Paul Leonard-Morgan

Paul Leonard-Morgan is a BAFTA award-winning and Ivor Novello nominated composer who is rapidly becoming one of the most sought after film composers in the UK and overseas. In 2008 he was honoured by the US Olympic Committee when chosen to compose the official US Olympic Team Anthem (previously scored by John Williams).

Classically trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he soon developed a reputation as a composer, arranger and producer. Working with renowned and emerging Glasgow acts such as Snow Patrol, Belle and Sebastian and Texas, Paul developed an ongoing association with legendary producer Tony Doogan, which led him to working with New York band Joy Zipper (co-produced by David Holmes). In addition, he has become long-term collaborator of Scottish songstress Isobel Campbell, whose follow up album Paul is currently orchestrating, having worked extensively on her earlier Mercury nominated album with Mark Lanegan. Most recently he has been adding arrangements to the new album by 2007 Mercury Prize nominees The Young Knives and to Sharleen Spitteri’s solo project.

Paul has worked closely with fellow Scottish composer, Craig Armstrong, on a number of projects, from arranging to orchestrating and playing live. Recognition from working on a number of films with acclaimed director, David MacKenzie, led to Paul becoming increasingly in demand as a composer for film and TV soundtracks. His first film score, Pineapple, earned him a BAFTA, and he received both a BAFTA and Ivor Novello nomination for his first major drama commission, ITV's Fallen.

In contrast to his high octane contemporary scores for the last 3 series of hit BBC/Kudos drama Spooks (which broadcasts as MI-5 in the US), which this year earned him a BAFTA Craft Award nomination, Paul has recently been working on the orchestral soundtrack for the epic BBC series A History Of Scotland, the first 5 hours of which were recorded last year with the award-winning 100-piece BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He has also composed an orchestral Symphony based on this score which has been toured around the UK. Other recent scores include the features, Love Me Still (Defiant Films), Popcorn (DMS Films) and the BBC/National Geographic series Galapagos, narrated by Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton.

On the animation front, Paul teamed up with indie band Arab Strap to compose the soundtrack to the BAFTA-nominated "anime machinima" style film Rogue Farm. He also scored the 64-part Cartoon Network series The Imp.

In the States, Paul was commissioned to compose the music for the official launch ceremony of The Freedom Towers at Ground Zero. He also provided the orchestral score to the epic $15 million commercial for Chevron, shot by renowned cinematographer, Lance Accord (Lost in Translation). The commercial was shot across 22 countries and has a full running time of 3 minutes. In a world first, it was premiered during the entire ad break of 60 minutes on CBS. Paul has also provided bespoke music for advertising campaigns for Budweiser, Absolut Vodka (in the US), Chase Manhattan Bank (in the US), Herbal Essences, United States Olympic Committee, Vauxhall Cars, Airtours and Heineken.

His debut album, Filmtales, was released in 2008 to critical acclaim and features collaborations with Isobel Campbell, Richard Colburn (Belle and Sebastian), Steve Mason (Beta Band), Esther and Jenna Gibbons (Shapeshifters). It also features the US Olympic Anthem, Glory of Pursuit.

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Awards and Nominations

• Winner of BAFTA (British Academy of Film & Television Award) as Best New Composer in 2000 
• Nominated for 2004 Ivor Novello Awards (Best Original Music for Television)
• Nominated for the BAFTA (Anthony Asquith Award) 2004
• Nominated for the BAFTA Craft Award 2009 for Best Original TV Music

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Press To Date

“Fast becoming the composer that every film and tv producer in the land wants to score their next project..." - Music News

“Soaring strings, beats and industrial noises combine to create a sound that is reminiscent of Massive Attack’s at their most chilled.” - The Herald

“…marvellous empathetic co-producer/arranger, PLM, has space to paint a finely judged chiaroscuro backdrop of strings and reach the very core of the song…” - Q Magazine

“…each track breathed an infectious beat..” - The Herald

“sumptuous orchestrations.” – Uncut

“overwhelmingly lush arrangements” - The Independent

“…these were truly heart-wrenching arrangements…” - The Herald

“arrangements burnished with summery harmonies and silky strings” -  Uncut

“…nothing could have been finer than these sensitive, lush string arrangements…” - The Scotsman

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