John Metcalfe (UK / New Zealand)

www.john-metcalfe.co.uk

John Metcalfe, the visionary producer and arranger for icons like Peter Gabriel, Blur, and The Pretenders, creates boundary-breaking music that defies easy categorization. His compositions weave rich electro-classical soundscapes, building immersive worlds where orchestral grandeur meets contemporary electronic innovation.

☆ 2023 GRAMMY Award Nominee ☆

John’s journey began in Manchester, where he played with post-punk pioneers Durutti Column and launched Factory Classical on the legendary Factory Records label, bridging the divide between classical music and the city's vibrant club culture. Founder of the New Blood Orchestra, Metcalfe has worked with world-renowned artists across the cultural spectrum, honing his arranging and producing skills through collaborations with U2, George Michael, and many others.

Over the past year, Metcalfe has collaborated with Peter Gabriel on his latest album i/o, arranged Coldplay’s stunning Glastonbury Festival finale with an orchestra and choir, headlined the 2024 WOMAD Festival in the UK, and released his critically acclaimed album, Tree, along with a remix EP on Real World Records.

Recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, John Metcalfe’s sumptuous new album Tree explores and celebrates our extraordinary relationship with trees. It is about their structure, energy, and beauty, but primarily their power to excite and move us. The album addresses the intense and mystifying effect trees have on us and our sense of a relationship with their physicality, their essence, and their importance to the future of our planet. Various live configurations available.