Biography
Debbie is one of the UK's most accomplished female music ambassadors, highly sought after as a composer and conductor.
Over the last 25 years, few in the UK have not encountered Debbie's film or television scores. Whether watching Stephen Fry portray Oscar Wilde on the big screen, tuning in to Andrew Marr's Sunday political commentary, immersing in the Tudor era of Thomas Cromwell in "Wolf Hall," or enjoying Mark Williams's Father Brown solving mysteries, audiences have delighted in Debbie's memorable themes of beauty, passion, love, and laughter.
She has received a TRIC Award for THE GOOD GUYS and an RTS Award for WARRIORS, along with two Ivor Novello Award nominations for WILDE and DEATH OF YUGOSLAVIA. In 2016, she won the Best Composer, Drama award for WOLF HALL at the RTS West Awards. Debbie has been a guest on Desert Island Discs with Kirsty Young and appeared as an expert on The Proms TV broadcasts. She also presented two series of Sounds And Sweet Airs on Classic FM, exploring the history of female composers.
In 2012, Debbie was among 11 composers selected to create "New Water Music" for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Pageant. She was also commissioned to compose the Overture and Finale for the Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration in May 2016 and serves as the appointed composer for The Pageant at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Currently, Debbie holds the position of Composer in Residence at Classic FM. Her latest album, The Glorious Garden, a collaboration with Alan Titchmarsh, topped the UK Classical chart for three weeks.
In 2016, she was commissioned to compose the signature music for Viking Cruises and was named Godmother to their river ship Viking Herja in March 2017.
Debbie was appointed OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List 2018 for her services to music.
In April 2019, she became President of Making Music—the first woman to hold this role in the charity’s history—and is Patron of Soundabout, a charity that uses music, rhythm, and sound to empower disabled children to express themselves.
Her most recent release, THE MYTHOS SUITE, a collaboration with Stephen Fry, was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with the National Symphony Orchestra and released by Decca Records in February 2020, reaching number one in the UK Classical Music Charts.
