BIOGRAPHY
Martin Higgins is a composer and orchestrator known for his emotionally driven, story-first approach to music. With a career spanning over two decades, his work ranges from blockbuster films and award-winning theatrical productions to original musicals and concert projects — all rooted in a lifelong passion for cinematic and dramatic storytelling.
Martin fell in love with music at an early age, captivated by the emotional power of film scores like Titanic, Jurassic Park, and American Beauty. A trained clarinetist and saxophonist, he also plays piano as his main compositional tool.
He studied music at the University of Birmingham, where he met long-time collaborator and composer Alex Parker. Together, they’ve created a catalogue of original musical theatre, with Martin orchestrating all of Alex’s musicals — including AmDram (published by MTI), The Railway Children, Henrietta, After You, and All Aboard. There are plenty more projects in the pipeline. Their collaboration also extends to large-scale, one-night-only concerts, including Sondheim: Smiles of a Summer Night, The Magic of Animation, and Kings of Broadway.
In 2019, Martin orchestrated the UK tour of The Color Purple, which won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Regional Production. The production was revived in 2022 and filmed as part of the acclaimed “Curve at Home” series during lockdown.
Martin is also one half of the award-winning songwriting duo Zorab & Higgins, alongside composer and lyricist Olivia Zorab. Their original works include Fortune Lane: The Musical and The Secret, which won the Lonely Wolf International Film Award for Best Original Score. They also collaborated to write and record original music for one of the UK’s biggest theme parks.
In film, Martin has orchestrated music for major studio releases including Aladdin, Spellbound, and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, and has worked in the music department for films such as Cinderella, Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and Late Night. His orchestrations have been recorded at legendary studios like Abbey Road and AIR Studios, and performed on both the West End and Broadway stages.
Martin Higgins
REVIEWS
The Guardian - The Color Purple
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It's a quality of Martin Higgins' orchestrations that the raucous bar-room blues and all-hands-on-deck gospel so often gives way to a slinky, stripped-down jazz that shows off the vocal lines to best effect.
British Theatre - The Kings of Broadway
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For all the many fine incidental moments of individual singing and playing, the real heroes of the event were three individuals invisible on the night, whose names were tucked away in a remote sub-section of the programme - Jonathan Tunick, Jason Carr and Martin Higgins - the authors of the masterly, orchestrations, both lush and deft, that provided the greatest pleasures and surprises.
British Theatre - All Aboard
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The terrifically ample sound is by Andrew Josephs, through which we hear not only the marvellous voices of the cast but also Martin Higgins' orchestrations: Martin is 'the third man' in this great writing combo, and here his work sounds amazing in the hands of a band brought together by Parker out of the best of the West End's section leaders: you don't hear many professional bands playing as well as this one, let alone amateur ones.
Musical Theatre Review - The Railway Children
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Parker, who also serves as musical director in this production, has an immense talent for composing infectious melodies, which are capably brought to life by Martin Higgins’ colourful orchestrations.
Beyond The Curtain - The Color Purple At Home
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The music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray mixed gospel, soul and musical theatre. Martin Higgins' brilliant orchestrations and the 7 piece band under the musical direction of Alex Parker create a beautiful sound.
London Jazz News - After You
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Martin Higgins‘ orchestrations for the 4-piece band (piano, violin, cello, guitar) are dextrous, the MD, Isaac McCulloch, directs operations with skill and energy, and the actors give polished performances, thankfully tailored to the intimate space, rather than overpowering their audience with West End belting, as so often happens in smaller venues.