Oliver Leith (b.1990) is a London-based composer. He writes music that is “deadpan, subversive, quietly anarchic, disarmingly heart-sore and sweet-sour” (BBC Radio 3, Kate Molleson), which has been performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Ilan Volkov, the LA Philharmonic, Royal Northern Sinfonia, London Sinfonietta, members of the Philharmonia Orchestra, EXAUDI, and Trio Catch.

His works have appeared at the BBC Proms, Tanglewood Music Centre, Wigmore Hall, Aix Festival, Transit Festival, the Darmstädter Ferienkurse, Heidelberg Festival, Riga’s White Night Festival and Liszt Academy (Budapest). Accolades include an Ivor Novello award for Honey Siren (2019), a 2016 British Composer Award for A Day at The Spa, premiered by Kaleidoscope Saxophone Quartet, and the 2014 RPS Composer Prize.

He was previously Guildhall School of Music & Drama’s Doctoral Composer-in-Residence at the Royal Opera House. This led to the creation of Leith’s acclaimed debut chamber opera Last Days, which premiered at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre in 2022 with a sold-out run of performances; it received its US premiere from the LA Philharmonic and Thomas Adès in February 2024 at Walt Disney Hall.

The 90-minute piece, with a text by Matt Copson and the composer, is based on Gus Van Sant’s 2005 film. Last Days traces the self-destructive spiral of a rock star escaped from rehab; its debut production, co-directed by Anna Morrissey and Matt Copson, starred Agathe Rousselle in the non-singing lead role of Blake, with costumes by Balenciaga. The opera features a recording of an Italian verismo­-style aria written for Caroline Polachek and produced by Danny L Harle. The world premiere recording with12 Ensemble, GBSR Duo and conductor Jack Sheen was released by Platoon in 2024.  

Recent large-scale works include Cartoon Sun, commissioned by the Hallé Concerts Society for Thomas Adès; it featured as part of an orchestral portrait concert of the composer from the Philharmonia Orchestra and conductor Naomi Woo at Bold Tendencies in summer 2024. 2024 also saw the premiere of Doom and the Dooms for electric guitar, keyboard, percussion and strings for Sean Shibe, GBSR Duo and 12 Ensemble, as well as Hallelujah amen for EXAUDI, part of the specially-curated programme from Leith at Kings Place Thrilly Marvel Chants. will o wisp, a 19-minute work for strings, was co-commissioned by Manchester Collective and Det Norske Kammerorkester and funded by the British Council’s International Collaboration Grants and premiered in 2022.  

Other orchestral works include Taxa (composed in 2013 and subsequently performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Ilan Volkov) and Dream Horse for soprano, bass, and chamber orchestra (commissioned by the 2018 Tanglewood Festival, conducted by Thomas Adès). In 2016/17 members of the London Symphony Orchestra premiered 664 love songs to cure heartache and Sexton Blakes, both for instrumental ensembles and video.

Balloon for ensemble of nine players was premiered in 2018 by the London Sinfonietta and features on an all-Leith release from Another Timbre, with Richard Baker conducting Explore Ensemble. good day good day bad day bad day, a 45-minute work for keyboards and percussion composed in 2018 for George Barton and Siwan Rhys, is also available on Another Timbre. Other recordings include Hand Coloured with Loré Lixenberg and the London Sinfonietta (NMC), Aisha Orazbayeva playing Blurry Wake Song (SN Variations) and Uh huh, Yeah – described as a ‘miniature masterpiece’ by The Times – with the Hermes Experiment (Delphian). The Ruisi Quartet featured Leith’s string quartet The big house on their eponymous album from Pentatone in 2023.

Balloon for ensemble of nine players was premiered in 2018 by the London Sinfonietta and features on an all-Leith release from Another Timbre, with Richard Baker conducting Explore Ensemble. good day good day bad day bad day, a 45-minute work for keyboards and percussion composed in 2018 for George Barton and Siwan Rhys, is also available on Another Timbre. Other recordings include Hand Coloured with Loré Lixenberg and the London Sinfonietta (NMC), Aisha Orazbayeva playing Blurry Wake Song (SN Variations) and Uh huh, Yeah – described as a ‘miniature masterpiece’ by The Times – with the Hermes Experiment (Delphian).

Autumn will see Me Hollywood presented at Transit Festival and November Music, a performance of Honey Siren by Royal Welsh String Soloists and Manchester Collective, as well as the world premiere of The Big House with the Ruisi Quartet at Wigmore Hall. Leith is currently the Guildhall School of Music & Drama’s Doctoral Composer-in-Residence at the Royal Opera House.