Composer Rachel Portman signs with Sony Classical
Florence Lockheart
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Portman's first release with Sony Classical will be a new arrangement of the music which won her an Oscar in 1997.
Sony Classical has announced the signing of British composer Rachel Portman. Portman’s debut album with the will be released in Autumn 2022.
Her first release as part of the partnership will be a solo piano recording of her newly arranged Emma - Piano Suite based on her original score to the movie Emma which, in 1997, made her the first woman composer to earn an Oscars Academy Award for ‘Best Music, Original Score’.
Sony Classical UK director, Sarah Thwaites said: ‘Throughout her extraordinary career, Rachel Portman has continuously smashed through barriers to become one of today’s most successful and in-demand film composers. Not only is she an exceptionally talented composer and pianist, she is also an inspiring role model, who has always been actively challenging stereotypes and forging a path for fellow women composers.’
Born in West Sussex, Portman began composing at 14 and, after studying music at Oxford University, wrote music for the UK’s BBC and Channel 4. She has written over 100 scores for stage and screen including The Little Prince: A Magical Opera for Houston Grand Opera as well as The Water Diviner's Tale, a choral symphony for the BBC Proms.
In 2020 Portman recorded her first album as composer-pianist, Ask the River, with Node Records and recently created The First Morning of the World as part of Joyce DiDonato’s Eden initiative.
Portman said: ‘I am absolutely delighted to be partnering with Sony Classical with this signing and look forward to a richly rewarding, creative collaboration.’
You can find out more about Rachel Portman here.
You can find out more about Sony Classical here.
