Ben Foster (orchestrator)

Infobox Musical artist


Name = Ben Foster
Background = non_performing_personnel
Birth_name = Benedict Foster
Occupation = Composer, orchestrator and conductor Ben Foster is a British composer, orchestrator and conductor who is best known for his work as an orchestrator on the BBC series Doctor Who.

Career

Foster studied Composition and Conducting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama graduating in 2000. He was awarded the Lutosławski composition prize. He is also a graduate of the National Film and Television School, studying with Francis Shaw and Peter Howell.

Since November 2005, he has been orchestrator and conductor for the BBC series "Doctor Who", and has collaborated with the show's composer Murray Gold on many other projects including the films " Alien Autopsy", " I Want Candy" and most recently the Frank Oz feature "Death at a Funeral"

Foster's other work as orchestrator includes films for other composers ("27 Dresses", "The Mummy 3 - Tomb of the Dragon Emperor", "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") as well as a number of commercials including the recent British Airways campaign and commercials for Soundtree Music, including Sony Paint and the 2007 Sony Walkman.

In 2005 Foster re-arranged the theme tune to "BBC Question Time" which is currently running on BBC2.

As a composer, early professional work includes theme tunes to "Love on a Saturday Night", "The 1970's Office" and "The Great British Test Series" all for LWT as well as music for a wide range of commercials.

Ben also writes music for the BBC drama Torchwood [cite web |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1440540/ |title=Ben Foster at iMDb |accessdate=2007-03-28 |work=iMDb ] . His work on the show earned a nomination in the Best Music category at the 2006 and 2007 BAFTA Cymru Awards. Silva Screen Records will release a soundtrack album comprised of his work on the first and second series in September this year. [ [http://www.silvascreen.com/?p=109 "Silva Screen Records: Torchwood Soundtrack Release"] ]

He also conducted the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in "", which was held at the Wales Millennium Centre on November 19, 2006 in aid of Children in Need, which was accompanied by a CD release of the , released December 11, 2006 on Silva Screen Records. [cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/now/sites/content/pages/discography.shtml |title=BBC National Orchestra of Wales: Discography |accessdate=2007-03-28 |work=BBC ] A CD of Series 3 music was released on 5th November 2007. In 2008, Foster conducted the BBC Philharmonic in the Doctor Who Prom.

Foster was a judge on the Blue Peter Music Makers project in 2006, a contributor to the Blue Peter Movie Makers project in 2007 and was chair of the judging panel for BBC Young Musician of the Year 2008.

Ben has worked as an arranger and conductor for a wide range of artists including Hayley Westenra, Aled Jones, Gary Barlow, SClub7, Boyzone.He works regularly with the London Session Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and has also worked with the BBC Philharmonic, RPO and the Czech Film Orchestra.

Footnotes