Stewart Lane

Composer Performer Multi-media Artist

I am an interdisciplinary artist working in music, performance, song poetics, cultural activism and short film making, with a parallel life as an organisational development consultant, bringing neuroscientific insights into organisational practice. I consider myself neurodivergent and questions of neuro-diversity & divergency sit the heart of my work, while as a Queer man, equality and inclusion inform how I approach it.

Consciousness, the trans-dimensional and therapeutic potentials play an important role in my creative practice and the subjects I choose to explore. My divergency has meant I have often found the conventional world hugely challenging, music being one of the most signficant means I have found that gives context and meaning for myself, connect with others, especially through collaboration, and share my insights into divergency and what it has to offer society. I believe divergency is a spectrum and therefore all are divergent to some degree. Systems are clearly necessary for societies at large to operate, but if those systems become too narrowly defined or exclusive, an enormous band of creativity and contribution is lost to that society, to its inevitable cost.

As a self taught composer, my music has ranged across genres from contemporary classical, electronica to experimental indie pop. I formed the alternative cabaret act, BAL (1989-96) which won an Edinburgh Fringe Award in 1992 and have written music for film and theatre. Commissions and performances have been supported by Holst Foundation, Foundation For Sports And The Arts, Greater London Arts and Music Works. Compositions include works for Chamber Orchestra (Station 12, Signs Of Passing, Arcanum) Sonatas for Cello, Violin and Saxophone, Handbells, 8 String Quartets and numerous vocal and choral pieces.

During the pandemic, I came across an earlier work, Radio Ghosts, for voices and chamber orchestra. It was originally intended to follow Arcanum. Some 6 pieces were recorded around 2004, but for some reason I nolonger remember, I abandoned the project. Owning to various moves etc, all the documentation has been lost and I cannot recall who the players were who performed on the recording. Revisiting the work, I decided to adapt the original recordings and create some new ones,

In 2022/23 I made a series of short films featuring neurodiverse performers to accompany some of the tarcks. From the series, Night Vertigo won 9 film festival awards (inc Best Sound Design and Best Black & White Film) and was screened internationally at 13 festivals. A Mouthful Of Aqueducts won 9 international film awards. I Diverge, a documentary investigating the neurodiverse experiences of the performers and the making of the videos received 3 awards. My 2016 film ‘For The Birds’ won Best Music Video at the Paris Film Awards.

My 2024 album releases are NIGHT LETTERS (solo piano pieces performed by Jelena Makarova) and most recently WE ARE ALL HERE (Soprano, Mezzo, Cello, Piano, Guitar, Keyboards) which originated from a commission from artist Eric Fong.

WE ARE ALL HERE was released on December 4th 2024. Five short films set to music from the album were premiered on the same day at London's Close-Up Cinema and Shoreditch.