Society of Composers & Lyricists Opens London Chapter
After more than four decades of supporting Stateside composers and lyricists working across visual media, the Society of Composers & Lyricists has opened its first permanent international chapter in London.
SCL UK was christened this evening with an intimate reception at the legendary AIR Studios in North London. SCL President Ashley Irwin was present alongside the SCL UK Steering Committee, which is led by Nainita Desai. They were joined by dozens of UK-based composers and lyricists from all corners of the industry.
“We’ve got so many members over here already, coming back and forth from the States and vice versa, working on American productions that it became obvious that we should have something here,” Irwin said of the SCL’s decision to open a UK chapter.
Irwin continued: “So what’s the SCL all about? For those of you who don’t know, we’re about advocacy and education. This is a community, first and foremost, of people who write music for audio-visual, whether it is film, television, or video games. Anything where there’s an image.”
After the opening speeches, a small band of musicians gathered to perform compositions created by five SCL UK members: Ruth Barrett, Stephen Barton, Atli Örvarsson, Carly Paradis, and Daniel Pemberton. All five musicians were present this evening and shared personal stories about how the SCL has helped them navigate their careers.
Before introducing a performance of his Project Hail Mary score, Pemberton said of the SCL: “This is an organization that has really had a unique place in advocating for us in the absence of a union. Without it, we might not have this ability to be able to come together.”
He added: “To everybody who keeps this going and to this new venture here in London, which is fantastic, thank you so much for everything you’re doing.”
The evening ended with a tribute to the late British composer George Fenton, who died on October 5, aged 76. Fenton was Oscar-nominated five times across his decades-long career for Gandhi (1983), Cry Freedom (1988), Dangerous Liaisons (1989), and The Fisher King (1992). He also wrote the music for David Attenborough’s The Blue Planet.
“George, his career was incredibly prolific,” American-British composer and SCL UK Steering Committee member Mike Ladouceur said, opening the tribute. “And even greater was his generosity. I knew George as a colleague. He was a visiting professor at the Royal College of Music. He was really such a big contributor not just there but throughout the whole musical ecosystem.”
Ladouceur added: “George Fenton not only defined a style of writing but really invented a genre of writing for natural history docs and so much more. So let’s celebrate George Fenton.”
The musicians performed a special medley of Fenton’s work.
The full SCL UK Steering Committee includes Mat Andasun, Claire Batchelor, Paul Farrer, Andrew Kremer, Mike Ladouceur, Bankey Ojo, and David Tobin.
Alongside the original LA chapter, the SCL also has outposts in New York, Chicago, and Nashville.
