Biography
Copyright Brian Harris, Teignmouth, 2006
Composer, and BBC Radio 3 Researcher, Luke Whitlock is one of the UK’s new and up-and-coming talents, composing music for animation, film, the concert hall, and has in recent times worked for Hollywood as an orchestrator. Music has been a passion from his early years, surrounded by many genres including jazz, rock, and classical styles. More recent inspirations include the composer and mentor Andrew Downes.
Born in Devon 1978, Luke graduated with honours in music from Dartington College of Arts in 2000. The beautiful and ever changing Devon countryside has provided stimulus for many of his works to date. After Dartington he completed a Masters degree with distinction in Composition for the Screen at one of the World’s leading conservatoires, the Royal College of Music. His tutor at the RCM was the internationally renowned composer Joseph Horovitz. Following this he worked for the RCM for a number of years managing chamber events, and collaborating alongside other new artistic talents including the baritone Jonathan Lemalu, and soprano Elizabeth Watts.
In 2001 Luke collaborated with Mark Collington, an animator from the Royal College of Art on a project entitled West Pier. This animation depicts through image and sound, the history of Brighton’s famous West Pier. It has received notable success, travelling from festival to festival including destinations such as France, Spain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In 2006 both animator and composer collaborated again to create a new work, Alphabetic: The A - Z of Birth.
Brass10, one of the UK’s leading brass ensembles commissioned Luke in 2003 to compose Evening Shades Opus 4/1. This work for brass dectet and organ has not only received a number of performances within the UK, but has also been broadcast, televised, and published by Kirklees. Other chamber works regularly performed in London include The Faust and Mephisto Waltz Opus 2 for solo piano, Cornet Fantasy Opus 3 for cornet and piano, and also Early Evening for small ensemble.
In 2005, Luke graduated from the University of Plymouth with a postgraduate certificate in education, teaching music at post compulsory education level. He currently lives in Cardiff working for the BBC, whilst continuing his freelance activities as a composer and orchestrator.