motion graphics and animation artists Dr Sara Nester’s short film ‘Celebrating the City: Bruno Taut’ as part of British Shorts Summer edition taking place in Berlin.
Projects
- Franz Kafka's "The Trial" (2022) short film by Proper Job Theatre Co.Composer showreel excerpt of "The Trial" short film, filmed in 2020. Later turned into a stage production touring theatres during the mid-west of England. Director: James Beale Writer: Chris O-Connor Writing Mentor: Richard Bean Music: Leighton Jones Josef K - Ali Micheal Sam - Chris Caey William - Rick Ferguson The Whipper - Chloe Whitehead The Children: Scarlet Beale; Sybil Taylor; Edwin Taylor; Emily Alsop; Polly Starksfield
- Beware of Trains - Six Feet Away (2020)Beware of Trains is my chamber pop collaborative project with opera north vocal animateur Marie Claire Breen. Described as “A combination of Opera, The Divine Comedy and John Shuttleworth” (Heptonstall V-Fest 2020) we were asked during lockdown to perform two tracks for the Festival in Calderdale, being broadcast online via their social media channel. Six Feet Away was composed, filmed and recorded exclusively for the Festival.
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Work history
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Composer, Music DirectorProper Job Theatre Co - Huddersfield
Hebden Bridge, United KingdomPart Time
I was Composer and Music Director for their 2021 production of Kafka's 'The Trial'. In 2022 I composed soundtrack for their 2022 short film of the play, shot during the pandemic.
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Composer, songwriterBeware of Trains
Hebden Bridge, United KingdomFreelance
Beware of Trains is my own chamber pop project collaborative project with Opera North Vocal Animateur Marie Claire Breen. Described as “A combination of Opera, The Divine Comedy and John Shuttleworth”
- Heptonstall VFest 2020, I spent the extra time lockdown afforded composing an album of material currently being recorded for release throughout 2023. Upcoming performances include Leeds Severn Arts centre and the Wainsgate Chapel concert series, Hebden Bridge this October.
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Skills
- Musical Direction
- Composition
- Soundtrack Composition
Education
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MMus Composition and Performance: DistinctionLeeds college of music
- Leeds, United Kingdom
I returned to Yorkshire for my post graduate studies, investigating the composer and 'songwriter as storyteller', composing and performing a series of musical theatre revues.
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BA(Hons) Popular Music and Recording 2.1University if Salford
- Salford, United Kingdom
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