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Michael Edwards

Michael Edwards is an award winning composer and pianist, whose work spans film, television, theatre, live concert performance and recordings.

He was recently nominated for the Music and Sound Awards 2017.  He won best score at the Los Angeles Cinefest 2016 for his orchestral score to the award winning film The Clockmaker's Dream (Cashell Horgan, Jared Harris). The film has since won 11 awards at international film festivals and was recently screened at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

In 2016 his composition work earned him a nomination for the Deutsche Filmmusikpreis 2016

Michael is currently working with the Konzerthaus Orchestra in Berlin. The newly commissioned composition has recently been recorded in the Grosser Saal in the Konzerthaus. The advertising campaign #klangberlins (Sound of Berlin) recently won ADC/Peaks Best YouTube Video of the Year 2017 2017 at Art Directors Club Deutschland, as well as the Deutsche Prize for Online Communication 2017 and the Golden Award of Montreux 2017.

In early 2016, Michael composed music for the 3 part documentary 1916: The Irish Rebellion (narrated by Liam Neeson). Michael performed his music live on piano with the RTE Concert Orchestra at the premier screening at the Concert Hall in Dublin 16.03.16 for the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising.

Michael also composes music to selected short films, recently winning Best Music at the GSFF New Jersey 2017 for the score to the film Narcan featuring Malachy McCourt (Angelas Ashes).

Michael has composed and produced music to an number of theatre productions. His original score to the award winning show Asyl Monologe recently had its 300th show at the Heimathafen in Berlin.

A native of Australia, he has composed music for top TV shows including Water Rats, and Murder Call. He wrote the National News Theme for Channel 7’s prime time current affairs show Today Tonight. He also worked on many commercial recordings - writing, programming and arranging for various Australian and international acts.

His first feature film work was his contribution to Lisa Gerrard's (Golden Globe, Gladiator) score for the Oscar nominated film Whale Rider (2002). He went on to collaborate with Lisa on several films including Layer Cake (2004) (Daniel Craig) and Ichi (2008) (Fumihiku Sori) and 2 albums (Silver Tree, Black Opal) and three world tours. The hit Spaceweaver features in the film Secret Defence.

In 2003 Michael moved to London and set up a studio in Soho, and composed extensively for British television, Storyville, BBC documentaries and ITV dramas. Highlights include Before The Flood , Town and Country and Mandy's Choice.

In London Michael also worked with labels Ministry of Sound and HedKandi, producing and remixing hits for Moloko, and Swedish group Stonebridge’s UK Top 10 hit Put em High, co-writing the hit single Perfect Stranger sung by Atef, runner up of France's The Voice in 2012.

Whilst living in London he often travelled to Hollywood for extended periods collaborating most notably with composer Patrick Cassidy (Hannibal). He also composed music for Kill the Irishman (2011), Fuga Per La Liberta (2008) and The Front Line (2006), and the ASCAP award nominated score for Calvary (2014). Michael's piano music closes the last 3 minuets of the film, hauntingly completing the story alone without dialogue. In LA, Michael also worked with Jeff Most (The Crow) composing for his film The Tomb (2009).

As a performer, Michael has performed at many renowned concert halls around the world including the Hollywood Bowl, Radio City Music Hall, Albert Hall, Barbican, Berlin Philharmonie. He toured extensively with Dead Can Dance, Skye (Morcheeba), and Darren Hayes (Savage Garden).

His theatre work includes Ice and Fire Theatre (London), Bühne für Menschenrechte (Berlin), Massive Attack's meltldown festival London, Rendition at the Edinburgh Festival 2009, and Jan Becker's Hypnotise the World stage show.

A fluent German speaker, Michael's music can also be heard on the German films Out Of Society (2013), Die Gewählten (2014) and the German TV series Katrin und die Welt der Tiere (2010).

Michael has composed music for over 80 international advertising campaigns. Client list here.

Michael's piano skills and harmonic knowledge enable him to quickly and effectively communicate musically with directors and producers. Years of practice refining his orchestration skills, combined with a passion for mixing and imaginative sound manipulation, give his compositions strongly crafted themes that balance flair and restraint, seamlessly supporting the visuals, shaping the story and character development.

Michael grew up in Australia and currently lives in Berlin. His classical training began whilst at high school in Brisbane studying at Queensland Conservatorium on viola, and playing in the Queensland Youth Orchestra.

He went on to study music at Queensland University of Technology graduating with a Bachelor of Music on piano. Whilst studying he spent his evenings playing jazz gigs in piano bars.

Michael's highly developed musicianship, orchestral and piano skills, as well as recording and production knowhow have enabled him to thrive in a diversity of mediums and working environments, collaborate widely and hone a unique voice.

A full list of credits and filmography is included below.

Filmography

The Clockmaker's Dream

Composer, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Cashell Horgan,  Producer: Made Films (Ireland)
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1916: The Irish Rebelion

Composer Additional Music, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Ruan Magen, Producer: Cocotelevision (Ireland), Narrator: Liam Neeson
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Narcan

Composer, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Peter McNamara, Producer: Peter Halipin (USA)
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Smalltown

Composer Additional Music, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Gerard Barrett, Producer: Grainne O'Sullivan (Ireland)
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Die Gewählten (The Elected)

Composer, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Nancy Brandt, Producer: if Films (Germany)
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Calvary

Composer Additional Music, Orchestrator, Piano, Mix

Director: John Michael McDonough, Producer: Reprisal Films (UK)
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Out Of Society

Composer, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Nancy Brandt, Producer: Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München (Germany)
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Katrin und die Welt der Tiere

52 Episodes - Composer, Programming, Mix

Director: Igor Hartmann, Producer: Context TV (Germany)
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Kill The Irishman

Composer Additional Music

Director: Jonathan Hensleigh, Producer: Code Entertainment (USA)
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The Tomb

Composer, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Michael Staininger, Producer: Most Films (USA)
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Ichi

Composer, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Fumihiko Sori, Producer: Oxybot (Japan)
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Secrets Of State

Composer Additional Music

Director: Phillipe Haim, Producer: Alexander Emmert (France)
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Solo

Composer Theme Music

Director: David Michod, Producer: Essential Media (Australia)
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Fuga Per La Liberta

Composer Additional Music, Orchestrator, Mix

Director: Carlo Carlei, Producer: Canale 5 (Italy)
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The Front Line

Composer Additional Music, Mix

Director: David Gleeson, Producer: Wide Eye Films (Ireland)
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Defector

Composer Additional Music, Programming, Mix

Director: FMark Jonathan Harris, Producer: Mark Jonathan Harris (USA)
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Playing For Charlie

Composer Additional Music

Director: Pene Patrick, Producer: Queen Ant Films (Australia)
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Dead Clean

Composer, Programming, Mix

Director: Graeme Holmes, Producer: Flick Factory (UK)
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Breaking The Ice

Composer Additional Music

Director: Pulp Studio, Producer: Pulp Studio (UK)
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Mandy's Choice

Composer, Programming, Mix

Director: Luisa Pretolani, Producer: Stampede Films (UK)
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Town And Country

Composer, Programming, Mix

Director: Sandi Scott, Producer: RDF Media London (UK)
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Before The Flood

Composer, Programming, Mix

Director: Paul Lindsay, Producer: Stampede Films (UK)
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Layer Cake

Additional Music, Orchestrator

Director: Matthew Vaughn, Producer: Ska Films (UK)
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Whale Rider

Orchestrator, Programmer

Director: Niki Caro, Producer: South Pacific Films (NZ)
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How Much Do You Love Me?

Composer - Theme

Director: Denise Van Auten, Producer: Pam Barnes (Australia)
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Murder Call

Composer incidental music

Director: Hal McElroy, Producer: Endemol (Australia)
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Water Rats

Composer incidental Music

Director: Hal McElroy, Producer: Endemol (Australia)
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Today Tonight

Composer - Theme

Producer: National Channel 7 News Theme (1999-2013) (Australia)
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Discography

"Spaceweaver"

Composer, Producer, Mix

Artist: Lisa Gerrard

Album: The Silver Tree (2007)

Listen

"Sleep"

Piano, Producer

Artist: Lisa Gerrard

Album: The Black Opal (2009)

Listen

"Perfect Stranger"

Composer, Orchestrator

Artist: Atef

Album: Perfect Stranger (2012)

Listen

"Desert Song"

Composer, Producer, Orchestrator, Mix

Artist: Lisa Gerrard

Album: Black Opal (2009)

Listen

"Said And Done"

Composer

Artist: Skye

Album: In A Low Light (2015)

Listen

"Serpent And The Dove"

Composer

Artist: Lisa Gerrard

Album: Black Opal (2009)

Listen

"Black Forest"

Composer, Orchestrator, Mix

Artist: Lisa Gerrard

Album: Black Opal (2009)

Listen

"Mise Eire"

Producer, Mix

Artist: Sibeal

Album: Universal Music (2016)

Listen

"1916: The Irish Rebelion"

Composer Additional Music, Orchestrator, Producer, Mix

Artist: Patrick Cassidy

Album: Universal Music (2016)

Listen

"Haurvatat"

Composer, Orchestrator, Producer, Mix

 

Artist: Telecine

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"Cannot Contain This"

Remix

Artist: Moloko

Label: Echo (2003)

Listen

"Put 'em High"

Remix

Artist: Stonebridge

Label: Hedkandi (2004)

Listen

"Dead Can Dance Live 2005"

Keyboard, Guitar

Artist: Dead Can Dance

Album: Dead Can Dance World Tour (2005)

Listen

"So Shy"

Composer, Producer, Mix

Artist: Lief

Singer: Daniel Merriweather

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Stage

Hypnotize The World

Composer, Orchestrator Mix

Act: Jan Becker

Show: Germany (2015/16)

Listen

"NSU Monologe"

Composer

Act: Bühne für Menchenrechte

Show: Germany (2016 - )

"Rendition Monologue"

Composer

Act: Ice and Fire Theatre

Show: Edinburgh (2009)

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Asyl Dialoge

Composer

Act: Bühne für Menchenrechte

Show: Germany (2013 - )

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Asyl Monologe

Composer

Act: Bühne für Menchenrechte

Show: Germany (2012 - )  Heimathaven Neuköln Berlin

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Loachre

Orchestrator, Producer, Mix

Act: Tyrone Productions - Riverdance

Show: Ireland, Dublin, Croke Park Stadium 24 April 2016

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Touring

Dead Can Dance

Keyboard

 

Tour: World Tour 2005

 

Skye (Morcheeba)

Keyboard

 

Tours: 2006-2008

Darren Hayes (Savage Garden)

Keyboard

 

Tour: Time Machine Tour 2007

Lisa Gerrard

Piano, Keyboards

 

Tours: World Tours 2007

Darren Hayes

Keyboard

 

Tour: The Big Night In Tour 2006