Michael Garrett (composer)

Michael Garrett (born 1944) is a British composer, born in Leicestershire. He has been composing and performing for more than fifty years. His many works extend across a wide range of styles.

He has written many symphonic, chamber and instrumental works as well as vocal music and has written extensively for the piano. During the 1960s his early compositions incorporated experiments with serial techniques; and in the years since then he has composed a wealth of music in a more melodic vein. He began studying the piano and composing in 1956 and studied at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London where he won a scholarship to study with Edmund Rubbra (1961–1964). He also studied piano with Frank Merrick who was himself a pupil of Theodor Leschetizky. He composed music for two Ken Russell films Women in Love (1969) and Savage Messiah (1972). He worked as composer and pianist in the theatre, gave piano recitals of jazz and experimental music, and also composed a jingle for the Scottish Gas Board.

He gave the first performances in this UK of John Cage's "Concert for Piano and Orchestra", which was conducted by John Cale before he moved to the USA and joined The Velvet Underground with Lou Reed.

Garrett was musical director for Lindsay Kemp's mime company, which included David Bowie and toured Britain and Europe. He was music director on Lindsey Kemp's film 'Pierrot In Turquoise' during which he plays piano. He has composed music for television documentaries and was bandleader on the liner Canberra on a world cruise. He recorded in Paris with jazz trumpeter Bill Coleman and drummer Art Taylor. The album 'Bill Coleman Plus Four' (JCD196) remains available as a download.

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