Nigel Hess
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| Nigel Hess | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Background information | |
| Occupation(s) | Composer |
| Associated acts | Chameleon |
Nigel Hess is a British composer best known for his television, theatre and film soundtracks, including the theme tunes to Wycliffe, Dangerfield, Hetty Wainthrop Investigates and Ladies in Lavender.
[edit] Biography
Hess studied music at Cambridge University where he was music director of the Footlights Revue Company. He went on to become company music director and house composer for the Royal Shakespeare Company between 1981 and 1985[1].
In 1990, Hess founded the vocal group Chameleon which won the Music Retailers Association award for "Best MOR Vocal Album"[2].
Hess was awarded the New York Drama Desk award for "Outstanding Music in a Play" for his compositions used in the productions of Much Ado About Nothing and Cyrano de Bergerac on Broadway. His most recent theatre score was for Sir John Mortimer's adaptation of A Christmas Carol at the Barbican Arts Centre in London[1].
Hess was hired by director Charles Dance to compose the music to the 2004 film Ladies in Lavender, the soundtrack to which was later released by Sony Classical and features Violinist Joshua Bell as well as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra[3].
Nigel also worked as a composer on Rocky Hollow with the producer of Fireman Sam Ian Frampton who also worked as puppet maker and producer.
In July 2007, in Norfolk, Lang Lang was the soloist in the premiere of Hess's Piano Concerto, commissioned by Prince Charles in memory of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Each of the three movements reflects an aspect of her personality.[4]
The Nigel Hess homepage is at www.myramusic.co.uk.
[edit] Notable TV compositions
Hess' notable television compositions include[5]
- Testament (1988) — awarded the Ivor Novello Award for best television theme
- Summer's Lease (1989) — awarded the Television and Radio Industries Club award for best television theme
- Classic Adventure (1992) — awarded the Music from the Movies award for best BBC theme
- Wycliffe (1995) — awarded the Royal Television Society best television theme
- Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (1997) — awarded the Ivor Novello Award for best television theme and nominated for the Royal Television Society best television theme award
He also did a score for the National Youth Ballets adaption of 'THe old man of lochnogar
[edit] References
- ^ a b Nigel Hess CV — Myra Music, 2007
- ^ Saylon Dola, Chameleon — Cube Soundtracks, Bucks Music Group Ltd, 2005
- ^ Ladies in Lavender — Movie Music UK, 2005
- ^ "Royal Concerto", Limelight magazine, July 2007, p.9
- ^ Nigel Hess: music credits — Bucks Music Group Ltd, 2004
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