About

Alex Baranowski is a composer based in London.

He recently scored eight-part series Rain Dogs for Sid Gentle / HBO (releasing 2023) and his ballet Legacy Variations with choreographer David Dawson premiered at the Dutch National Ballet in December 2022. Recent film scores include A Gaza Weekend directed by Oscar nominated Basil Khalil for Film 4 (releasing 2023) and Ruth Wilson and Jude Law produced True Things (The Bureau / BBC Films) directed by Harry Wootliff, which won Best Original Score at Les Arcs Film Festival; as well as three series of hit BBC One comedy Staged staring David Tennant and Michael Sheen; BAFTA nominated The Windermere Children for Wall to Wall / Warner Brothers (with a soundtrack released by Sony Classics), and Burial, a WWII Drama for Altitude Film starring Harriet Walter.

He notably recently collaborated with Oscar winning Taika Waititi for The Letter, a two and a half minute film for Coca Cola Christmas.

He was previously nominated for a Tony Award for Martin McDonagh’s The Cripple of Inishmaan on Broadway; won Music + Sound Awards including Best Feature Film for McCullin (also nominated for two BAFTA’s) and his ballet adaption of 1984 for Northern Ballet won the South Bank Award for dance after a sold out run at Sadler’s Wells.

Other film projects include A Christmas Carol staring Carey Mulligan and Andy Serkis and Nureyev, multi acclaimed feature documentary released in cinemas by Universal Pictures.

He has collaborated with directors including Taika Waititi, Danny Boyle, Wes Anderson, Sir Nicholas Hytner, Rupert Goold, Benedict Andrews, Michael Grandage, Jacqui Morris and Michael Samuels.

His work for the BBC has included the theme for the 2018 World Cup with legendary singer Sir John Tomlinson, as well as composing music and sound design for BBC Two’s multi-award winning new idents collaborating with animators including Aardman and The Mill. 

Alex has also collaborated with musicians including The xx (with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and live at the Hollywood Bowl), Jungle, Underworld, Peter Hook (Joy Division) and virtuoso violinists Daniel Hope and Angéle Dubeau.

He was recently nominated as Breakthrough Composer of the Year from the International Film Music Critics Association, and is presently completing his first album.

Review for The Windermere Children (BBC Music Magazine) ★★★★★

The Windermere Children tells the true story of a group of Jewish children brought to the Lake District just weeks after being liberated from concentration camps. The film, screened by the BBC as part of its liberation commemorations in January, featured music by Alex Baranowski. This release (Sony Classical) takes in his score, which is itself a very personal response to the real story. Baranowski digs deep, utilising a lullaby melody inspired by those sung to him by his grandmother to moving effect. Glassy, hollow-sounding, strings share the children’s fragility, but the music blossoms with them, the sounds more rounded, melodies growing out of the darkness.

Review for The EL Train (The Telegraph) ★★★★

The staging is bleakly beautiful, the original score by Alex Baranowski sensational, the performances brutally truthful.

Review for Nineteen Eighty-Four (Financial Times) ★★★★

Jonathan Watkins has the luxury of a fine commissioned score by Alex Baranowski, who reinforces the totalitarian mindset with anxious strings and metronomic percussion. His excruciating discords as Winston inches upstage towards a strobing screen filled with rats guarantee a chilling climax.