Mark Ayres - Composer

Biography

Mark Ayres was born in London and educated in Tunbridge Wells (where he spent most of his childhood) and at the University of Keele (studying Film Music, Composition, and Electronic Music with Peter Dickinson, Roger Marsh, and the late Tim Souster), from where he graduated with a BSc (Hons.) in Music and Electronics.

While at school, Mark composed music for stage productions and amateur movies, formed a band with class-mates ("The Electric Ferrits" - sic!), and was an occasional flute player with the West Kent Youth Orchestra. At University he continued writing for theatrical productions and amateur film, and formed rock band Random Access.

In 1982, Mark joined Britain's fledgling independent Breakfast Television station TVam as a sound engineer. Over the subsequent 5 years he worked on a variety of programmes from Good Morning Britain to Roland Rat, as well as on secondment to companies such as Anglia Television, working as sound assistant on shows including Cover Her Face. He used the opportunity to make contacts and started writing jingles and idents for video productions and television programmes before finally going freelance as a composer and sound designer in 1987.

Since then he has provided incidental music for some of the UK's top drama shows including Rockcliffe's Babies, Casualty, and three full scores for Doctor Who. His work has been heard on documentaries and magazine series, and provides the signature for Japanese Satellite Television. An ongoing collaboration with Computer Artist William Latham has produced a number of acclaimed short films and CD-ROM's, and he has also contributed to the De Wolfe music library.

In 1995 Mark was hired as composer on director Scott Michell's first feature film, The Innocent Sleep (starring Michael Gambon, Rupert Graves, Annabella Sciorra, and Franco Nero), for which he provided a full orchestral score with solo voice performances by popular soprano Lesley Garrett. The soundtrack recording was recommended in the 1997 & 1998 editions of the Gramophone Film Music Good CD Guide.

As a composer, arranger, producer, or performer, Mark's name appears on over 100 Compact Disc releases, including many of Silva Screen Records' "Digital Film Scores" series.

Mark's versatility lies in his being able to switch from full orchestral scoring through arrangement and production to innovative electronic music realisation, sound design, and multimedia programming. He has recently scored a short children's film for Carlton Television and a satirical Current Affairs pilot for Channel Four. He is currently working on further albums for Silva Screen, various solo projects, and developing feature film and television ideas with Scott Michell.

He is married with two sons.

Mark Ayres is a member of the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, serving on the Media Music Executive and New Technologies Committees.

Mark Ayres (third from left, front) with British Academy colleagues.
From left: David Stoll, Debbie Wiseman, David Ferguson (at back), Guy Michelmore, Mark Fishlock, Nigel Beaham Powell
Photograph Copyright © 1999 Paul Tonks, used by permission.