Michael SMITH – composer, co-composer, arranger
Michael Smith wrote and produced some tracks in the stop motion, animated sci-fi comedy film by Aardman, Oscar-nominated A Shaun The Sheep Movie : Farmageddon.
Alongside Damon Albarn, Michael co-composed and arranged the score for The Kid Who Would Be King (20th Century Fox) as well as the award-winning Broken (Cuba Pictures) starring Tim Roth and Cillian Murphy. He wrote the music for the shorts The Running of the Deer and The Walkers (directed by Tim Whitby written by Lucy Mangan) for the Sky Arts series, ‘Ten Minute Tales’. Michael has also won an RTS award for Best Music for his score to ‘8 Minutes Idle’ (directed by Mark Simon Hewis). More recently Michael, alongside Christoph Bauschinger, scored ‘The Exchange’ a new comedy by Dan Mazer (Ali G, Borat), and the film’s soundtrack has recently been released.
Theatre credits include ‘Double It: A Living Room Circus’ (Created and directed by Chen Shi-Zheng): ‘The Orphan of Zhao’ (directed by Chen Shi-Zheng), Dr. Dee (Rufus Norris ENO), and Le Vol Du Boli directed by Abderrahmane Sissako, which premiered at Le Théâtre du Châtelet in October 2020. After receiving critical acclaim during its short run, the show will be re-opening in April 2022.
Documentary film composing includes ‘Last Stop Coney Island: The Life and Photography of Harold Feinstein’ (Andy Dunn 2018), ‘Madeleine – One Year On’ (Director Emma Loach ITV) ‘Swim’ (2016) BBC Four, The Secret Life of the Classroom Director Fran Landsman Channel 4 and ’Betrayal’ (Scott Calonico 2019 Tribeca Film Festival) amongst others.
Michael was the co-music producer for Aardman’s 2018 animated feature, Shaun The Sheep: Farmageddon, and produced songs performed by The Vaccines and Kylie Minogue.
Michael intersperses his film and TV scoring ambitions with extensive recording and touring with Blur, Gorillaz, The Good, The Bad & The Queen, and The Heavy Seas.
Michael orchestrated the score for Ealing Studios’ remake of Noel Coward’s Easy Virtue, and Gorillaz’s hit opera Monkey King – Journey to the West for the Royal Opera House and Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. He music supervised the show’s subsequent hugely successful run at New York City’s Lincoln Centre Festival.
In 2016, Michael worked in collaboration with Syrian exiled conductor and leader Essam Rafea on live shows for The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians, produced by Africa Express and among others featured Paul Weller and Julia Holter. It was performed at London’s Royal Festival Hall and opened the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival before a selection of shows in Europe.
CREDITS
Composer
Shaun The Sheep: Farmageddon (3 songs)
Last Stop Coney Island (2019) The Life & Photography of Harold Feinstein
8 Minutes Idle (2012) Director Mark Simon Hewis ( Winner – Music – Royal Television Society Awards 2013)
Madeleine – One Year On Director Emma Loach ITV
The Secret Life of the Classroom Director Fran Landsman Flashback TV for CH4
10 Minute Tales: The Run of the Deer Director Tim Whitby for Sky Arts
10 Minute Tales: The Walkers Director Tim Whitby
Co-composer/arranger
The Kid Who Would Be King (2018) Director Joe Cornish
Swim (2016) BBC Four
Double It (2015) Director Shi Zheng
Broken (2012) Cuba Pictures/BBC Films Director Rufus Norris
Theatre Musical Direction/Music Supervision
Monkey Journey to the West – Lincoln Centre Festival 2013
Dr Dee (2012) – ENO
Double It December Director Chen Shi Zheng
Orchestration/Arrangements
Easy Virtue Director Stephan Elliot (2008)
Lucy – Damon Albarn. End credit song “SIster Rust’
Performance/Musical Director
The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians (Live)
Gorillaz 2000 onwards – Musical Director and Keyboards.
Blur 1994 onwards — keyboards/saxophone/ MD studio recordings
The Good, the Bad and the Queen 2007 onwards – Keyboards
Visit Michael’s website: www.mikesmithmusic.co.uk
10 minutes with Mike Smith
