Composer and Arranger
About
Hi, I’m Tom, and I’m an orchestral composer and arranger who specialised in post production sound and music during my filmmaking degree in Bristol. I now work professionally in these two areas - collaborating with orchestras across the country to create chart arrangements for concerts, as well as writing original compositions and producing sound design/mixing for short films and documentaries.
I’ve always admired how soundtracks elevate the drama and emotion on screen, and love film scores certainly much more than any other kind of music (except arguably the greatest band of all time - Queen). I started learning how to write for film initially by studying the scores of Williams, Zimmer and Shore, before also delving into the works of Powell, Doyle, Desplat, Giacchino, Elfman, Horner, Balfe, Arnold and many more. Film and TV scores now constitute the majority of my listening taste - a fact that Spotify helpfully reminds me of every year when revealing exactly how many hundreds of hours have been spent unashamedly blaring Murray Gold.
As well as composing, I enjoy experimenting with arranging songs in new and exciting ways. I have been lucky enough to have had charts sung by Alison Jiear, Sumudu Jayatilaka, Katie Birtill, Oliver Tompsett and Anna-Jane Casey, and performed on several occasions by both the Hallé and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as also sending arrangements to the RTÉ Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, and the BBC Concert Orchestra for Friday Night Is Music Night. I’ve also been very fortunate to experience the highly surreal feeling of hearing my Tom Cruise Medley premiered in the Royal Albert Hall - certainly a far cry from listening to the first draft on a laptop.
Arrangements
Extracts from charts (minus the vocals) that have been performed across the UK, and are available for hire.
No Time To Die
An arrangement of the titular track from Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007, conceived as a farewell to Craig to include motifs from his other theme songs. Arranged for orchestra and vocals.
Performance available here.
I’ll Never Love Again
A rendition of the climactic track from A Star Is Born, this time growing ever bigger in the final chorus making use of a full symphonic sound. Arranged for orchestra and vocals.
Mission: Impossible
The opening to a suite of themes from Tom Cruise films. Arranged for orchestra.
Sister Act
From the hit musical of the same name, performed on Friday Night Is Music Night by the BBC Concert Orchestra and Alison Jiear. Arranged for piano, strings and vocals.
Believe
Orchestral instrumental of Cher’s classic hit.
A couple of personal favourite film scores, rearranged.
A Far Green Country
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Howard Shore - Arranged for choir, strings and piano.
Leaving Hogwarts
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
John Williams - Re-imagined and slowed for synths, strings and piano.
Compositions
Original pieces from various projects.
Vortex
Goodbyes
Strangers
Rome
Music and arrangements for short films and documentaries.
Bluff Cove
A soldier returns home looking for closure after events of the Falklands War.
Short film - original score.
Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things
A film documenting the highs and lows of the annual Lakeland 100 Ultra Marathon in the Lake District, UK. Full video from Chandler Films available here.
Documentary - original score.
Space
Epic combination of Elton John, Hans Zimmer, and David Bowie. Full video from Chandler Films available here.
Original arrangement.
Transcriptions
Available to purchase on Sheet Music Plus.
Final Ascent
No Time To Die
Hans Zimmer - Transcribed for piano and strings.
The Life And Death Of Amy Pond
Doctor Who - Season 5
Murray Gold - Transcribed for solo piano
Voyage Of The Damned
Doctor Who - Season 3
Murray Gold - Transcribed for solo piano