| Thomas Hewitt Jones | |
|---|---|
| Genres | Contemporary, Classical |
| Occupations | Composer |
| Website | [1] |
Thomas Hewitt Jones is a British composer of contemporary classical and commercial music. He has written extensively for ballet, including the 2008 score for the Independent Ballet Wales production of Under Milk Wood, which was met with critical acclaim including a 5* review from the Independent, a second 2008/2009 ballet commission which was funded by the Arts Council of Wales, and a third ballet work, 'How Green was my Valley', which toured the UK throughout 2009. In 2010 he wrote music for a ballet adaptation of the Welsh folk tale 'Lady of the Lake', again with Independent Ballet Wales, which toured to venues including Sadler's Wells and Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. His catalogue includes several large orchestral works, an organ concerto, chamber and vocal works, solo instrumental works and many smaller pieces. Thomas has had works published by Faber music, Oxford University Press, Boosey & Hawkes, ABRSM Publishing, the RSCM, Encore Publications and Metronome Music Ltd. A revival of 'Under Milk Wood' is taking place in 2011 on a UK tour by Independent Ballet Wales, newly named Ballet Cymru.
The Daily Express has described Thomas's own compositional voice as "wistful and gently stirring" and his music is thoughtful & dark, with its roots in lush harmony. He has collaborated with members of the Royal Opera House orchestra.
He also writes commercial music, including music for theatre, radio, TV, jingles, music for audiobooks and advertising campaigns. In 2008 he assisted in Los Angeles on two Hollywood film scores, and is currently writing a large-scale musical.
Thomas is writing the music for the 2012 Olympics Mascots animated films series. In May 2010, the arrival of Wenlock and Mandeville was heralded by the first short animated film, 'Out of a Rainbow', produced by Tomboy Films with a story by Michael Morpurgo. For the second mascots film, 'Adventures on a Rainbow', Thomas conducted members of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in the recording of his score. The first Odeon Cinema spot, a 4-minute version of the first two films, was recorded by members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and played in Odeon UK cinemas during August and September 2011.
Thomas attended Dulwich College and Cambridge University, where he was also organ scholar at Gonville and Caius College. As well as a composer and keyboard player he is also a cellist, and can often be heard on many of his own commercial tracks, as well as performing 'The Fall of the Leaf' for solo cello on the recent acclaimed CD of music by Imogen Holst, which he also produced and recorded. This was the debut album released by Court Lane Music, the production company of which Thomas was co-owner. The album won a BBC Music Magazine premiere award in 2010.
Thomas frequently writes commercial music under pseudonyms, of which he has several.
In addition to his work as a composer, Thomas has frequently worked as record producer, producing & engineering albums that have been released on Naxos Records, Signum, Priory records, Carducci Classics and his own record labels, Court Lane Music, which he co-founded, and Vivum Records.
While studying at university, Thomas wrote a series of notorious viral songs semi-anonymously under the name 'Cambridge Madness', which at its peak had gained an underground fan base spanning 5 continents. He later described this activity as "detached and really quite calculated - a way of testing people's reactions musically".
Thomas's paternal grandparents were Cheltenham-based composers, Tony and Anita Hewitt-Jones, known for their choral and educational music respectively.