I am a composer/producer with broadcast drama and story-led credits, known for emotionally precise music and calm, reliable delivery. I write both high-impact melodic and dynamic themes as well as minimal underscore that supports candid, intimate dialogue, often building organic textures from acoustic and found sources alongside cutting-edge electronic manipulation where appropriate. I work across intimate documentary storytelling and larger-scale live projects, collaborating closely with poets, directors and teams. My signature palette blends acoustic instruments with electronic manipulation and found textures to shape emotion, pacing and tension, delivered with live-tested instincts and a robust post-production workflow.

Steve Pretty

I am a composer/producer with broadcast drama and story-led credits, known for emotionally precise music and calm, reliable delivery. I write both high-impact melodic and dynamic themes as well as minimal underscore that supports candid, intimate dialogue, often building organic textures from acoustic and found sources alongside cutting-edge electronic manipulation where appropriate. I work across intimate documentary storytelling and larger-scale live projects, collaborating closely with poets, directors and teams. My signature palette blends acoustic instruments with electronic manipulation and found textures to shape emotion, pacing and tension, delivered with live-tested instincts and a robust post-production workflow.

Available to hire

I am a composer/producer with broadcast drama and story-led credits, known for emotionally precise music and calm, reliable delivery. I write both high-impact melodic and dynamic themes as well as minimal underscore that supports candid, intimate dialogue, often building organic textures from acoustic and found sources alongside cutting-edge electronic manipulation where appropriate.

I work across intimate documentary storytelling and larger-scale live projects, collaborating closely with poets, directors and teams. My signature palette blends acoustic instruments with electronic manipulation and found textures to shape emotion, pacing and tension, delivered with live-tested instincts and a robust post-production workflow.

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Work Experience

Composer and Sound Designer at Autistic Joy
January 1, 2025 - Present
Composition and sound design for a short poetry film celebrating autistic joy; liaised with poet, filmmaker and choreographer to produce music that is celebratory, sensitive and thoughtful, including ensuring the score isn't triggering for autistic audiences.
Composer and Head of Music Department at Cold Call (Channel 5)
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019
Theme and underscore for approximately 25 minutes of original music per episode across a 4-part drama; close collaboration with production team; delivered broadcast-ready mixes and stems under deadline.
Theme Composer and Songwriter at My Friend Maisy
January 1, 2026 - Present
Theme song composition and development for this 52-episode series; close collaboration with production team (BBC Studios); composing full song based off the 20-second theme.
Score Development for Concept Trailer at Concept trailer for Oscar-winning director Hugh Welchman
January 1, 2025 - Present
Development of score for concept trailer of embargoed new project from director Hugh Welchman (Loving Vincent).
Bandleader/Composer/Producer at Hackney Colliery Band
January 1, 2009 - Present
Lead London-based contemporary band; shaping music for large audiences and delivering high-energy, emotionally clear arrangements; described as redefining the brass band for the 21st century; informs pacing, dynamics and impact for screen and documentary scoring.
Orchestrator and Musical Director at Shakespeare’s Globe
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019
Orchestrating, conducting and bandleading for A Midsummer Night’s Dream; 2019 production.
Orchestrator and Musical Director at Shakespeare’s Globe
January 1, 2021 - January 1, 2021
Orchestrating, conducting and bandleading for A Midsummer Night’s Dream; 2021 production.
Composer/Producer (Theme) at Extreme Diet Hotel
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2018
Composed and produced the series theme; worked with presenter to record and produce a song featuring her singing.
Composer/Arranger at Broadcast From Biscuitland
January 1, 2015 - January 1, 2015
Original music and arrangements for a BBC Four broadcast arts project.
Composer/Producer at Advertising and Production Music
January 1, 2016 - Present
Composer/Producer for clients including National Lottery, Ambrosia, Bird's Eye; Felt Music.
Commissioned Composer/Producer at Sea Shambles - Royal Albert Hall At Home
January 1, 2020 - January 1, 2020
Composed and produced a piece combining acoustic instruments, electronics, and underwater-recorded material.
Commissioned Composer/Producer at Brian Cox/Robin Ince Live Shows – Hammersmith Apollo
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2022
Composer, orchestrator and musical director for Brian Cox and Robin Ince’s live shows; worked with musical guests including Robert Smith and Eric Idle.

Education

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Qualifications

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Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Other
    paper Little Wooly Vision – Production, Recording & Performance for Children’s Animation

    I work with Little Wooly Vision on an ongoing basis, producing, recording and performing music for children’s stop-motion animation projects released on YouTube and also available on smart TVs and Yoto devices.

    The work centres on creating live, characterful musical accompaniments that support the warmth, humour and handmade feel of the films. It calls for a careful balance of playfulness, precision and musical sensitivity, with the soundtrack needing to feel closely connected to the visual world rather than pasted on top.

    My role spans both the musical and technical sides of the process, helping shape and capture soundtracks that feel lively, expressive and well crafted.

    paper Hackney Colliery Band – Large-Scale Arranging & Music Production

    As bandleader and principal creative lead for Hackney Colliery Band, I’ve written, arranged and produced music for large-scale live shows and collaborative projects performed in venues including the Barbican.

    This work sits somewhere between composition, arrangement and music direction: creating material that is bold, audience-facing and full of character, while also making it function in the real world for a live band, guest artists and complex performance settings. It’s practical music-making as much as imaginative music-making, which is often where the actual craft lives.

    These projects have involved shaping arrangements, leading rehearsals, refining the musical identity of shows and helping turn broad creative ideas into coherent live work.

    paper Cold Call – TV Drama Score

    I worked as Composer and Head of Music Department on the Channel 5 drama Cold Call.

    The score needed to support tension and unease without becoming heavy-handed. My approach was to build a soundworld that could carry suspense, ambiguity and emotional pressure while still leaving space for the drama to breathe. Rather than simply underlining every moment with “something bad is happening” music, I focused on atmosphere, pacing and restraint.

    Projects like this are a good example of the side of composition I particularly enjoy: shaping music around story, subtext and rhythm of scene, while staying responsive to editorial needs and the broader arc of the programme. I also particularly enjoyed working with director Gareth Tunley on this production.

    I handled the composition and broader music delivery for the production.

    paper My Friend Maisy – Theme Music

    I composed the theme music for My Friend Maisy, a Sky Kids series (produced by BBC Studios) based on the much-loved Maisy character from the internationally best-selling book series.

    The brief was to create something warm, playful and memorable that would feel at home in a children’s series without becoming overly sugary or generic. I wanted the music to have a strong sense of character and friendliness, while still feeling well-crafted and musically alive. I also wanted the theme to be completely playable on children’s musical equipment that you might find in a playground or school, and detailed this in a podcast episode on the topic.

    This project called for a careful balance: clear melodic writing, a light touch, and production that felt polished and broadcast-ready while keeping a sense of charm. Writing for children’s television often looks simple from the outside, but making something genuinely catchy, emotionally right and not annoying after repeated listens is a particular challenge which I really enjoyed engaging with here.

    I composed and produced the piece, shaping it to support the tone and identity of the show.