Information AboutSimon May |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT SIMON MAY | |
| english songwriters | |
| english musical theatre composers | |
| english film score composers | |
| english television composers | |
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Simon May is a British musician and composer, best known for composing some of British television's best known Theme Tunes , including '' EastEnders '' and '' Howards' Way ''. BIOGRAPHY Born in Devizes , Wiltshire and a pupil of Dauntsey's School , May won a choral scholarship to Cambridge University , where he acquired a degree in modern languages. While teaching languages and music at Kingston Grammar School , he co-wrote a musical named '' Smike '' with a colleague (Roger Holman). Following the publicity ''Smike'' attracted, May was contacted by the BBC , who televised the play in 1973 . The show has subsequently been staged many times by youth drama groups. While working at ATV , he was asked to compose some music for '' Crossroads ''. Stephanie De Sykes got to number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in 1974 with the subsequent "Born with a Smile on my Face", which was used within a storyline on the show. Almost a year later, her second single, "We'll Find Our Day" (from ''Smike'') got to #17. . May himself performed "Summer of my Life", charting at #7 in October 1976 , though his follow-up, "We'll Gather Lilacs", flopped. He co-produced Amii Stewart 's "Knock on Wood", which reached number one in the USA. ''EastEnders'' Tony Holland and Julia Smith commissioned May to write the theme to '' EastEnders .'' Don Black put lyrics to the popular theme, and Anita Dobson (who portrayed Angie Watts in the show) reached No. 4 in August 1986 with "Anyone Can Fall in Love." With Barry Rose, the theme was adapted into a Hymn , "Glory be", which was performed on '' Songs Of Praise '' and released on single. Another soap storyline gave May a hit in 1986 . Nick Berry ("Wicksy") topped the charts with "Every Loser Wins" after shamelessly plugging it in ''EastEnders'' (a storyline which Holland openly hated). It won the Ivor Novello Award for best selling single of 1986. In 1994 the theme itself was given an unpopular 'jazzy' update, with the original soon restored. SIMON MAY'S WORK INCLUDES: Television
Stage Musicals
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