A Birthday trip for my lovey Da to “The Music of John Williams” at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall led me to stumble upon the up-and-coming (and extremely talented) Scottish composer David Ford. Amidst the classic film scores of John Williams was the work of Ford, due to the Glaswegian composer winning a competition as part of the RSNO film composers lab. Taken aback by the beauty of this piece, I sought out the man behind the melody to learn more about his creative journey.
As a musician, he specialises in trumpet playing. He was offered trumpet lessons following an aptitude test from the South Lanarkshire Instrumental Music Service in primary school, starting it all. He described how his love for film music, particularly the sweeping score of Pirates of the Caribbean, sparked a passion that would shape his life thereafter. As musical passions were established, Ford began writing pieces of music in high school after his trumpet teacher gave him some blank manuscript music paper- these empty pages became a playground for a burgeoning talent, laying the foundation for Ford’s future as a composer.
Pictured- The RSNO recording Ford’s piece.
He then went on to earn a Bachelor of Music with honours from the University of Glasgow, followed by a master’s degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. These academic experiences not only honed his technical skills but also exposed him to further opportunities, such as allowing him to have his music performed by other keen musicians, serving as the resident composer for the RCS brass department, and working with film students to write for their projects, which ultimately led him to understand the process of film composition a lot better. During this time, he started making waves, winning the Walter and Dinah Wolfe Composition Prize in 2024, receiving a nomination for Best Score at the Monthly Film Festival, and securing a place in the prestigious RSNO Film Composers Lab.
His place in the RSNO film composers lab was a huge milestone in Ford’s career, under the guidance of recognisable composers such as Patrick Doyle and Danai Kokogia. As part of this programme, Ford was challenged to write music for short films and was given Crow Moon, a short film animated by Selina Wagner.
He described re-scoring this short film as “hard going but rewarding” and explained that he wanted to “capture the chaos” of this dramatic animation and reflect this in his composition. “I was told by Patrick Doyle not to change a thing [about his score], which was huge coming from him,” said David. His writing process consisted of watching the film in silence and starting to compose from pure imagination- it was clear to me that the capacity of Ford’s imagination has no bounds, and he certainly has a high standard for the work he produces, describing this process as highly experimental. Being given the chance to work with such a prestigious orchestra like the RSNO was an “absolute privilege”, and he told me, “It’s rare to have the opportunity to write for a professional orchestra.” While being in charge was initially daunting for David, the experience allowed him to grow in both professional confidence and brought him out of his shell a lot more.
Below is a link to an excerpt from David’s re-score of Crow Moon;
All of this then led the music of David Ford to meet my ears, as through the RSNO film composers lab, David was chosen to have his score performed at the Music of John Williams across 3 shows for packed audiences in Edinburgh, Dundee and Glasgow, which was a surreal (albeit nerve-wracking) experience for the young composer. He described this venture as a thrilling learning experience, and his dramatic composition being performed live deeply moved Crow Moon animator Selina Wagner.
So what comes next for this promising composer? He has a few exciting projects lined up for the future, mainly in video games and short films, and he remains the principal trumpet player in the Glasgow Sinfonia Orchestra. He explained that “as a composer, you have to actively take part in music.” David Ford is clearly a rising star in the world of film music, and in my opinion, it’s a name to remember. His journey from student composer to having his work performed by the RSNO is a testament to his talent and dedication. With exciting projects ahead and a passion that continues to grow, Ford’s future in the industry looks exceptionally bright.