Leigh Haggerwood
Encyclopedia
Leigh Haggerwood is a contemporary composer based in London
. He specializes in songwriting, keyboard
s, singing, music production, audio engineering and sound-to-picture scoring. His credits include music for numerous TV shows and commercials which are broadcast around the world.
Along with chef Jamie Oliver
, Leigh Haggerwood was a founding member of the band Scarlet Division, who released the single, "Sundial", in October 2000 through Sony Music. Haggerwood also wrote several songs for Jamie Oliver's live shows which included the YouTube hit "Lamb Curry - Give It to Me Hot", "The Kiss of Summer
and "Fish Stew". His TV credits include the Oliver's Twist
theme and incidental music, Trinny
and Susannah
, Jamie's School Dinners
, Petrolheads
on BBC Two
and TV Land
's High School Reunion
.
. Disappointed by the demise of Christmas song writing in the UK, Leigh set out to create a traditional-sounding song with epic production values and strong melodies. His idea included a music video set in 19th century England with snow-lined streets, lanterns, period costumes and snow-dusted rooftops. UK record companies would not fund such an ambitious idea as they did not consider it financially viable. So Leigh eventually decided to make it happen himself.
He produced the record at Trevor Horn
's Sarm studios and requested the services of 36 musicians including The English Chamber Choir. The majority of Leigh's work is sung and performed by other artists, but Leigh decided to sing "My Favourite Time of Year" himself so that he could maintain the Victorian theme and make sure it would end up as he intended.
The period music video was the biggest challenge of the project, but after a long search, Leigh found talented British director, Nick Bartleet, who shared his vision and helped make it a reality. As the plans progressed, American cinematographer John Perez
offered his services as Director of Photography, and the extraordinary video was shot at Blists Hill Victorian Town at Ironbridge in Shropshire. The song and video received an unprecedented public response through social networking websites with many people describing it as a future classic.
is a charity initiative first broadcast on UK television network, ITV, in 2011. The project aims to raise money and awareness for nine charities during the festive season and is heavily promoted by ITV in the form of TV shows, appeals on Heart FM, Capital Radio, and sponsorship by Asda supermarkets and Vodafone. The producers were keen to use My Favourite Time of Year
as the theme music to the appeal, which Leigh agreed to. With his experience as a media composer, he re-versioned the song and created other original music for the shows. As a gesture of good will, he decided to donate all profits from UK downloads of the song in 2011, to the nine Text Santa charities along with Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust which was the location of his Victorian museum video, and a supporter of The Florin Street Band.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He specializes in songwriting, keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s, singing, music production, audio engineering and sound-to-picture scoring. His credits include music for numerous TV shows and commercials which are broadcast around the world.
Along with chef Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
James "Jamie" Trevor Oliver, MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his campaign against the use of processed foods in national schools...
, Leigh Haggerwood was a founding member of the band Scarlet Division, who released the single, "Sundial", in October 2000 through Sony Music. Haggerwood also wrote several songs for Jamie Oliver's live shows which included the YouTube hit "Lamb Curry - Give It to Me Hot", "The Kiss of Summer
The Kiss Of Summer
The Kiss of Summer is a song written by Leigh Haggerwood, songwriter and member of the Scarlet Division band, where celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was the percussionist. The song was about the season of summer with an up beat rhythm to it. Leigh remarked that "This is my favourite song, it is inspired...
and "Fish Stew". His TV credits include the Oliver's Twist
Oliver's Twist
Oliver's Twist is a television series featuring chef Jamie Oliver, the name of the programme is a pun on the title of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist. Following the popularity of his first TV series, The Naked Chef, he began producing Oliver's Twist to be aired outside the UK...
theme and incidental music, Trinny
Trinny Woodall
Trinny Woodall is an English fashion advisor and designer, television presenter and author. She was raised in a wealthy family and was privately educated...
and Susannah
Susannah Constantine
Susannah Caroline Constantine is an English fashion journalist, advisor, television presenter, author and designer. Her second book, entitled What Not to Wear, has won her a prestigious British Book Award and sold 670,000 copies....
, Jamie's School Dinners
Jamie's School Dinners
Jamie's School Dinners is a landmark four-episode documentary series broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK from 23 February to 16 March 2005. The series was recorded between Spring to Winter 2004, in which it featured TV chef Jamie Oliver attempting to improve the quality and nutritional value of school...
, Petrolheads
Petrolheads
Petrolheads is a BBC panel game presented by Neil Morrissey, with team captains Richard Hammond and Chris Barrie. The show pitted motoring wits against each other and included car stunts shot on location. There were two guests each episode. The show was produced by Brian Klein , directed by John...
on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
and TV Land
TV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
's High School Reunion
High School Reunion (TV series)
High School Reunion is a reality television series chronicling real-life high school reunions.The program originally aired on The WB for two seasons between 2003 and 2005, and featured reunions of classes after ten years....
.
The Florin Street Band
Haggerwood is best known for his Victorian-themed creation The Florin Street Band which he put together to record an original Christmas song he had written called My Favourite Time of YearMy Favourite Time of Year
My Favourite Time of Year is a Christmas song performed by The Florin Street Band which was written and sung by British composer Leigh Haggerwood in 2010. His aim was to create a song with strong melodies that would match the classics, and bring back the Christmas magic that he felt had been...
. Disappointed by the demise of Christmas song writing in the UK, Leigh set out to create a traditional-sounding song with epic production values and strong melodies. His idea included a music video set in 19th century England with snow-lined streets, lanterns, period costumes and snow-dusted rooftops. UK record companies would not fund such an ambitious idea as they did not consider it financially viable. So Leigh eventually decided to make it happen himself.
He produced the record at Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
's Sarm studios and requested the services of 36 musicians including The English Chamber Choir. The majority of Leigh's work is sung and performed by other artists, but Leigh decided to sing "My Favourite Time of Year" himself so that he could maintain the Victorian theme and make sure it would end up as he intended.
The period music video was the biggest challenge of the project, but after a long search, Leigh found talented British director, Nick Bartleet, who shared his vision and helped make it a reality. As the plans progressed, American cinematographer John Perez
John Pérez
John A. Pérez is a union organizer and politician from Los Angeles, California, who has been the Speaker of the California State Assembly since March 1, 2010. A Democrat, he represents the 46th district in the California State Assembly.-Early life and career:Pérez grew up in El Sereno and Highland...
offered his services as Director of Photography, and the extraordinary video was shot at Blists Hill Victorian Town at Ironbridge in Shropshire. The song and video received an unprecedented public response through social networking websites with many people describing it as a future classic.
Text Santa
Text SantaText Santa
Text Santa is a charity initiative set up in 2011 to support 9 UK charities at Christmas.The appeal to the public will be to donate money mainly via text donation and profits from merchandise....
is a charity initiative first broadcast on UK television network, ITV, in 2011. The project aims to raise money and awareness for nine charities during the festive season and is heavily promoted by ITV in the form of TV shows, appeals on Heart FM, Capital Radio, and sponsorship by Asda supermarkets and Vodafone. The producers were keen to use My Favourite Time of Year
My Favourite Time of Year
My Favourite Time of Year is a Christmas song performed by The Florin Street Band which was written and sung by British composer Leigh Haggerwood in 2010. His aim was to create a song with strong melodies that would match the classics, and bring back the Christmas magic that he felt had been...
as the theme music to the appeal, which Leigh agreed to. With his experience as a media composer, he re-versioned the song and created other original music for the shows. As a gesture of good will, he decided to donate all profits from UK downloads of the song in 2011, to the nine Text Santa charities along with Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust which was the location of his Victorian museum video, and a supporter of The Florin Street Band.