My Tiger Family
Mike Birkhead’s atmospheric retrospective film about Valmik Thappar’s 50 year relationship with the wild tigers of Ranthambhore National Park in Rajasthan.
Secret Lives of Orangutans
Huw Cordy’s superlative feature film for Silverback Films on Netflix. David’s score propels the action and underscores the emotion in this ground-breaking film about a wild orangutan family shot in the wilds of Sumatra.
Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla
Harald Pokieser’s beautiful film about Lowland Gorillas in Gabon
Mai Po Wetland Centre Hong Kong
Scores for immesive Interactive films and video games for this state of the art wetland visitor centre in Hong Kong 2022. Produced by Cosmic Carrot.
Attenborough’s Wonder Of Song
A film about David Attenborough’s most significant singing birds and animals.
Colombia Wild and Free
Two-part series about the wildlife of Colombia made by Harald Pokieser of Cosmos Factory.
Atacama
Atacama - a concert piece for horns and strings. It is written for four Natural French horns in F, G, Eb and D and standard String Quartet.
Dancing With The Birds
A beautifully photographed film by Huw Cordey and Silverback FIlms for Netflix showing the way tropical birds communicate through dance. Score nominated at the Emmys, Best Music at Wildscreen and Best Music at the New York International Documentary Awards.
Wild Austria
A score for a major two-part ORF series about the Nature of Austria directed by Michael Schlamberger. Music performed by the Janaček Philharmonic orchestra and soloists.
Nongfu Spring
Nongfu Spring - a series of blue-chip wildlife ads and short films by Silverback Films to promote China’s leading Spring water brand.
Sex Lies and Butterflies
Sex, Lies and Butterflies - a film by Ann Prum for Terra Mater and WNET
The Canary Islands
A multi award-winning series and a feature length film about the natural history of the Canaries made by Michael Schlamberger of ScienceVision. The 90minute version launched the 2016/17 season of Universum on ORF in Austria. Now on worldwide release. Score performed by David with the Janacek philharmonic orchestra and soloists.
The Last Orangutan Eden
A beautiful film about orangutans in Sumatra orphaned by the continued logging of the ancient forests to make way for oil palm plantations. The score won the Emmy in the music category at the 2016 Emmys and features the vocals of Alison Limerick.
Earth’s Greatest Spectacles
Earth’s Greatest Spectacles. Three films about spectacular changing landscapes: New England, Svalbard and Okavango
Bristol’s Fanfare “At The Top Of The Tide”
A fanfare for 3 trumpets. Now the official fanfare for the City of Bristol.
Churchill : When Britain Said NO
A beautifully poised dramatised documentary by Chris Spencer unravelling the events that led to Churchill’s shock defeat in the 1945 General Election.
The Gentle lark
for four-part choir setting of Shakespeare’s lines from Venus and Adonis.
Wild Brazil
A major three-part series for the BBC following the lives of three animal families as they contend with flood and drought. A lyrical classical score for this look at the hidden beauty of Brazil.
Stonehenge Visitor Centre
An immersive surround soundtrack for the 360 degree audio visual theatre in the new Stonehenge Visitor Centre. Centre Screen Productions, Manchester.
Sonny Bluebone
A collection of pieces for trombone and keyboard for Brass Wind Publications.
Olympic Museum Lausanne
A series of linked soundtracks for the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.
Sri Lanka : Elephant Island
An intimate story of orphaned asian elephants in Sri Lanka. The music features the amazing Soumik Datta on sarod. Cinematography by Martin Colbeck, directed by Mike Birkhead.
Etchilhampton Hill
An atmospheric piece for trumpet and piano written for the leading London trumpeter Andrew Crowley.
Namibia’s Desert Kingdom
Namibia’s Desert Kingdom - a film by Mike Birkhead for Terra Mater and PBS Nature.
The View from The Shard
A suite of pieces for The Shard on London’s Southbank performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and the Joyful Company of Singers
Ice Age Giants
A symphonic score for this ground-breaking CGI series from the BBC Natural History Unit.
Machli - Queen of Tigers
The story of Machli, one of the most photographed wild tigers in the world. Performed by the RPO with Chandru (vln) and Julian Aguelles (sax). Directed by Mike Birkhead.
Hunt for the Russian Tiger
Chris Morgan presents this quest to film the Russian Amor Tiger. The score features Andrew Crowley on the trumpet. Directed by Mike Birkhead for Terra Mater.
Secrets of Our Living Planet
Chris Packham’s thought-provoking series about ecosystems. The music is performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra with a hand-picked selection of soloists. Buy the DVD
Spying on Hitler’s Army
Spying on Hitler’s Army - a chilling drama documentary directed by Chris Spencer for October Films and Channel 4 reveals new evidence that the Wehrmacht new all about Hitler’s ‘Final Solution’.
Born to Fly
A film for the RSPB about cranes migrating over the Pyranees to Northern Spain. The score features the Hardanger violin. Buy the DVD
The Animals Guide to Britain
Chris Packham looks at Britain from the animals’ points of view. The score contains a wide range of different musical styles to bring out the contrasting characters of the animals and bring the animations to life.
Concorde’s Last Flight
A C4 drama-documentary dramatising the last flight of Concorde. Directed by Chris Spencer.
Fighting the Red Baron
A Channel 4 drama-documentary about aerial warfare during the First World War directed by Chris Spencer.
One Million Snakebites
A film made by Icon for the BBC following Rom Whittaker as he collects venom from snakes across India in the search for a universal antidote to snakebites. Soumik Datta (sarod) and mark Johns (slide guitar) duet on this East meets West soundtrack.
Pandamakers
Andrew Graham-Brown’s beautiful film about the Chinese Giant Panda breeding programme.
Echo an Unforgettable Elephant
The solo cello of Kate Gould pervades the score for this intimate biography of Africa’s most famous elephant.
Good Morning Kalimantan
Mike Birkhead’s BBC series about a wildlife orphanage in Borneo run by Chanee from his radio station in Kalimantan. The soundtrack is available as a digital download
Radio Gibbon
A BBC Natural World film about rescuing gibbons in Borneo. Chanee’s radio stations the hub for his animal rescue operation. Directed by Mike Birkhead. The music features the electric violin of Chris Garrick.
South Pacific
A major six-part series for the BBC exploring the natural history of the South Seas. The score features original songs and an eclectic mix of ukeleles, cellos and chanting voices. Available as a Blu-ray and the soundtrack is on EMI records as a digital download
Echo and the Elephants of Amboseli
13-part series by Mike Birkhead for Animal Planet about the elephants in Amboseli National Park in the shadow of Mt Kilimanjaro.
Cardiff Castle
A musical interpretation of the history of Cardiff Castle performed by the Morriston Orpheus Male Voice Choir with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. The film is installed in a purpose-built cinema in Cardiff Castle. Directed by Bella Janson.
Cuckoo
David Attenborough narrates this definitive look at the cuckoo. Serene violin playing from Warren Zielinski as well musical appearances by Sue Mitcham (flute), Michael Whight (clarinet) and John Parricelli (classical guitar) pervading this deeply pastoral score. Directed by Mike Birkhead.
Spectacled Bears : Shadow of the Forest
High in the Andes live the Spectacled Bears (including in darkest Peru - just like Paddington). Stephen Fry narrates this film directed by Fergus Beeley for the BBC. The score features guitars, percussion and orchestra.
Stonehenge Decoded
A National Geographic feature-length dramatised documentary looking at Britain’s most famous neolithic stone circle. Director Chris Spencer.
Moose in the Glen
Near Inverness a landowner is reintroducing moose to the Highlands. A Celtic feel to the score underpinned by the strings of the BBC Concert Orchestra. Film Directed by Mike Birkhead.
The Bearman of Kamchatka / The Edge of Eden
Jeff and Sue Turner’s film about Charlie Russell who lives with bears for half the year in the shadow of a volcano in remote Kamchatka. The score has a Russian tinge, but the strongest influence is Country music. It is acoustic guitar-led (Mark Johns) with live strings, steel guitar and Ethnic G clarinet.
Saba and the Rhino
Saba Douglas Hamilton travels to a secret part of Namibia where rhinos meet in large numbers at dead of night. Alison Limerick (vocals), John Parricelli (guitar) and Dirk campbell (duduk) are the soloists on this score.
Battle to Save the Tiger
Mike Birkhead’s award winning film about the rapid disappearance of the wild tiger from India. An orchestral score for this hard-hitting film with duduk solos from Dirk Campbell.
Elephant Nomads of the Namib Desert
A deeply moving BBC film about the elephants which,against all odds, live in a desert environment in Namibia. The orchestra was recorded at Abbey Road for this film directed by Mike Birkhead and beautifully shot by Martyn Colbeck.
I Am An American Soldier
John Lawrence’s feature film following the 101st Airborne in Iraq for a year in 2006.
Tiger Kill
Will Schofield’s cello and multi-tracked pianos build up the texture on this unique score for Harry Marshall’s Natural World film.
The Turtle’s Guide to the Pacific
David’s first cello ensemble score. The cellos (eight of them) are joined by Ian Thomas (drums), Eddie Hession (accordion) and Jamie Talbot (reeds).
Miracles of Jesus
A dramatised BBC series about the miracles presented by Rageh Omar . The score features the voices of the Joyful Company of Singers, recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Series directed by Jean Claude Bragard and Anna Cox.
Save Lullingstone
Two series for BBC 2 made by Ant Palmer of Keo films about Tom Hart Dyke and his project to make a ‘world garden’ at Lullingstone in Kent. The score is a library of gypsy jazz pieces played by Chris Garrick and Mark Johns and recorded with lots of original 78rpm crackles.
Time
A library of pieces for the BBC series presented by professor Michio Kaku and directed by Cameron Balbirnie.
An Eye for an Elephant (UK) / Unforgettable Elephants (USA)
A film about and presented by Martyn Colbeck, the brilliant award winning cinematographer and photographer and his unique insight into photographing and filming elephants. More beautiful guitar playing from Mark Johns. Directed by Mike Birkhead.
The Iceberg that sank the Titanic
An emotional orchestral score for this BBC Natural World film about that fateful collision on 15th April 1912. Performed by a hand-picked orchestra with Julian Arguelles on saxophones.
Secrets of the Maya Underworld
Tim Scoones’s film for the BBC Natural World series about mapping the massive flooded caves under the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Atmospheric vocals from the great Norma Winstone in this haunting score.
Eagle Island
A personal view of Mull by Gordon Buchanan. A Celtic folk score for this film which has now become a classic.
Shark Coast
A score for the BBC Natural World film about all the many different species of shark found off the coast of South Africa.
Caribou and Wolves the Endless Dance
Jeff and Sue Turner’s beautiful film about the migration of the Caribou in Canada. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play this score which is essentially a suite of ballet pieces.
Desert Wolves of India
Mike Birkhead’s film about the indigenous wolves of India. The score is driven by Pete Lockett’s propulsive percussion.
Mississippi : Tales of the Last River rat
Andrew Graham Brown’s film portrait of Kenny Salwey. Haunting singing from Alison Limerick and Ola Onabule on this American folk music inspired score.
Guy Pearce’s Ultimate Guide to Tigers
Score for a companion film to the Pathé feature Two Brothers. Solo cello played by Jonathan Williams. Directed by Mike Birkhead.
NILE
A major three-part series for the BBC with a symphonic score performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
Collusion
A jazz score for Richard Burridge’s film about an art heist that starts an unravelling of the relationships between the four protagonists. The hand-picked big band was recorded in the legendary Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios.
Terry Jones’s Medieval Lives
A score for Paul Bradshaw’s series for the BBC. Terry Jones reveals the truth about daily life in the Middle Ages. The music is written for the instruments of the time - crumhorns, psalteries et al.
Saba’s Search for Tigers
Saba Douglas Hamilton travels to India in search of wild tigers. The score has a distinctly Bollywood feel.
A Life with Cougars
Jeff and Sue’s very personal film about living in an area where there are wild cougars on the prowl. The score features the voice of Alison Limerick.
The Elephant, the Emperor and the Butterfly Tree
Winner of the coveted Golden Panda at Wildscreen. The score features the unique voice of Ola Onabule.
Danger in Tiger Paradise
A score combining Indian and Western Classical traditions for this award-winning film about the tiger Machli of Ranthambore.