About

Following a music degree at Clare College, Cambridge, Sam moved to London, the English music industry’s beating heart, where he has worked ever since.

In 2005 his band, Grace, signed a multi-album record deal with Virgin EMI and a publishing contract with Warner Chappell. They recorded in several world-class studios, toured the UK extensively and released their debut album ‘Detours’ in July 2007.

He began playing keyboards and singing backing vocals for The Hoosiers in late 2007. Having already arranged strings and brass for their UK chart no. 1 album The Trick To Life, Sam continued to provide string arrangements for Radio One Live Lounge and other performances (a highlight of which, was a collaboration with Ricky Gervais). In 2008, as well as two sold-out UK headline tours, The Hoosiers also supported James Blunt on his European arena tour, played every major UK festival (including several in Europe and Japan), and completed tours in Germany, France and Japan. Throughout, they recorded promotional TV shows and radio sessions.

In 2009 they wrote and recorded their follow up The Illusion Of Safety, which peaked at no. 10 in the UK charts. Since parting company with their record label, Sony RCA, they have self-produced and self-released two further albums, and continue to tour the UK regularly.

As a session player, Sam has worked with the likes of Duffy, Chrissie Hynde, Echo and The Bunnymen, Simply Red, Nell Bryden and Keith Harkin. He has regularly been a guest soloist (piano and vocals) with Aurora Orchestra, performing the programmes of Jealous Guy, Far Far Away, Lovesong For The City and Music Of The Spheres in concerts and festivals around the UK and in Germany, Mexico and Singapore.

To celebrate the 20-year anniversary of 90s indie heroes Cast’s debut album All Change, Sam scored 15 of their tracks for the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, performed with the band at the Liverpool Symphonic Hall at concerts in 2015 and 2016. He also conducted the orchestra, his pop music experience and academic grounding making him the ideal link between the rock musicians and the classically trained players. In September 2016, he again drew on this versatility and orchestrated the BBC Radio One Live Lounge collaboration between two-time number 1 band The 1975 and the BBC Philharmonic. The hour-long concert was broadcast live on Radio One and BBC iPlayer.

Since then he has provided arrangements and orchestrations for the 1975’s no. 1 albums A Brief Enquiry Into Online Relationships and Notes On A Conditional Form, the Warner release 80s Symphonic, Simply Red’s Blue Eyed Soul, Walk Between Worlds for Simple Minds, The Killing Moon for Echo And The Bunnymen, and various tracks for The Wombats. In November 2018 he orchestrated and conducted three tracks for the live broadcast of the Blue Peter 60th birthday party special with the The Vamps, Jonas Blue, Sophie Ellis Bextor and the BBC Philharmonic.

In August 2019, Sam arranged, orchestrated and conducted the Lewis Capaldi Symphony, an hour long concert performed with Lewis Capaldi and the Manchester Camerata for a 12 thousand strong crowd, broadcast on both BBC Radio One and BBC1 . He worked with the BBC again the following month, this time with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, performing his 6 arrangements of tracks by Jack Savoretti for the Last Night Of The Proms.

During lockdown, 2020, Sam orchestrated songs for Jack Savoretti and Katie Melua, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra for Ken Bruce’s Radio 2 show House Music. All the musicians performed individually in their own homes, then masterly mixed together for the final version - a unique creative undertaking which came about only due to a national lockdown.

For Christmas 2020 he arranged and orchestrated ‘Winter Wonderland’ sang by Beababoodee as part of Apple Music’s Christmas covers series. He also arranged strings for Tiffany Darwish’s Christmas single Angels and has several tracks on her upcoming album.

He worked with Simple Minds again for Ken Bruce’s acoustic sessions on Radio 2 in February 2022.

Since 2014 he has been band leader for Miel de Botton, playing support tours for Wet Wet Wet, John Barrowman and Rhydian. He has also co-written and produced several tracks for her most recent album, Surrender To The Feeling.

He is working closely with Adam Anderson (Hurts) on a new record.

CLIENT LIST /

Lewis Capaldi
Adam Anderson (Hurts)
The 1975
Katie Melua
NATACHA
Jack Savoretti
Miel
The BBC Philharmonic
The Manchester Camerata
The Vamps
Jonas Blue
The Wombats
Echo And The Bunnymen
Amy Macdonald
Cast
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Chrissie Hynde
Aurora Orchestra
Simply Red
Texas
Simple Minds
Nell Bryden
Duffy
Keith Harkin
Crackanory (Dave Channel)
Channel 4
UK Living
Curiscope
Flock
Made In Me