CYRUS Z ATKINSON
SE London-Based Piano-Keyboardist, Musical Director & Composer
ABOUT
I am a half-British/half-Iranian piano-keyboardist, musical director and composer based in South East London. With 15 years of formal training, I have acquired a wealth of experience leading theatre ensembles, choirs and contemporary session bands in the UK as well as music masterclasses in Poland and Italy.
My professional practice is inspired by my Iranian heritage and I throroughly enjoy working on musical theatre, poetically rich pieces of text and works that address Middle-Eastern culture and cultural identity as a whole. Recently, I participated in the “Young Vic Creators Program: Introduction to Making for Musical Directors” in which I attended a series of workshops to hone my collaborative skills as a musical director and studied the Black & Global Majority influence and involvement in the modern musical.
Since the premier of the extended version of the social and environmental justice musical “Déjà Vu Kabaret”, I alongside Off The Beat Productions, are in the process of recording the music from the show for a studio soundtrack due for release in the next year.
CREDITS
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Assistant Musical Director - BYMT "The Naughty Carriage on the Orphan Train", Birmingham Hippodrome (April 2025)
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Musical Director & Composer - "Déjà Vu R&D", Bread & Roses Theatre, Clapham (November 2024)
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Musical Director & Composer - "The Fan", Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington (April 2024)
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Musical Director, Composer & Bandleader, "Déjá Vu Kabaret", The Red Lion, Leytonstone (July 2023)
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Musical Director & Composer - “Sœur DuBois”, Etcetera Theatre, Camden (July 2023)
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Piano/Keyboardist - “Crucifixion" - WNTCG Church, Willesden (March 2021)
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Assistant MD & Accompanist - “Confessions of an Ex-Drag Queen”, Chapel Playhouse Theatre, Kings Cross (Nov 2019)
In conjunction with theatre, I am also a freelance musician in the function district and teach piano to children and adults.
EXPERTISE
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Perfect Pitch
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Strong Sight-Reader
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Proficiency in Sibelius, Musescore & Logic Pro X Software
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Devising, Songwriting & Adapting Text Into Song
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Vocal & Instrumental Tuition
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Professional Orchestration
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Recording Studio Facilitation
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Conversational in German & Persian (Farsi)
EDUCATION
2016-2019
London College of Contemporary Music, Southwark
Bachelor of Music (1st Class: Hons) in Music Production & Performance
After finishing my A-Levels at William de Ferrers Sixth Form in 2016, I received the Sue Osmaston Award for Outstanding Contribution to the William de Ferrers Music Department as Music Prefect. My specific duties included directing extra-curricular music clubs (e.g, Funk & Soul Band, Orchestra & Ukulele Club), compèring school concerts and assisting staff and faculty in the arrangement of “Tutti” ensembles for the students on the William de Ferrers Music Tour to Paris in 2015.
CREATIVE PRACTICE
I value bringing out the best in my collaborators by providing a positive, nurturing and forward-thinking environment whilst delivering on collective company goals by way of pragmatic and empowering leadership. My ultimate vision is to bring Middle-Eastern music, stories, voices and culture to the forefront of the UK arts scene and create an open dialogue around representation, identity and ethos with theatre-goers and collaborators.
CONTACT
