Simon Slater

Simon Slater (born 28 November 1959) is a British music director, composer, narrator, and actor. He has composed more than 300 original music scores for film, theatre, TV and radio, and is a member of the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters.

In 2010, Slater's narration of Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel won two awards; an Audie Award for Literary Fiction and an AudioFile magazine Earphone Award. For best sound designer in the 2013 play Constellations, he was nominated an Olivier Award.

Early life and education

Simon Slater was born in Filey Road, Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, the son of a sailor known as the Prospect Of Whitby yachtsman Arthur Slater. As a young child he became inspired by his music teacher at Bramcote School. Growing up in Scarborough, he lived not far from the Stephen Joseph Theatre, where his parents took him to see plays by Alan Ayckbourn.

Career Slater has composed more than 300 original music scores for film, theatre, TV and radio, which have included BBC Radio 3, Channel 5, and West End theatre productions. He wrote the music for Macbeth, starring Sean Bean and wrote the music for The Blood Libel for Radio 4.

He also composed for many productions at Hampstead Theatre Club, The Liverpool Everyman, Bristol Old Vic, the Bush Theatre, and Young Vic.

Television Slater has appeared in several TV series, including Heartbeat, Inspector Morse, Hotel Babylon, Monarch of the Glen, and as Inspector Kite in The Bill. He also appeared in Birds of a Feather, the Doctor Who story "Terror of the Vervoids", Lovejoy, and Where the Heart Is.

Theatre

At the Stephen Joseph Theatre he was invited to compose the music for four actor-musicians in the Christmas adaptation of Pinocchio in which they play an array of instruments covering 30 roles.

Slater also wrote or co-wrote the songs for Christmas shows Cinderella at Theatre Royal, Winchester, The Santa Trap for The Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, and Little Red Riding Hood at the Chelsea Theatre.

Music He plays piano, double bass, saxophones, clarinet, guitar, piano accordion, and an AudioFile magazine Earphone Award.

In 2018, he read Hans Rosling's Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think.

Filmography Film

Year Title Role Notes 1989 Dealers Eamonn Doyle 1999 Entrapment Paul 2011 The Iron LadyChris Patten No naughty Bits, Enlightenment Hampstead Theatre The Blood LibelDirected by Hugh Levinson for the BBC

Awards and nominations

Year Organisation Award Nominated work Result 2010 AudioFile magazine Earphone Award Audie Award for narration Wolf Hall 2013 Olivier Award for best sound design Constellations Offie for best sound design. The Life of Stuff Manchester Evening News Awards James and the Giant Peach