Profile of Patrick Doyle on Famous Like Me

Film composer Patrick Doyle's collaboration with Kenneth Branagh and the Shakespearean community is well known, but many people don't realize how versitile Doyle's scoring talents are in other genres. From Disney's Shipwrecked to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Doyle has produced professional orchestral scores for a variety of films. In the latter half of the 1990's, he has utilized a combination of synthesizers, chorus, and solo vocals, along with a traditional orchestra. A native of Great Britain, Doyle has working relationships and friendships with dozens of talented British directors and actors.

To the sorrow of many film music fans, Doyle fell ill in November, 1997, and was diagnosed with leukemia. He received treatment for his condition, and, much to our delight, resumed his career. His high style of classical composition and impressive history as an actor and stage hand makes him a very knowledgable artist. He has appeared (and sung) in numerous films, and is always seeking to lend his diverse skills to more projects. The original themes he both composes and performs vocals for can be heard on the albums for Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing.

Career

Doyle graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 1974 where he studied piano and singing. His first music score was written in 1978, and subsequently, he has written the music for a host of radio, television, theatre and film productions.

In 1987, Doyle joined the Renaissance Theatre Company as composer and musical director. He has since composed music for their productions of "Hamlet", "As You Like It", and "Much Ado About Nothing" for directors Derek Jacobi, Geraldine McEwan and Judi Dench. Doyle later worked with director Judi Dench on both the theatre and television productions of "Look Back in Anger" and then completed a world tour with the Renaissance Theatre Company, for which he was both composer and musical director for the company's productions of "King Lear" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Director Kenneth Branagh commissioned Doyle to write the film score for the Renaissance Film Company production of Henry V. "Non Nobis Domine", from that film, was awarded the 1989 Ivor Novello Award for Best Film Theme. In 1990, HRH The Prince of Wales commissioned him to write "The Thistle and The Rose", a song cycle for full choir, in honour of the Queen Mother's 90th birthday. In 1991, Doyle wrote the score for the Paramount blockbuster Dead Again also directed by Branagh, and the score was nominated for a 1991 Golden Globe Award.

Doyle's 1994 score for Sense and Sensibility was nominated for a Golden Globe, an Oscar for 'Best Original Dramatic Score,' and a BAFTA nomination for 'Best Film Score.' In 1996, Hamlet, a four hour epic directed by Kenneth Branagh for Castle Rock, received an Oscar nomination. In 1997, Sony Classical commissioned him to write a piece of music to accompany a children's story entitled 'The Face In The Lake.' This piece was premiered in February this year at Carnegie Hall, New York, along with two other stories with music written by Wynton Marsalis & Edgar Meyer. Sony Classical released a CD of the music, narrated by Kate Winslet, together with a companion children's book published by Viking Press.

In November, 1997, Doyle was diagnosed with leukemia. Nonetheless, he completed his score for Great Expectations and continued to work on Quest for Camelot during treatment. By 1998, his career had returned to full swing. He has recently replaced John Williams as the composer for the Harry Potter series of movies, beginning with 2005's "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire."

Selected Filmography

2005

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Nanny McPhee Jekyll + Hyde Man to Man

2004

Nouvelle France

2003

Calendar Girls Secondhand Lions The Galindez File

2002

Killing Me Softly Gosford Park

2001

Bridget Jones' Diary

2000

Blow Dry Love's Labour's Lost

1999

East-West

1998

Quest for Camelot Great Expectations

1997

Donnie Brasco

1996

Hamlet Mrs. Winterbourne

1995

A Little Princess Sense and Sensibility Une femme francaise

1994

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Exit to Eden

1993

Carlito's Way Much Ado About Nothing Needful Things

1992

Indochine Into the West

1991

Dead Again

1990

Shipwrecked

1989

Henry V

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