Christopher Elliott is a UK based pianist, composer, and arranger. He began playing piano aged four, encouraged by his classical music-loving father. “Music was very important in our house, but I wasn’t very studious and didn’t practice a great deal”. He later picked up, and subsequently dropped the violin after “five years of torture”, before switching to electric guitar. It was during his three-year tenure studying at Devon’s liberal arts college, Dartington – “surrounded by nature and wildlife” - that Elliott was introduced to contemporary classical composers Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki, as well as the American minimalist school of Steve Reich and John Adams. “These composers all knew about atmosphere in their music” recalls Elliott, “That was the overriding influence for me”. Film music is also a major touchstone for Elliott, who holds Thomas Newman and Yann Tiersen in high regard. “As a student I thought - there is this wonderful use of the orchestra here, thoroughly not classical, yet with a wonderful atmospheric sensibility.” Elliott has worked with some of music’s biggest stars. From the late, great Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson and Adele to Sugababes, Depeche Mode and U.N.K.L.E, Elliott’s sonic flourishes and embellishments have traversed genres, eras, and formats – also finding fame in film soundtracks, including Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! among others.