ABOUT ME.
Samuel’s practice centres around music composition, performance and interdisciplinary collaboration across theatre, film and movement. He is interested in the different contexts in which music can be created and experienced, and in how its meaning can shift through its relationship with narrative, performance, space and other artistic disciplines.
Storytelling forms an important framework within his practice. He is usually drawn to the underdog's narrative and stories that give an audience something to root for; narratives shaped by perseverance, challenge, transformation and the possibility of overcoming the odds. Intentionality is equally central to the way he works: musical and interdisciplinary choices are made to serve a wider idea, rather than existing simply for experimentation’s sake.
Looking ahead, Samuel is interested in exploring how electronic, spatial and interactive approaches might expand concert music through composed relationships between sound, movement and space.
Experience
composition & sound design.
Samuel’s composition practice spans concert music, theatre, film and interdisciplinary work, ranging from orchestral and chamber writing to music for live performance and visual media. His approach is shaped by storytelling, collaboration and a strong awareness of the context in which the music will be experienced.
His experience in sound design includes work with foley, recorded sound and music arrangement, developed through an internship in 2020. While composition remains the stronger and more established part of his practice, this background has contributed to the way he thinks about sound more broadly — not only as music, but as part of the wider atmosphere, narrative and physical experience of a project.
He works across notation-based composition and DAW-led production, and is increasingly interested in the ways acoustic, electronic and designed sound can interact within the same creative process.
performance.
Samuel is a multi-instrumentalist with experience performing across theatre, orchestral and ensemble settings, recording sessions and live contemporary music. Primarily a guitarist, he also performs on bass and clarinet, moving between instrumental roles depending on the musical context.
His performance experience includes pit and theatre bands, orchestral and community ensembles, session recording, function and live bands, and collaborative performance projects. Working across different styles and ensemble sizes has given him a practical understanding of how music feels to perform as well as how it works on the page.
Performance is closely connected to Samuel’s composition practice. Playing within ensembles informs the way he approaches instrumental writing, arrangement and orchestration, with particular attention to the practical experience of the musicians performing the work. He is especially drawn to collaborative environments in which performers can contribute to the development and character of the music.
project-making.
Samuel’s project-making practice centres on developing creative ideas from their initial concept through to a finished outcome. He is interested in shaping the wider identity of a project as well as its music, considering how different creative elements, collaborators and audiences come together to form a coherent whole.
His approach is collaborative and interdisciplinary, often bringing together music with performance, film, movement, design or other forms of creative practice. Depending on the needs of the work, this can involve developing concepts, bringing collaborators together, planning and coordinating activity, shaping the presentation of the work, and contributing creatively beyond composition itself.
Rather than treating each discipline as a separate component, Samuel is particularly interested in how they can support and influence one another. This allows him to approach projects as complete creative experiences, with decisions around music, performance, visuals and presentation all contributing intentionally to the same overall idea.
tutoring & facilitation.
Samuel’s tutoring and facilitation work centres on practical, accessible and collaborative music-making. He offers one-to-one guitar and bass tuition, supporting learners in developing their musicianship, confidence and individual goals.
His facilitation practice focuses on creating spaces in which people can explore music through participation, composition and shared creative decision-making. He is particularly interested in approaches that make musical ideas approachable while still encouraging experimentation, independence and intentional creative choices.
Education
MA Music
York St John University | 2024-2025 | Distinction
BA (Hons) Music: Composition
York St John University | 2021-2024 | Upper Second Class
Level 3 Music Production & Technology
EPI (Lisbon, PT) | 2017-2020 | ABB equivalent A levels
