Michael J Stewart

Michael J Stewart

Michael J Stewart is a composer, performer, reviewer and music journalist. He studied composition, piano and flute at Chichester College, Sussex and continued his musical studies at Trinity College of Music London where he studied composition with Sir John Tavener. During this time he also completed Richard Arnell's course "Composing Music for Films" at the London International Film School, as well as working with contemporary dance choreographers in London.

On leaving Trinity he spent a year as a freelance music copyist before taking a position in the BBC Gramophone Library. From 1984 to 1987 he worked in BBC Radio 3 preparing transmission material prior to broadcast - which included listening to, and checking for quality, every classical music record/CD broadcast during a three year period.

In 1987 Michael Stewart left the BBC and established himself as a freelance music journalist and reviewer, writing for many music journals and companies including: Music & Musicians, Classical Music, Decca International, Virgin Classics, RCA, Collins Classics, Argo and Warner Music as well as Gramophone magazine, for which he was a regular contributor for 14 years. He was Consultant Editor to The Good CD Guide between 1991-1996.

MJS is a leading authority on the music of the Greek composer Jani Christou (1940-70) and in 2000 wrote the booklet essays to a 4 volume CD series devoted Christou's music on ther Greek label Sirius. The series was granted the Discography Award by the Greek Union of Drama and Music Critics in 2002.

From 1996-98 he was administrator and musical advisor at Stert's Art's Centre on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall. He is currently concentrating on his compositional career with a particular emphasis on multimedia and installation projects.

He composes in a mixture of compositional styles ranging from minimalism, experimental and electronic.