Composition
I’ve always been very visually inspired, even before I had considered composing for media, I took inspiration for my music from images and stories in my head. My first taste for this kind of thing came when I was 15 when I was asked to compose an original score for a school production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”. I loved the process, the music was made into an album which sold out on opening night and also got me interviewed on TV! By 17, my love of sci-fi led me to contact the producer of Doctor Who ‘inspired’ dramas, who commissioned me to score his film “In Memory Alone”, starring Colin Baker and Nichola Bryant. This led to more work with the Doctor Who team as I composed for many audio books.
Later, I composed score for the feature “Chilly Dogs” starring Leslie Neilson, Rik Mayall, Natacha Henstridge and Skeet Ulrich, directed by comedy legend Bob Spiers. By this time, I was composing for orchestra, using early sampling technology, mixed with other real and electronic instruments. This has continued to be my modus-operandi when composing to picture. I love writing for orchestra but things get really exciting for me when I’m able to bring unusual and ‘found’ instruments and sounds, along with electronic instruments into the orchestral setting. Finding an original voice for a movie or show is paramount and something I really enjoy. Music is possibly the most powerful means of communicating emotion, unbounded by language. Film music has always been a huge part of my life and my style. Even my recent solo works, Cellar Door and Moon could well be movie scores. Story-telling through music has been a driving force behind my work since the very beginning.
Over the years, I’ve composed scores for many films, TV series and commercials, here are a few highlights:
TV SHOWS & COMMERCIALS
The One Show (BBC) • Top Gear (BBC) • Eastwick (ABC) • Blue Peter (BBC) • Pandora Jewelry (2014 Valentines campaign) • Looking (HBO) • Saving Grace (FOX) • The Middle (ABC) • First 48 (A&E) • Doctor Who (BBC) • Panorama (BBC) • American Idol (ITV) • Confused.Com • The X Factor (ITV) • Summer Lake (PQA) • The Poppets Road Trip (PQA)
FILM SCORES
Interference (Eyeline) • Reservations (Eyeline) • Amreeka (First Generation Films) • Chilly Dogs (GFT Entertainment) • The Secret (Prime Time Productions) • Gidi High Life (Indie)
Harvey Summers
Harvey Summers is an English composer, producer and sound engineer with over 30 years experience.
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