Luke Howard

Vast landscapes, diverse ecosystems and the power of storytelling are among the influences that have shaped Luke Howard’s music. The Australian composer and pianist, born in Melbourne in 1978, builds tranquil contemporary classical scores from a subtle blend of acoustic and ambient electronic sounds. The simplicity and stillness of albums such as his soundtrack score The Sand That Ate the Sea and All of Us, the latter a product of the pandemic, inspired by Albert Camus’ novel La Peste (The Plague), draw listeners into deep meditative states, and invite contemplation of the nature of existence. Howard studied classical piano as a child and was encouraged to improvise by his teacher. He continued his studies at Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts, made waves at the 2001 Montreux Jazz Festival with the Luke Howard Trio, and subsequently cut his teeth as a composer during the early 2000s as assistant to, among others, Nico Muhly and Valgeir Sigurðsson, and by creating music for short films, television commercials and theatre shows.