Celebrating Somerset's Creative & Cultural Practitioners - Charles Harrison

For March’s blog, we spoke with Composer and Musician, Charles Harrison. Working freelance for over a decade, Charles has built a career as a Composer, Sound Designer, and multi-instrumentalist. His vivid storytelling through music composition has led to collaborations with clients like the National Trust, Arts University Bournemouth, and CBC Network.  During our talk we explored Charles’ journey into the music industry, his creative process, and passion for making music accessible to all.

Charles’ introduction to music and passion for composition was influenced by his family.  He told me how his family were “A family that loved music. I had a keyboard, and a drum kit growing up.  I just always loved playing around with those instruments and figuring out what they did.  I remember distinctly having a keyboard that let you record different parts, and then at an early age, I was kind of composing songs and using that to make all the different arrangements. So that's really where it started without me really knowing.”

Throughout childhood, Charles naturally gravitated towards other forms of creative expression and subconsciously brought his flair for composing into the mix.  As a teenager, Charles took part in the BFI Film Academy in Bridgwater, learning about film and gaining hands-on filmmaking experience. "The course was about making a film, so there was no reason or need to even do anything musical, and yet, even during that, I wanted to compose music for the films that we were making. So, I did.”  Through creative programs like BFI, Charles was able to subconsciously progress his storytelling and teamwork skills that would prove useful in his later career.

After studying Music and Sound Production at Bournemouth University, Charles’ freelance career has moved from strength to strength, composing on a variety of different projects with the National Trust and Arts University Bournemouth, whilst teaching and playing in various folk bands around the South West.

As well as a composer, Charles is a music tutor.  Teaching violin, piano, guitar, and drums in primary schools as well as private tutoring.  From speaking about working with young people, it was evident Charles showed a clear passion for normalising access to music not just as a career but as a form of expression. Noting how music can naturally connect with people differently throughout their lives, support people's wellbeing, and provides transferable skills into other environments, like classroom settings.

“Especially from working in schools, I sometimes get directly told by some of my students that they would love to be a nurse, but then they won't be a musician, and I say, well, you can be both! I do passionately believe in normalising access to the arts and saying it is possible for you to do these things. It's possible for you to have a career, but it's also possible for you to have a hobby that's just as strong to supplement the other thing that you're doing.”

Charles’ main advice for getting into the music industry is: “Getting yourself out there and connecting with real people in real places.   Go to open mic nights, write music for musicians you know or offer to those you don’t, and build your experiences and portfolio, so when you get to a higher level of work you have all these projects to showcase your experience.”

From creating arrangements at home to composing for the stage.  Charles’ composition process involves a lot of individual experimentation but also collaboration.  When working on projects within the creative industry or any workplace there’s always an emphasis on teamwork to achieve the best outcome.

When reflecting on his own creative process, Charles explains: “It always seemed important to me to talk, communicate with the people you're working with. Which probably sounds obvious to say.  If you're not talking to the people you're working with, the Directors or the Producers. Then you're not really serving the project properly.  If you're composing for a project, then you can have your own spin on the ideas, you can have your own voice in there, but ultimately, it's got to serve the project. And to do that, you need to be able to communicate openly with the people who are making it.”

Whilst reflecting on previous projects, it’s important to celebrate future collaborations.  Charles explains that he continues to work with South West dance company, Project Dance, after their successful production of Busk, which toured to Westlands Entertainment Venue back in Summer 2025.

“I feel really grateful to be part of Project Dance because I can see their impact locally but also for dancers and the creative arts, it feels like a dream almost to be involved as a composer and musician.”

Working on projects like Busk in the local area, I asked Charles how it feels working on projects within the South West, working with other local creatives, and how that can be different to working with clients further afield.

“The biggest difference is when it’s more local and where I’ve grown up is that I feel more connected to the outcome of it.  When it’s performed at Westlands, that’s a venue I’ve been to many times and people I know can come and watch it, I find that special.  Also, you feel a closer connection to it because you get to see more of it.  I’ve done projects for people overseas or those I don’t see much in person, you never really see the result or the impact of the work in the same way.”

Charles Harrison presents himself as a true advocate for the local arts through his work and is optimistic about the future of the arts and music in Yeovil and surrounding communities.

“Especially in Yeovil with the development of The Octagon Theatre, to be a part of that and see how the arts can potentially grow and to support that feels very special.”