
Ian Arber’s rapid rise in the British film and television industry is underpinned by his bold and multi-faceted approach to composing – writing memorable themes that fuse traditional, electronic and experimental instrumentation.
Ian scored the BBC’s most viewed new drama of 2019, The Capture, with Blur’s Dave Rowntree, which was viewed by over 22 million people in the UK. The score featured manipulated organic textures with experimental analogue synths, and memorable motifs to depict the world of duplicity and intrigue. Starring Holliday Grainger, Paapa Eissiedu and Ron Pearlman, season 2 aired on BBC One in the UK and Peacock in the US in 2022.
Other recent works include scoring Netflix’s DNA-matching viral hit The One, season 3 of Disney+ and Epix original War of The Worlds, Showtime psychological thriller The Stranger in Our Bed and Acorn TV’s detective drama The Chelsea Detective, which was recorded with the London Metropolitan Orchestra at British Grove Studios in London.
He has recently collaborated with Imogen Heap on the vocal elements for Netflix’s The One, Dave Rowntree on the BAFTA-winning documentary Bros: After The Screaming Stops, and rap legend Nas on the title theme for I Am Bolt.
A classically-trained cellist and pianist, and collector of exotic instruments, Ian often incorporates these in his scores in unconventional ways, blurring the lines between traditional and modern experimental techniques. He is inspired by collaboration, working closely with filmmakers to create a truly original concept and musical language for each project. He relishes the opportunity to create a powerful and productive working relationship with filmmakers, maximising the collaboration to produce distinct work.
Ian broke out into the British film and television industry with his distinctive scores for BBC comedy drama Quacks, starring Rory Kinnear and Rupert Everett, feature-film My Name is Lenny starring John Hurt, followed by award-winning documentaries I Am Bolt, Hitsville: The Making of Motown, the Oscar-qualifying Sisters of the Wilderness and the Grierson Award-winning Show Me The Picture: The Story of Jim Marshall.
Credits
BOLAN’S SHOES | Buffalo Dragon Director: Ian Puleston-Davies Producer: Terri Dwyer Starring: Leanne Best, Timothy Spall, Mark Lewis Jones, Holli Dempsey | |
THE STRANGER IN OUR BED | Buffalo Dragon Director: Giles Alderson Producer: Dean Fisher Starring: Emily Berrington, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Samantha Bond, Nina Wadia | |
DEAD ON THE VINE | Recoil Films Director: Mark A.C. Brown Producer: Julie Baines Starring: Kate Robbins, Thea Balich, Eddie Arnold | |
BREAK | Scanner-Rhodes Productions Director: Michael Elkin Producer: Dean Fisher Starring: Sam Gittins, David Yip, Luke Mably | |
REDCON-1 | Apocalypse Pictures Director: Chee Keong Cheung Producer: Carlos Gallardo Starring: Oris Erhuero, Carlos Gallardo, Mark Strange, Martyn Ford | |
SCOTT & SID | Dreamchasers Films Director: Scott Elliott Producer: Sid Sadowskj Starring: Tom Blyth, Richard Mason, Llila Vid, David Summer | |
MY NAME IS LENNY | Salon Pictures Director: Ron Scalpello Producer: Paul Van Carter Starring: Josh Helman, Michael Bisping, Chanel Cresswell | |
CRUEL HEARTS | Conspicuous Pictures Director: Paul Osborne Producer: Jonathan Brown Starring: Melora Hardin, Eddie Jemison, Bonnie Root | |
ISLAND OF THE DOLLS | Retrogusto Films Director: Sebastian Mantilla Producer: Emma Raine Walker Starring: Isla Vega, Dayleigh Nelson, Paul Lincoln Alayo, Sara Cobo | |
AMY & SOPHIA | Retrogusto Films Director: Adam Lipsius Producer: Emma Raine Walker Starring: Julian Glover, Isla Blair, Joseph Millson, Denise Van Outen | |
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ROGUE NATION (Additional Composer) | Paramount Director: Christopher McQuarrie Producer: Tom Cruise Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson | |
ISLAND OF THE DOLLS | Retrogusto Films Director: Sebastian Mantilla Producer: Emma Raine Walker Starring: Isla Vega, Dayleigh Nelson, Paul Lincoln Alayo, Sara Cobo | |
REUNION | Monsterworks66 Director: Shawn Chou Producer: Ash Hasen Starring: Maria Olsen, Jack Turner, Sarah Schreiber | |
CARPE DIEM EUROPEAN ESCAPADE | Retrogusto Films Director: Eric Hinwood Producer: Aaron Shi Starring: Eric Hinwood, Collin McDowell, Selena Welling | |
THE WINDOW | Brillen Entertainment Director: Steve Spel Producer: Steve Spel Starring: Andrew J McGuiness, Leah Costello | |
CHANGING HANDS | Changings Hands Film Director: Scott L. Schwartz Producer: Matthew C. Dumond Starring: Eric Hinwood, Collin McDowell, Selena Welling |
THE CAPTURE (Season 1 & 2) Co-composed with Dave Rowntree | Heyday TV/ BBC/ NBC Universal Directors: James Kent, Philippa Langdale, Ben Chanan Producers: Derek Ritchie, Rosie Alison, Kristian Dench Starring: Holliday Grainger, Ben Miles, Lia Williams, Ron Perlman, Paapa Essiedu | |
WAR OF THE WORLDS (Season 3) | Disney +/ Epix Directors: Indra Siera, Jonas Alexander Arnby Producers: Howard Overman, Johnny Capps, Adam Knopf Starring: Eric Hinwood, Collin McDowell, Selena Welling | |
THE CHELSEA DETECTIVE | Acorn TV/ BBC Directors: Richard Singy, Darcia Martin Producers: Peter Fincham, Ella Kelly Starring: Adrian Scarborough, Peter Bankolé, Lucy Phelps, Sonita Henry | |
THE ONE | Netflix Directors: Jeremy Lovering, Catherine Morshead, Brady Hood Producers: Johnny Capps, Adam Knopf Starring: Hannah Ware, Zoë Tapper, Diarmain Murtagh | |
URBAN MYTHS (Season 3) | King Bert Director: Elliot Hegarty Producer: Joanna Hanley Starring: Hannah Ware, Zoë Tapper, Diarmaid Murtagh | |
BBC PROMS (THEME 2019-2021) | Livewire Entertainment/ BBC Director: Matt Woodward Producer: Charlotte Gazzard | |
MEDICI (Season 2 &3) Additional Music | Netflix/ Rai Directors: Christian Duguay, Jon Cassar Producer: Frank Spotnitz Starring: Daniel Sharman, Alessandra Mastronardi, Synnove Karlsen | |
QUACKS | Lucky Giant/ BBC Director: Andy De Emmony Producer: James Wood Starring: Rory Kinnear, Tom Basden, Matthew Baynton, Lydia Leonard |
RISE OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE | Story Films/ BBC Director: Adam Hopkins | |
JACK WHITEHALL’S SPORTING NATION | Fulwell 73/ BBC Director: Ben Turner Producer: Ben Winston | |
CUP OF JOE | Fulwell 73/ Quibi Director: David Soutar Producer: Joe Jonas | |
HITSVILLE: THE MAKING OF MOTOWN | Fulwell 73 Director: Gabe Turner, Ben Turner Producer: Leo Pearlman | |
THE STORY OF JIM MARSHALL | Sampsonic Media Director: Alfred George Bailey Producer: Tatiana Kennedy | |
BROS: AFTER THE SCREAMING STOPS Co-composed with Dave Rowntree | Fulwell 73 Director: Joe Pearlman, David Soutar Producer: Ben Winston | |
SISTERS OF THE WILDERNESS | One Nature Films Director: Karin Slater Producer: Ronit Shapiro | |
MO FARRAH: NO EASY MILE | Fulwell 73 Director: David Soutar Producer: Leo Pearlman | |
I AM BOLT | Fulwell 73 Director: Gabe Turner, Ben Turner Producer: Ben Winston | |
WE LOVE PALEO | Beyond Features Director: Caroleen Moise Producer: Tjard Reimann |
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Links

‘Bolan’s Shoes’ scored by Ian Arber in UK cinemas 15th September
‘Bolan’s Shoes’ featuring a score by Ian Arber is showing in UK cinemas from Friday 15th September. The film is written by award-winning writer Ian

‘The Chelsea Detective’ Series 2 scored by Ian Arber airs August 28th on Acorn TV
The new series of ‘The Chelsea Detective’ scored by Ian Arber will begin airing Monday 28th August on Acorn TV. The official press release for

‘Ed Sheeran: The Sum Of It All’ featuring an original score by Ian Arber now streaming on Disney+
‘Ed Sheeran: The Sum Of It All’ featuring an original score by Ian Arber is streaming on Disney+ from the 3rd May. “For the first

‘Ed Sheeran: The Sum Of It All’ with an original score by Ian Arber to air 3rd May on Disney+
Ian Arber has composed the score for the upcoming Ed Sheeran documentary ‘Ed Sheeran: The Sum Of It All’ premiering on Disney+ the 3rd May.

Congratulations to Paul Leonard-Morgan, Maurizio Malagnini, Ian Arber, Olivier Deriviere and Halli Cauthery on their Jerry Goldsmith Awards nominations
Congratulations to Paul Leonard-Morgan, Maurizio Malagnini, Ian Arber, Olivier Deriviere and Halli Cauthery who have all received Jerry Goldsmith Awards nominations. Paul Leonard-Morgan is nominated