Julie Cooper is an experienced award-winning British composer whose music is broadcast extensively on screen for Film, Television, Radio, Video Game, Advertising and all visual media worldwide. She has scored multiple cinematic orchestral and chamber albums for Television Drama, Wildlife and Natural History documentaries, along with numerous drama commissions for Theatre, BBC Radio Drama and the Concert platform.

Her contemporary classical album CONTINUUM, released in February 2022 on Signum Records, was written during the year of the coronavirus lockdowns (2020-2021) as a musical diary depicting the profound effect on our emotions, our lives, and nature around us. The title track features a narrative written and recorded for the album by the distinguished actor Adjoa Andoh, an extremely moving monologue evoking the emotional journey of that year. Conducted by Jessica Cottis at Abbey Road Studios and produced by Jonathan Allen, it features Grace Davidson, Clio Gould (Leader), Elena Urioste, Nicholas McCarthy, Justin Pearson, Anthony Pike and the Oculus Ensemble. The album reached No.1 in the iTunes Classical Album Top 40 Charts, No.3 in the Official Classical Top 20 and was Scala Radio’s Album of The Week. In 2021, she formed the Oculus Ensemble to record the album, a versatile chamber orchestra made up of musicians of exceptional talent that she has worked with over many years both in the studio and on the concert platform. The Oculus Ensemble will feature on her next album on Signum Records released in 2023.

Her affinity for evocative, eclectic scores and versatility as an orchestrator enables bespoke soundscapes, ever-changing styles and genres created for the brief. She is equally at home writing for solitary, haunting solo instruments as the dramatic power of full orchestra. Her album Haunted By The Secret on Universal’s dark Chappell Noir label, had two nominations for Best Score Production Music Track in The Production Music Awards, winning with her track Game Of Trust.

For the Concert platform, her commissions have ranged from percussion quartet to full orchestra and choir, with performances at high-profile venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, St.Martin-in-the-Fields, St.David’s Hall Cardiff, Snape Maltings, Henley Festival, Newbury Spring Festival, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, Spain’s International Music Festival Pórtico do Paraíso etc. The diverse range of musicians and instruments she has been fortunate to write for are a constant source of creative inspiration and include; Dame Evelyn Glennie, Barbara Thompson, Grace Davidson, Elena Urioste, Claire Moore, Clio Gould, Nicholas McCarthy, Rebeca Omordia, Her Ensemble, 4-Mality, The Locrian Ensemble of London, Justin Pearson, The Safri Duo, contemporary urban dance company Union Dance and many others.

For Drama she has scored Under Milk Wood (Plymouth’s Theatre Royal), Macbeth (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Black Sheep (Young Vic Theatre), Deborah Moggach’s Double Take (Chichester’s Minerva Theatre), the UK tour of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca and Nino D’Introna’s Angeli Ai Confini, Teatro Del’Angolo tour Italy/Switzerland. Soundtracks for BBC Radio 3 and 4 Dramas include Javier Mariás’ Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me, Sartre’s trilogy The Roads To Freedom, Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, Robert Ferguson’s Dr. Ibsen’s Ghosts and Jane Austen’s Lady Susan.

She has been Composer-in-residence and orchestrator since 2014 for the education project Crazy Composers, devised by BAFTA award-winning television producer Robert Howes in partnership with internationally acclaimed baroque orchestra The English Concert, Arts Council England and Buxton International Festival.

Julie’s career began whilst studying composition at Cardiff University, following on from winning the BBC TV Christmas song competition, The Nationwide Carol Competition, at 17. She received her first professional commission for television whilst still at University from BBC Wales for the chat show Celtic Road Show.

Constantly striving to improve gender equality in music, Julie is a huge supporter of the charitable foundation Donne – Women In Music and the vital work done by its founder, soprano Gabriella Di Laccio, to raise awareness of Women Composers and Musicians.

CREDITS

Seasons
Published by BBC Production Music/Universal Production Music
Conductor John Ashton Thomas
Producer Jez Poole
Engineer Paul Golding
Evocative chamber ensemble tracks featuring the BBC Concert Orchestra, depicting
the seasons in pastoral settings scored for Nature Documentaries & Human Stories. Recorded at Masterchord Studio, London.
Symphonic Skies
Published by Audio Network
Cinematic Orchestral
Soprano Grace Davidson / Conductor Matt Slater
Atmospheric cinematic orchestral soundscapes featuring the haunting soprano vocal of Grace Davidson, inspired by the four elements of nature. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London.
Cinematic Gamescapes
Universal Production Music/Chappell
Film and Cinematic GamesSuspenseful orchestral scores for Cinematic Games and Film (multi-composer). Recorded at Angel Studios, London.
Haunted By The Secret
Universal Production Music/Chappell Noir
Winner of the Award for Best Score, The Production Music Awards 2016
Producer Clare Owens / Engineer Steve Price
Conductor Simon Hale
Cinematic Orchestral Psychological Crime Thriller – Film. Recorded at Angel Studios, London.
Widescreen Elegance
Universal Production Music/Chappell
Conductor Andrew Skeet
Producer Clare Owens / Engineer Steve Price
Cinematic Orchestral Drama – Film. Recorded at Angel Studios, London.
Human Stories
EMI Production Music
Producer Hannah King, Connie Edwards, Conductor Mike Dixon,
Engineer Andrew Dudman
Orchestral – TV Drama. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London.
Whispering Tales
Audio Network
Producer Andrew Sunnucks /Engineer Steve PriceChamber Ensemble – TV Drama/Wildlife. Recorded at Angel Studios, London.
Where The Water Flows
KPM/EMI Production Music
Conductor David Firman
Producer Hannah King
Engineer Gerry O’Riordan
Chamber Ensemble – TV/Film Drama. Recorded at Mark Angelo Studio, London.
Natural Life
De Wolfe Production Music
Conductor David Firman
Producer Warren De Wolfe
Engineer Gary Thomas
Chamber Ensemble – Wildlife/Natural History Documentary. Recorded at Angel Studios, London.
Piano Sketches
De Wolfe Production Music
Producer Warren De Wolfe
Engineer Gary Thomas
Piano – Drama - Wildlife/Natural History Documentary. Recorded at Angel Studios, London.
Country ChallengeYorkshire Television
Physical PursuitsITV/LWT
Innocent Drinks
‘Bolt From The Blue’
Television advertising campaign soundtrack
Imagination Group
Natwest, Ford, Accenture
Advertising campaign
‘Falling In Air’ - Symphonic SkiesJulie CooperBroadcast on ‘In The Park’ & ‘The Space’ programmesScala Radio
Tomorrow In The Battle Think On MeJavier MaríasDirector: Eoin O’CallaghanRadio 4
The Roads To Freedom TrilogyJean-Paul SartreDirector: Alby James
Radio 4
The Winter’s TaleShakespeareDirector: Eoin O’CallaghanRadio 3
Hedda GablerIbsenDirector: Eoin O’Callaghan
Radio 3
Dr. Ibsen’s GhostsRobert FergusonDirector: Ned ChailletRadio 3
Lady SusanJane AustenDirector: Jocelyn Boxall
Radio 4
Under Milk WoodDylan ThomasDirector: Hugh WooldridgePlymouth Theatre Royal, Liverpool Playhouse
MacbethWilliam ShakespeareDirector: William GauntOpen Air Theatre, Regent’s Park, London
Double TakeDeborah MoggachDirector: Hugh WooldridgeChichester Festival Theatre
Angeli Ai ConfiniNino D’IntronaDirector - Nino D’IntronaTeatro Dell’Angolo, Italy
+ Am Stram Gram, Geneva
Black SheepDerrick CameronDirector: Alby JamesYoung Vic, London, UK Tour and Holland
RebeccaDaphne Du MaurierDirector: Hugh WooldridgeWindsor Theatre Royal, UK Tour
The Business of MurderRichard HarrisDirector: Hugh WooldridgeThorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, UK Tour
White and SilverPublished by SONY/ATV from the ‘Human Stories’ Album KPM817Performed by the HER Ensemble (Leader Ellie Consta) - Colours Hoxton, London 5th November, 2022
White and SilverPublished by SONY/ATV from the ‘Human Stories’ Album KPM817Performed by Julie Cooper (piano) and the HER Ensemble (Leader Ellie Consta)
Elgar Room, Royal Albert Hall, 23rd October, 2022
AscensioPerformed by
Rebeca Omordia
World Premiere and recorded by Rebeca Omordia for release on Signum Records, 2023
Elgar Room, Royal Albert Hall, 23rd October, 2022
Galilean MoonsPerformed by Nicholas McCarthySnape Maltings, Aldeburgh May 23rd, 2021. Opening weekend of post-lockdown concerts
Galilean MoonsPerformed by Nicholas McCarthyDorchester Arts Centre February, 2021
Galilean MoonsPerformed by Nicholas McCarthyRoyal Albert Hall ‘Royal Albert Home’ Virtual concert series, August 2020 (virtual)
Galilean MoonsPerformed by Nicholas McCarthyHong Kong Arts Festival, March 2020 (virtual)
Galilean MoonsPerformed by Nicholas McCarthyPremiere St.Martin-in-the-Fields,
London, November 2019
LIGHTSolo Soprano Grace Davidson, clarinet Helen Paskins, cello Justin Pearson, piano
Julie Cooper
Premiere St.Martin-in-the-Fields, London (2018)
Still SilentSoprano Ellie Mead
The Locrian Ensemble and Locrian Singers of London
Cond. Paul Bateman
Lyric from Walter de La Mare’s poem ‘Snow’ by kind permission of the Walter De La Mare Literary Estate
Premiere St.Martin-in-the-Fields, London
(2013)
Sceptre of The DoveFlutes Andy Findon
The Locrian Ensemble of London
Conductor: David Firman
HRH Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Proms, SMITF
Premiere St.Martin-in-the-Fields (2012)
SEASONSPercussion Oliver Cox, The City Of London Philharmonic, Conductor Kevin AmosDevised by Hugh Wooldridge (2012)
Royal Albert Hall, London
Pride Of HonourOpening Fanfare of the 2011 Wales Festival Of Remembrance in
celebration of the Royal British Legion’s 90th Anniversary.
Conductor Major Denis Burton MBE
Premiere St.David’s Hall, Cardiff (2011)
Ad AstraChoral work, 2010 soprano performances by Annett Wardell and Claire
Moore , The Locrian Ensemble of London. Conductor David Firman.
Premiere St.Martin-in-the-Fields (2010)
Spirit Of The SoundAidy Spillett’s percussion quartet 4-MALITY
UK Tour, Branscombe Festival, Portiso Do Paraiso International Music Festival
Premiere The Stables, Wavendon (2009)
CARIADCello: Justin Pearson
The Locrian Ensemble of London
Conductor: David Firman
UK Tour, Civic Hall Cork, The Helix Dublin
CD released on Cirrus Records 2009 (Amazon, iTunes, cdBaby, Spotify) recorded Angel Studios, London
Premiere St.Martin-in-the-Fields (2008)
Serenading TidesChamber work featuring soprano Claire Moore, cello Nick Roberts and piano Julie CooperPremiere Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, New York (2007)
FourSquareFireDanceDance work performed by Union Dance to choreographed fireworks on the Thames.
Violin Ralph Allin, Saxophone Phil Todd, Percussion Alasdair Malloy, Piano Simon Hale/Julie Cooper
Henley Festival
(2004)
SEASONSPercussion The Safri Duo
Stage Band Rod Argent, Lucy Wakeford, Andy Findon, Phil Todd, Mitch Dalton, Jeremy Meehan, Harold Fisher, Kelvin Thomson, Julie Cooper, Stephen Disley, Claire Moore and the Brass Ensemble of the Welsh Guards.
Conductor: David Firman
Royal Albert Hall - London.
(November 1994)
SEASONSStage Band conducted by Andy Read.BBC Radio 2 : The Collins Collection presented by Stewart Collins.
SEASONSPercussion Dame Evelyn Glennie and Stage Band Gala performance. Conductor Michael Reed. Prose written for this performance by Christopher Fry, spoken by Dame Judi Dench, Imogen Stubbs, Jeremy irons & Robert Powell.
St.Paul's, London (December 1990)
SEASONSPercussion Dame Evelyn Glennie
Commissioned for Dame Evelyn Glennie and stage band by Chichester Festival. Conductor David Firman. Devised by Hugh Wooldridge
World Premiere Chichester Cathedral, Chichester Festival (July 1990)
CONTINUUMSignum Classics
SIGCD364
Producer Jonathan Allen
Conductor Jessica Cottis
Writer / Narrator Adjoa Andoh
Oculus Ensemble (Leader Clio Gould)
Recorded at Abbey Road, Masterchord and ID Audio, London
Featuring Grace Davidson, Elena Urioste, Clio Gould, Nicholas McCarthy,
Justin Pearson, Anthony Pike, Julie Cooper
Album Released in February 2022
CARIADCirrus Records
CR0911
Conductor David Firman
Engineer Gary Thomas
Recorded at Angel Studios, London
Cello Justin Pearson
Harp Jean Kelly
The Locrian Ensemble of London (Leader Rita Manning)
Album Released:
SERENADING TIDES-Soprano Claire Moore
Cello Nick Roberts
Piano Julie Cooper
-Album Released: