Laura Rossi

Laura Rossi is a composer for film, television, ballet and concert music. Her music has been described as ‘hauntingly atmospheric with emotional depth and beauty’ and ‘truly breathtaking, on par with those of the great Hollywood composers’.

She has written extensively for film and television, including scores for Paul Andrew Williams’ critically acclaimed features: London to Brighton (BAFTA nominated), The Cottage (Starring Andy Serkis and Reece Shearsmith), BBC The Eichmann Show (starring Martin Freeman and Anthony La Paglia) and Song For Marion (starring Vanessa Redgrave, Terence Stamp, Gemma Arterton and Christopher Ecclestone). Other scores include The Firm directed by Nick Love, Broken Lines (starring Paul Bettany and Olivia Williams), The Man Inside by Dan Turner (starring Peter Mullan), BBC1 Prisoners Wives (series 2) directed by Harry Bradbeer, Hurricane by David Blair (starring Iwan Rheon), 6-part ITV series Redemption directed by John Hayes and 4-part thriller The Night Caller directed by Diarmuid Goggins.

The British Film Institute has commissioned Laura to write many new scores for re-releases of early silent movies. These include Silent Shakespeare (seven short films) which she toured performing live with film at The Globe, the Barbican and London, Madeira, Belfast & Sao Paulo film festivals. Other BFI films include Twilight of a Woman’s Soul by Evgenii Bauer, C.O.D. by Desmond Dickinson, Tusalava by Len Lye, and the first British epic silent film by Ealing Studios’ founder Will Barker – Jane Shore performed live with film including at the National Film Theatre and the British Silent Film Festival.

The Imperial War Museum commissioned Laura to write an orchestral score for the UNESCO listed 1916 film Battle of the Somme. The score premiered at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, was recorded and performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and released on CD and DVD to worldwide critical acclaim.  For the centenary one hundred orchestras worldwide performed Laura’s score live with film. The live screenings were attended by an audience of over 37,000 people, involved over 4,200 musicians, was featured on BBC’s The One Show and The Andrew Marr Show, and The BBC Symphony Orchestra performance at Thiepval, France was televised live on BBC1. Laura’s score for the Somme sequel, Battle of Ancre premiered at the London Film Festival, was released on DVD and toured the UK with live orchestral screenings.

In 2025 she scored the third in the Trilogy of IWM feature length war films – Battle of Arras. This was recorded by The Chamber Orchestra of London & The Guildhall Session Singers and will feature in the IWM London new Blavatnik Art, Film & Photography Galleries. The score premiered live with film to critical acclaim at Pordenone Silent Film Festival, Italy in October 2025 and at the British Film Institute, London in April 2026.

Laura has been commissioned to write numerous concert works including Voices of Remembrance, a choral/ orchestral work, commissioned to mark the Centenary of the First World War, featuring war poems read by Ralph Fiennes & Vanessa Redgrave. This was released on CD and has been performed multiple times to critical acclaim with Vanessa Redgrave narrating, including at Manchester Cathedral, Jersey Opera House, Worthing Assembly Hall and Dartington Hall. The American premiere was performed by Coro Lux and New Mexico Philharmonic.

Other works include Under the Rainbow (a choral/ orchestral work featuring Er-hu, Sitar, Koto, African drums, saxophone and children’s choir), Jailhouse Graffiti (for orchestra), The River (performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall by the Solaris String Quartet), Remember Them commissioned by Jersey and Chetham’s School of Music for youth choir and chamber orchestra, jazz orchestra works performed at the London Jazz Festival and music for animation, dance and music theatre. Laura has composed education music for the London College of Music jazz piano syllabus and LCM Percussion grades published by Stainer & Bell. She has also written and recorded albums for EMI and Imagem, including Under the Stars, Italian Cinema, Dreamscapes and has her own ensemble that performs both her film and concert music.

She has recently composed a 2 hour ballet score Atonement for Zurich Ballet and Joffrey Ballet, Chicago. Based on the novel by Ian McEwan, the ballet is choreographed by Cathy Marston. The Ballet premiered in April 2024 with Ballet Zurich with Laura’s score performed by Philharmonia Zurich conducted by Jonathan Lo. The American premiere was in October 2024 with Joffrey Ballet, Chicago performed by the Lyric Opera Orchestra conducted by Scott Speck.

The World Premiere of Ada in Ealing with Music by Laura Rossi & Lyrics by Michael Rosen premiered at the Royal Albert Hall, London in June 2025 performed by a mass choir of 1200 children, Ealing Symphony Orchestra, Ealing Youth & Jazz Orchestra & EMS ensembles, conducted by John Gibbons. The work premiered in Latvia in July 2025 at Cēsis Castle Outdoor Stage, Mākslas festivāls Cēsis by Ealing Symphony Orchestra & Cēsis Youth Choirs.

Laura was given the prestigious accolade of being made an Academy Member for ‘exceptional accomplishment in the field of theatrical motion pictures.’ Her music has been recorded and performed worldwide by the Philharmonia Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, London Contemporary Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra. Her works have been performed at the Barbican, the Royal Festival Hall and the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. Laura has been on many judging panels including the Ivor Novello & BAFTA Awards. She is a professor for film music at the Guildhall School of Music & Trinity Laban and London Film Academy and regularly gives masterclasses at colleges and festivals about composing for film.