Hello!
I am a London based composer and lyricist, shortly also to graduate with a degree in Actor-Musicianship from Rose Bruford College, a CDS Drama School on the outskirts of London.

I completed a BA Hons in Music at York University where I graduated with a First Class Degree with Distinction. While at York I composed and staged a new musical called The Gift Of The Magi based on the O Henry short story, and then re-worked the score for Actor-Musicians (actors who may simultaneously be instrumentalists). The redeveloped show, The Perfect Present, was performed by the Woking College Theatre Company at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre and won the Adjudicator's Special Award at the Woking Drama Festival 2005.

Since then, I have composed and staged a new children's musical based on the short stories of Oscar Wilde, the imaginatively titled Wilde Tales (!) with a book by Joe Douglas. I have written two scores for The Works Theatre Company, the second of which is for their touring production of Twelfth Night this summer (visit www.theworkstheatre.co.uk for more details!)

I was chosen as one of the composers for the Greenwich Theatre 10 Minute Musical Challenge 2007. The resulting show, The Red Herring, based on an article from that morning's papers, was presented in a showcase performance at the theatre.

I play the piano, violin, flute and saxophone and have worked as an assistant MD with YMTUK, as well as collaborating with Thrift Music Theatre as a composer and musician, and Opera North as a rehearsal pianist.

Currently working on another new musical, further details to follow...

Please visit www.tarekmerchant.co.uk for more info!