Composer • Music Designer • Educator

Teaching music for media.

Alongside my work as a composer and music designer, I have extensive experience teaching composition, music technology and music for visual media.

Book a Workshop Contact Tom

Creative practice, made practical

From the first musical idea to the final implementation.

My teaching combines creative practice with the technical skills required to take music from an initial idea through production and, where relevant, implementation inside a game.

I work with students at a range of levels, from further education through to undergraduate study, and offer workshops, guest lectures and practical sessions for universities, colleges and creative organisations.

University & industry-facing teaching

Selected Teaching Experience

A professional recording studio with a microphone and keyboard — Music production & scoring environment

University of Wolverhampton

Module Leader / Lecturer

Music & Sound for Media

Tom designed and led an assessed undergraduate module in Music for Media, introducing students to composition for visual and interactive media across both film and video games.

He was responsible for the module’s design and delivery, including teaching, project guidance and assessment.

Composing music to picture
Narrative & emotional scoring
Synchronisation
Thematic development
Orchestration & arrangement
Working with briefs
Music for video games
Interactive composition
Professional media workflows

SAE Institute — Leamington Spa

Guest Workshop

Video Game Music

Tom delivered a specialist workshop focused on video-game composition and interactive music, combining historical and creative context with practical technical demonstration.

The session showed how music can move beyond a fixed timeline and respond dynamically to gameplay through adaptive techniques, middleware and Audiokinetic Wwise.

History of video-game music
Composing for games
Linear vs interactive scoring
Adaptive music techniques
Middleware workflows
Implementation in Wwise

A colourful retro arcade cabinet representing the history and craft of video-game music — Video-game music — history to implementation

Performers on a dark theatre stage lit by bright spotlights — Musical direction & performance leadership

Musical Director & Performing Arts Educator

Leading music from the stage to the classroom.

As a musical director I have led whole-class singing workshops and directed the music for productions including Spelling Bee, We Will Rock You and Bring It On at the Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham.

I now teach music and music technology at one of the UK’s leading performing arts academies, with a strong focus on songwriting, production and composition.

Whole-class singing workshops
Musical direction for theatre
Vocal & ensemble leadership
Songwriting & composition
Music production
Music technology in performance
Rehearsal & show preparation
Creative collaboration

Creative and technical

What I Teach

Sessions connect musical storytelling and craft with the production and implementation skills expected of today’s media composers.

Game Music & Interactive Audio

Music designed around play, change and player agency.

Composing for games
Adaptive music
Wwise
Vertical layering
Horizontal resequencing
Gameplay states & transitions

Film & Media Composition

Turning dramatic intention into music that supports the picture.

Scoring to picture
Thematic writing
Narrative scoring
Spotting
Synchronisation
Working with directors

Orchestration & Arranging

Writing with clarity, colour and a practical understanding of performers.

Instrumentation
Orchestral writing
Arranging
Score preparation
Mock-ups
Writing for live performers

Music Production

Building a professional piece from the first session to the final mix.

DAW workflow
MIDI programming
Virtual instruments
Mixing
Producing media music

Professional Practice

Connecting creative decisions to the realities of working in games and media.

Responding to briefs
Portfolio development
Client communication
Working in games & media
Composer workflow

Flexible for your curriculum

Workshop Formats

From a focused lecture to a longer practical teaching project, each format can be shaped around the group and its existing experience.

Guest Lectures

Focused sessions exploring game music, film scoring, orchestration or professional practice.

Practical Workshops

Hands-on sessions where students compose, implement or analyse music using industry tools.

Wwise Workshops

An introduction to interactive music implementation using Audiokinetic Wwise.

Masterclasses

Small-group or project-based feedback on composition, scoring and portfolios.

Module / Curriculum Development

Support designing practical media-music teaching around professional creative workflows.

Education & workshops

Bring professional game and media composition into the classroom.

Whether you are looking for a one-off guest lecture, a practical workshop or support with a longer teaching project, I can tailor sessions around your students and curriculum.

Book a Workshop Contact Tom

Studio photography via Unsplash. Retro arcade photograph by Samuel Sng on Unsplash. Theatre stage photograph by Liana S on Unsplash.