Biography

Benjamin Woodgates, originally hailing from the New Forest, UK is an award-winning composer of film, videogame and concert music. He initially trained as a percussionist, becoming one of the youngest ever performers of James MacMillan's percussion concerto, Veni, veni, Emmanuel in 2004. In 2005 he was awarded an Organ Scholarship to Corpus Christi College, Oxford University, and he went on to study Composition for Screen with Vasco Hexel at the Royal College of Music, London. In 2014, Benjamin was selected as one of twelve composers worldwide to take part in the ASCAP Television & Film Scoring Workshop with Richard Bellis, during the course of which he had the chance to record his music with many of Hollywood's top musicians at the Fox Scoring Stage.

Benjamin has worked extensively as a composer and orchestrator for film, television and videogames. As well as writing for large orchestral ensemble, Benjamin has composed a number of scores using unusual and intimate combinations of acoustic instruments. His score to Wander, a MMO currently being developed in Melbourne, Australia, was recorded entirely with a 10-piece chamber group that included marimba and the human voice. Wander is due for release on PC and PlayStation 4 in early 2015, and has won numerous awards including 'Best Indie MMO' at Gamescom 2014. Benjamin won the 2014 Oticons Faculty International Film Music Competition, and has been nominated for numerous awards including the SoundTrack Cologne 10 European Talent Award and the London Music Awards' Young Composer Award. He has recently been commissioned by the WDR Funkhausorchester Cologne to write two cinematic orchestral works which will be released at SoundTrack Cologne in November.

Most Notable Awards

5 Award Wins

ASCAP Foundation Award
London Music Award

Aside from music for film and videogames, Benjamin is also an acclaimed composer of concert works. He was written extensively for voice, and his works for choir have been published by Oxford University Press and Stainer & Bell. In 2013 he was commissioned to orchestrate and complete Percy Grainger's 1896 Piano Concerto, which received its premiere in Kings Place on 8 October 2014. Benjamin has also worked extensively as a conductor, directing groups including the West End Phantom of the Opera cast, the Halle Youth Choir and award-winning vocal group Out of the Blue.