short bio
300 words
Nathan James Dearden is a Welsh composer whose music is shaped by its function: music written for particular people, places and purposes. Working across concert and choral music, and immersive multimedia performance, he creates music with clarity of gesture and directness of expression, shaped by the communities and contexts for which it is written.
Nathan's music has been commissioned, performed, broadcast, and recorded by many of Britain's leading performers and ensembles, including the BBC Singers, Philharmonia Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Berkeley Ensemble, Welsh National Opera, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, The Tippett Quartet, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, National Youth Choir of Wales, The Heath Quartet, Grand Band, the Fidelio Trio, Hebrides Ensemble, CHROMA ensemble, and flautist Carla Rees. His work has featured at festivals across the UK and internationally, including the ISCM World Music Days, Cheltenham Music Festival, Dartington International Summer School & Festival, CROSSROADS International New Music Festival, the International Young Composers' Meeting, and the Vale of Glamorgan Festival. His music has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, RTÉ lyric FM, Resonance FM, Soho Radio and S4C, and released on NMC Recordings, Delphian, and Signum Records.
Recent projects include Mamiaith with Music Theatre Wales and the National Eisteddfod of Wales, messages for the Three Choirs Festival, a Welsh tour of The day following with UPROAR New Music Ensemble, and silent stones, commissioned by BBC Sounds for the BBC Singers.
Nathan is Associate Professor in Music Composition at Royal Holloway, University of London, where he is also Composer-in-Residence with the Choir of Royal Holloway. Alongside his work as a composer, he is an active conductor, educator, mentor, and advocate for contemporary music, committed to championing new voices and strengthening musical life across Wales and beyond.