About

[Go here for dedicated game music and sound design page]

For many years I have combined composing music for games, picture and theatre with writing instrumental and choral pieces for live performance. Recently I have been making a lot of song settings. For the last six years, I’ve written a piano piece every day in November. I also teach, arrange and transcribe music, and perform as an improv pianist. I live and work in Bristol, UK.

In 2020, I completed my PhD in composition at the University of Bristol, supervised by John Pickard. I created a portfolio of compositions, many for the Schola Cantorum, with medieval inspirations and focused on approach to text and how music can let people into a meditative or devotional frame of mind.

Sara Garrard, 2023

Resume

Performances

  • Tell O Shepherds, Sing Clifton, Tyndale Baptist Church, Bristol, 9 December 2023 [listen]
  • Come Christians Praise Your Maker’s Goodness, University of Bristol Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, St Nicholas’ Church, Brockley, 5 October 2023
  • Four Hildegard Texts and O virga ac diadema, University of Bristol Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, St Nicholas’ Church, Brockley, 13 May 2023
  • O Night, Restful and Deep, Sing Clifton, Tyndale Baptist Church, 10 December 2022
  • Selections from Four Hildegard Texts, Orange County Women’s Chorus conducted by Sarah Hughes, 19, 20 November 2022 [listen]
  • Four Hildegard Texts, Sydney Conservatorium Clarinet Ensemble, arranged for clarinet choir and conducted by Peter Anthony Smith [listen]
  • Missa Brevis, University of Bristol Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, Bristol Cathedral, as part of A Service of Celebration of Women’s Priestly Ministry, 12 March 2022
  • Between in God’s eternity (‘Bells’ and ‘Psalm 5’), University of Bristol Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, St Mary Redcliffe Church, 20 February 2022
  • The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond (SSATB) and Twas in the Moon of Wintertime (SATB), Sing Clifton, Victoria Methodist Church, 11 December 2021 [listen]
  • Little Fantasia quasi una sonata for cor anglais and piano, Contemporary Music Venture concert, Victoria Rooms, Bristol, 4 March 2020 [listen]
  • As the morning star, Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, St. Mary’s Thornbury, 23 February 2020 [listen]
  • Twas in the Moon of Wintertime and other arrangements, Sing Clifton, Tyndale Baptist Church, December 2019 [listen]
  • Easter Night (SATB), University of Bristol Singers, Victoria Methodist Church, Bristol, 3 April 2019
  • Christmas Music and Coda, for orchestra, Victoria Rooms, Bristol, University of Bristol Symphony Orchestra conducted by John Pickard, 9 December 2018 x [listen]
  • Little Daylight: Part 1, for ensemble and narrator, Victoria Rooms, Bristol, Bristol New Music Ensemble with Boyan Botev, 5 May 2018
  • Missa Brevis, Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, Victoria Methodist Church Bristol, 28 March 2018 [listen]
  • Poppies and Rye (SSAT), members of Sing Clifton, Tyndale Baptist Church, Bristol, 16 December 2017
  • Between in God’s eternity, Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, St. Paul’s Church Bristol, 22 November 2017 [listen: ‘Where’ and ‘Psalm 5’]
  • Between in God’s eternity, Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, The Station, Bristol, 23 October 2017
  • Aphorisms: a heart under a stone (for female Choir), Schola Cantorum conducted by me, St. Paul’s Church Bristol, November 23 2016 [listen]
  • In the ghostly dawn, Sticks & Strings workshop with Trevor Bartlett (vibraphone); Victoria Rooms, Bristol, June 1 2016
  • Easter Garden (for piano quintet), Sound World; Bristol Ensemble conducted by John Pickard, St George’s Bristol, 20 September 2015
  • Blackbird (for soprano singer, oboe and vibraphone), Contemporary Music Venture CMV2; Victoria Rooms, Bristol, April 23 2015 [listen]
  • The Fox, on a Winter’s Night (for soprano saxophone and piano), New Music South West Concert 1; Andy Keenan (saxophone), Steven Kings (piano), Victoria Rooms, Bristol, 11 January 2015
  • Ash Wednesday (for female choir), Research Students’ Conference; Schola Cantorum conducted by Emma Hornby, Victoria Rooms, 10 January 2015
  • The Woodpigeon presiding over the entire garden (for clarinet and two pianos, after Saint-Saens), A Modern Menagerie; Bristol Ensemble conducted by John Pickard, St George’s Bristol, 7 September 2014 [watch/listen]
  • Rhapsody, Contemporary Music Ventures CMV1 The Saxophone; Katherine Williams (soprano saxophone), Victoria Rooms, Bristol, 26 February 2014 [listen]
  • You Found Me, Matthew Olyver (viola), Composer’s Society Concert; Victoria Rooms, Bristol, 19 December 2013
  • Speech for String Quartet, The Bristol Ensemble String Quartet, Royal West of England Academy of Art, 24 November 2013

Media and Theatre Credits

(other / personal projects here)

  • In addition to commissioned work, I have composed several sets worth of music for free or paid use by game developers which I release on itch.io. Infinity Crystal (2020 set of RPG-style tracks) has proved particularly popular and has featured in multiple indie games including Chain Tower (2022), The night spoke our names (2022), Evering (2021), Monster Tamer, Tower of Redemption, Muc’s Adventure, Gem Collector, Niveil…
  • Abyss (2023) by Titans Entertainment: Music and lead sound effects design [more and trailer]
  • Mythicland (2022), mobile game by Titans Entertainment: Music and additional sound effects design [more info]
  • StyxQuest (2022): area theme [play]
  • Ball Challenge (2021) mobile game by Moonly Games
  • Murder, She Didn’t Write (2013 – present) improvised piano score with Degrees of Error theatre company, Bristol, Edinburgh and theatres around the UK; podcast version during 2020.
  • Escape from Castle Doom! (2020) Action-platformer [play]
  • Keep It Co-op! (2015) Promotional video
  • Frogs (2014) Hecate Theatre dir. Abbi Davey
  • The Benromach Story (2014) and ‘Discover’ short videos [watch]
  • The Madam (2013) Hecate Theatre dir. Ed Browning
  • Student film (2012) [Listen/download soundtrack]
  • The Graveyard Slot (2012) Hecate Theatre
  • Metamorphoses: Fables from Ovid (2012) Hecate Theatre
  • The Green Deal (2011) Promotional video for DECC
  • Stockings by the Fire: A Christmas Cabaret (2011) Hecate Theatre
  • Twelfth Night (2011) Hecate Theatre
  • Kingsmeadow (2011) dir. Adam Tyler, Broadcast on ESPN and Channel 4 [watch] [listen/download soundtrack]
  • UKYCC Stories 1-5 (2010) Web documentaries
  • A Halloween Cabaret (2010) Hecate Theatre
  • MONDAY (2009) Student film
  • hearts & minds (2009) Feature length film dir. Adam Tyler
  • What’s In The Box? (2008) Short by Haruka Furuya

Education

  • 2013 – 2020 University of Bristol, PhD in Composition
    Raymond Warren prize for Missa Brevis.
  • 2010 – 2011 University of Bristol, PGCE Music.
  • 2005 – 2008 University of Bristol, BA in Music with First-Class Honours and the Raymond Warren prize for Composition for Piece for Orchestra.
  • ABRSM Grade 8 Piano and Oboe

Other

  • Music teaching: individual tuition in piano, oboe, singing.  Taught first year undergraduate Composition unit, facilitated additional workshops/assessments and marked composition and techniques work. Ran Access to Composition session for visiting sixth formers. Piano and assisting the lead teacher for improvised songs course.
  • Concerts and events organisation: two Contemporary Music Venture concerts at the University of Bristol; lead on organising a concert in the Redcliffe Caves as part of Bristol New Music festival 2018.
  • Choir directing: directed The Little Black Box Choir for five years, and part of a team sharing directing/conducting/accompanist roles with Sing Clifton.
  • La La Bar: playing piano for musical theatre open mic night.