Arranger, composer and cellist Susie Winkworth is known for her ability to bring an artist’s vision to life with sensitivity and imagination.
With a classical background and many years’ experience as a session musician in London, she brings commercial and symphonic traditions together.
Virtuosic string-led arrangements channelling pop energy are a specialty, alongside intimate and beautiful backdrops for vocal tracks.
“an exquisitely drawn string accompaniment”
Analog Planet: Judith Owen, Somebody’s Child
Clients include:
Judith Owen, whose stunning albums have won widespread critical acclaim and featured twice on The Times Culture Top 100 Albums of the Year (2016 and 2018). Classical Kicks and DJ Rob da Bank, who performed Susie’s arrangements at Bestival and the Venice Biennale. Sony, for a special performance at the launch of the film Trainspotting 2, and another for the Netflix hit, The Crown. Fusion diva Lizzie Ball, who commissioned arrangements for her global tour aboard Celebrity Cruise. Lizzie also commissioned Viva La Frida, part of a musical journey through the life and times of Mexican artist and female icon Frida Kahlo, which premiered at Chatsworth House’s Art Out Loud Festival in 2017. Showstrings, fresh from their appearance on Hugh Jackman’s world tour, asked Susie to produce a showpiece for their performance at Ronnie Scott’s in 2019. Classic FM chart-topper Kerenza Peacock has featured Susie’s tracks for solo violin, and appeared as a soloist in the tailor-made encores that bring regular standing ovations for Ivor Setterfield’s Trafalgar Sinfonia. Belmont Ensemble programmes both classical and crossover arrangements regularly in their performances at London’s St Martin-in-the-Fields. Musici Ireland commissioned a bespoke encore for their radio broadcast as part of Drogheda Festival in 2021.
“a beautiful string arrangement. The strings contribute much to this collection,
justlistentothis.co.uk: Judith Owen, Somebody’s Child
sometimes tender, sometimes strident.”
Susie is also committed to music education, with a publishing company – WinkMusic.co.uk – producing off-the-shelf arrangements for string ensembles and school groups of all shapes and sizes. Sold all over the world, these arrangements have been used at Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Junior Trinity, Tonbridge School and Westminster Cathedral Choir School amongst others. They have also been performed by established ensembles such as Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, London Mozart Players, London Concertante, English Chamber Orchestra, Icon Strings and Kulios String Quartet for their concerts, community and outreach programmes. (Hear one in action from 11:43 HERE)
In June 2019 Susie created a new orchestration of Bizet’s Carmen, accompanying 1500 children from 35 schools and 4 professional singers at the Copper Box Arena in London’s Olympic Park, in collaboration with United Learning, the Royal Opera House, the English Pocket Opera Company and Voices Foundation. This followed on from a successful collaboration with Classical Kicks, Kevin Hathway and United Learning in producing a Classical Kicks: Re-Mixed educational workshop and performance.
Susie is an experienced community musician, having worked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra‘s Resound team, London Chamber Orchestra‘s Music Junction and Music and Management. She has also produced custom-fit cover versions for Rightmove’s management awaydays, bringing ten musicians and 400 would-be singers together for a musical workshop.
Susie regularly creates bespoke arrangements for private events, with previous performance venues including The Ritz, The Dorchester and Buckingham Palace. With performances by artists such as Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Gabriella Swallow, clients have included UK Music Management, Titanium Strings, Box Events and Sarah Haywood Weddings.
Alongside specialist string writing and arranging, Susie transcribes and produces accurate, detailed sheet music parts and scores. Previous clients include RnR (Runone and Kate Robinson), for Sam Smith‘s global tour.