Nathan James Dearden

Described as “a champion of his generation” and whose music is “hauntingly beautiful” (Media Wales), Nathan James Dearden is an award-winning Welsh composer of concert music and mixed media, conductor, and educator.
Nathan's music has been commissioned, performed, featured and workshopped by the BBC Singers, Philharmonia Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Berkeley Ensemble, Welsh National Opera, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, The Tippett Quartet, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, National Youth Choir of Wales, The Heath Quartet, Grand Band, the Fidelio Trio, Hebrides Ensemble, CHROMA ensemble, and flautist Carla Rees. His music regularly features in concerts across the UK and overseas, including at the ISCM World Music Days, Cheltenham Music Festival, Dartington International Summer School and Festival, International Young Composers' Meeting, CROSSROADS International New Music Festival and Vale of Glamorgan Festival of Music. Nathan began his professional composing life as an inaugural Young Composer-in-Residence with the National Youth Orchestra of Wales and Music Creator for Sinfonia Newydd in 2013. Since then his music has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, Resonance FM, RTÉ lyric FM, S4C and Soho Radio, whilst also released on NMC Recordings and Delphian.
Recent notable performances and projects include: Mamiaith, with Music Theatre Wales and Eisteddfod Genedlaethol; messages, commissioned by Three Choirs Festival;  a Welsh tour of The day following with UPROAR New Music Ensemble; and silent stones, commissioned by BBS Sounds for the BBC Singers.
Upcoming projects include a Passion setting combining choir, chamber ensemble, and immersive digital storytelling in partnership with the Choir of Royal Holloway; a national project titled ‘Storïau’r Cymry’, which is a digital cantata comprising eight individual life stories reflecting the diversity of local histories around Wales; plus several new works for choir. 2026 will see the release of Nathan’s debut disc with Signum Records.
Nathan has recently won the prestigious Tlws y Cyfansoddwr [Composer’s Medal] at the 2024 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol for his work, (ail-) atgofion. He has also received the following accolades: ‘Best Music Creator’ in the 2022 Making Music UK Awards for a legacy commission with National Youth Training Choirs of Great Britain - i breathe; selected to represent Wales at the 2023 International Society for Contemporary music World Music Days in South Africa; awarded an Early Career Public Engagement Grant from the Institute of Musical Research in support of Spotlight Series: Finnissy at 70; selected as a London Philharmonic Orchestra Leverhulme Arts Scholar for their 2016/2017 season; received the inaugural Paul Mealor Award for Outstanding Young Composers in May 2017, and in summer 2021 he received the inaugural Acapela Composer Award for an outstanding Welsh Composer by the Welsh Music Guild.