Ruth Barrett

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Ruth Barrett
Ruth3-portrait.jpg
Barrett at work in her studio (2017)
Background information
Birth nameRuth Barrett
Born1976 (age 4748)
Roehampton, London, England
Genres Television score, Film score
Occupation Composer
Instrument Piano
Years active2005–present
Website https://www.ruthbarrettmusic.com/

Ruth Barrett (born 1976) is a British film score composer. [1] Her film score credits include Harry Brown , [2] [1] Twenty8k , and City of Tiny Lights. Her television score credits include The Sister , Bloodlands , Bodyguard , [3] The Durrells , [4] Collateral , Legacy , [5] Law & Order: Organized Crime, and Victoria . [6] [7] For her work on Victoria, Barrett was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series.

Contents

Early life and career

Barrett was born in Roehampton, London in 1976. She became interested in film and television music at a very young age while watching 1980s reruns of 1970s American television shows. She cites 1978s The Incredible Hulk, Queen's 1980 Flash Gordon Soundtrack, and a number of commercials broadcast throughout the 1980s as childhood inspirations that piqued her interest in music. [8]

In her early teens she began improvising compositions around classical pieces with piano teacher and early mentor Nigel Crouch.

Ruth went on to study music at Cambridge University, and then music composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London. [9]

She broke into the television industry composing for advertising pitches. Her first full time role was in post-production for ITV, which allowed her to build key relationships with producers and directors, while gaining practical experience composing for documentaries. Barrett also met her future husband, "sound engineer, electronic music aficionado, composer and synth super-geek", Ruskin Williamson while working there. [8]

After leaving ITV, she freelanced at Strongroom Studios where she began working with her future mentor and collaborator Martin Phipps. This allowed her to further her industry experience, develop her contacts, and led directly a commission for her first drama score. [9]

Works

Film

YearFilmDirector(s)Writer(s)Producer(s)
2009 Harry Brown Daniel Barber Gary Young Matthew Vaughn, Kris Thykier, Matthew Brown, Keith Bell
2010 Toast SJ Clarkson Lee Hall Faye Ward
2012 Twenty8k David Kew, Neil ThompsonJimmy Dowdall, Paul Abbott Martin Carr
2015 City of Tiny Lights Pete Travis Patrick Neate Rebecca O'Brien, Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto
TBA The Old Guard 2 Victoria Mahoney Greg Rucka David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Charlize Theron, Beth Kono, AJ Dix, Marc Evans, Gina Prince-Bythewood

Television

YearSeriesDirector(s)Writer(s)Producer(s)
2007 True Dare Kiss Declan O'Dwyer, Jeremy Webb Debbie Horsefield Marcus Wilson
2009 The Take David Drury Neil Biswas, based on Martina Cole's bookWillow Grylis
Endgame Pete Travis Paula Milne Hal Vogel
Married Single Other Charles Martin, Declan Lowney Peter SouterRadford Neville
Wuthering Heights Coky Giedroyc Peter BowkerRadford Neville
Wallander: The Man Who Smiled Andy Wilson Simon Donald, Richard CottanSanne Wohlenberg
2010 Bouquet of Barbed Wire Ashley Pierce Guy Andrews Kate McKerrell
2012 Hunted SJ Clarkson Frank Spotnitz Eliza Mellor
2013 Whitechapel (Series 1, 3 and 4) SJ Clarkson, John Strickland, Daniel Nettheim, Jon EastBen Court, Caroline IpMarcus Wilson, David Boulter, Patrick Schweitzer
Legacy Pete Travis Paula Milne Rob Bullock
2014 Remember Me Ashley Pierce Gwyneth Hughes Chris Carey
2015 Critical Jon East Jed Mercurio Christopher Hall
2016 Love, Nina SJ Clarkson Nick Hornby Derrin Schlesinger
2017 Victoria (Series 1-3) Sandra Goldbacher, Olly Blackburn, Lisa James Larsson, Geoff Sax, Daniel O'Hara, Jim Loach Daisy Goodwin Paul Frift
Fearless Pete Travis Patrick Harbinson Adrian Sturges
The Durrells (Series 1-4) Steve Barron, Roger Goldby, Edward Hall, Niall MacCormick Simon Nye Christopher Hall
2018 Bodyguard Thomas Vincent, John Strickland Jed Mercurio Priscilla Parish
Collateral SJ Clarkson David Hare SJ Clarkson, Elizabeth Binns
2019 The Durrells Steve Barron, Roger Goldby, Edward Hall, Niall MacCormick Simon Nye Christopher Hall
Sanditon Olly Blackburn, Lisa Clarke, Charles Sturridge Georgina LoweAndrew Davies
2020 Bloodlands Pete Travis Chris Brandon Christopher Hall
The Sister Niall MacCormick Jonathan Curling Neil Cross
2021 Law & Order: Organized Crime Fred Berner Dick Wolf, Ilene Chaiken

& Matt Olmstead

Dick Wolf
(executive)

Awards and nominations

Primetime Emmy Award
YearAwardWorkEpisodeNominee(s)ResultRef.
2017 Outstanding Music Composition for a Series Victoria "Doll 123" Martin Phipps, Ruth Barrett, and Natalie Holt Nominated [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Ruth Barrett". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Archived from the original on 5 August 2013.
  2. Dargis, Manohla (29 April 2010). "Michael Caine as Gangster-Shooting Vigilante". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  3. Rob Licuria (20 May 2019). "Composer Ruth Barrett ('Bodyguard') on exploring 'what does panic sound like' for political thriller soundtrack [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW]". Gold Derby.
  4. "Interview: Ruth Barrett - M Magazine". M magazine: PRS for Music online magazine. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  5. "Legacy: The score would have to deliver". TV blog. 27 November 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  6. "The story behind the Victoria theme tune". Radio Times. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  7. "Martin Phipps And Ruth Barrett VICTORIA Original Soundtrack Available Now - We Are Movie Geeks". We Are Movie Geeks. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Interview: Ruth Barrett". M-magazine.co.uk. M-Magazine. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  9. 1 2 "Ruth Barrett". Apmmusic.com. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  10. "69th Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved 25 April 2019.