Nigel Hess
1953 - present
Nigel Hess has composed extensively for television, theatre and film.
Life and Music
- Hess studied music at Cambridge University, where he was Music Director of the famous Footlights Revue Company.
- Hess’ latest feature film score is of Ladies in Lavender, Charles Dance’s celebrated film starring Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith. It was performed by Joshua Bell and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
- Nigel Hess has twice been nominated for a Classical BRIT: in 2005 he received a nomination for Best Soundtrack Composer for Ladies in Lavender and in 2009 he was nominated for Composer of the Year for his Piano Concerto.
- Hess has composed numerous scores for American and British television productions, including Vanity Fair, Maigret, Just William, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Badger and Ballykissangel.
- Nigel Hess served as House Composer for the Royal Shakespeare Company, during which time he wrote 20 scores for RSC productions.
- Hess’ most recent theatre score was for Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare’s Globe, London.
- Hess has also composed much concert music, for which he has received many special commissions, including from fellow composer John Rutter, the Royal Air Force and the Band of the Coldstream Guards.
Did you know?
Nigel Hess composed his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra for the Queen Mother. It was commissioned in her memory by the Prince of Wales in 2007.
- For more classical facts, buy Classic Ephemera:A Classic FM Musical Miscellany
- More composers
- Silent Nights Christmas Carols by Nigel Hess
