Lee Bradshaw:
A Multifaceted Composer
and Visionary
by Aaron Cohen

Lee Bradshaw is a composer whose vast musical vision is deeply rooted in structure and tradition. With a strong foundation in the classics, he reimagines them with a fresh perspective, creating new works of remarkable subtlety. Yet, his artistic reach extends beyond the classical realm; Bradshaw has also led a dynamic rock band and produced vibrant pop music for rising stars in his native Australia. Throughout his diverse career, his melodic directness remains anything but simple, and his commitment to work that reflects a deep social conscience is unwavering.

 

Over the past decade, Bradshaw has experienced an artistic renaissance, producing a myriad of new works that showcase his talent. These include stunning pieces for small ensembles and soloists, such as several works featured on his release "The Ties That Bind" and the piano piece "Elegy, 15th March." He has also recorded orchestral music, including a soundtrack for a film about the ocean. Alongside these achievements, Bradshaw continues to craft ideal pop songs for young singers while reflecting on global events and timeless issues in his music.

 

Bradshaw’s journey is a return to his origins, where open-mindedness shaped his artistic path. Growing up listening to both Beethoven and Australian rock singer John Farnham, he studied at the Australian National Academy of Music before venturing into the world of rock and pop. As the head of Bradshaw Music Productions, he explored various genres while continuing to compose serious classical music in the background.

“I started in classical music, but during my teenage years, I became obsessed with becoming a rock star,” Bradshaw recalls. “For a long time, I struggled to choose between the two. Eventually, I decided to pursue rock and roll, becoming a record producer and working across different genres. However, I never stopped composing classical music.”

 

As he approached his 40th birthday, Bradshaw reassessed his priorities and decided to focus on composing full-time. “I realised that while I was proud of my achievements in record production, I wasn’t fully pursuing what I felt I needed to be doing. So, I made the decision to return to classical music and prioritise composing.”

Bradshaw is a true experimentalist who never loses sight of the importance of form. “I’m very big on structure in music because it provides a tangible framework within an abstract art form,” he explains. “I often adhere to traditional forms, especially in chamber music.”

 

One of Bradshaw’s most significant influences is Beethoven. “Beethoven was the composer who made me want to do this, and he continues to be a massive influence,” Bradshaw says. “His use of dissonance and harmony, combined with cultural expectations of tonalism, inspires me to stretch and manipulate harmonies in my own work, extracting deeper emotional responses.”

This deep emotional engagement is evident in Bradshaw’s "Elegy, 15th March for Piano," a haunting reflection on Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The piece captures the shock, melancholy, and anger of the conflict, drawing on Bradshaw’s personal connection to the event.

 

Bradshaw’s recent works for soloists and chamber groups, including Baiba Skride’s premiere of his "Via Crucis" in 2020 and the subsequent release of the album "The Ties That Bind" (which features various chamber works for strings) in 2022, demonstrate his ability to convey profound emotions through concise harmonies. These skills also translate into his work in pop music, where he has produced songs for artists such as Victoria K, Lucca Franco, and LHĒON.

 

“I’ve been mentoring Victoria K since she was nine years old,” Bradshaw notes. “Working with artists like her, Lucca Franco, and LHĒON, I’ve always aimed to create music that is both efficient and impactful, capturing the essence of the genre without being simplistic.”

 

Next year will mark the release of the long-awaited album of his rock band, Horizon. The record, which was recorded between 2015 and 2017, was a key reason for Bradshaw's return to Melbourne from Western Australia. He was thrilled to work in his rock hero John Farnham’s studio alongside musicians like Brett Garsed, Angus Burchall, and Stuart ‘Chet’ Fraser. Sadly, shortly after recording, Fraser passed away from lung cancer, and the project was shelved. Recently, Bradshaw revisited the music, receiving the blessing of Chet’s family to release it. This album features tracks like "Hey Brother" and "Sex and Love," showcasing Bradshaw’s rock and roll roots while demonstrating the sharp understanding of dynamics he has honed through his classical work.

 

“When you compose, it’s a solitary, private experience. You’re on your own, working through puzzles, crafting each piece of music. Performance, on the other hand, is communal. You don’t see the full impact of a piece until musicians bring it to life and connect with an audience. Singing in the band provided a direct connection, even during rehearsals. In classical music, I’ve always preferred rehearsals because of the almost tactile nature of the process. Of course, I love it all. When a piece is performed and you get to interact with an audience, it’s incredibly moving when a complete stranger shares how they’ve been touched by something you’ve created.”

Another significant project where Bradshaw worked in isolation as a composer, yet collaborated as part of a team, was his score for the 2013 documentary Drawing The Line, which explores Australia’s surrounding oceans and the challenging lives of those who make their livelihood at sea. The score is rich with vibrant imagery that enhances the film’s narrative.

"Some of these fishermen were discussing incredibly difficult topics—family breakups, businesses going bankrupt, and other hardships. My instinct was to reflect that darkness in the music, but we also wanted the score to convey a sense of hope.”

 

Most recently, Bradshaw delivered the groundbreaking and historic opera Zarqa, which premiered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in April 2024 and featured a German orchestra, a Czech chorus, and British mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly. As the first Western opera in the Arabic language, Zarqa is a soaring piece that tells the story of a mystic woman named Zarqa, resonating with contemporary issues and feminist themes.
 

"Zarqa is essentially a folk tale about a woman named Zarqa, a mystic with blue eyes. The rhythm of the Arabic language is incredible. The model for this work is somewhat akin to Aida, where you have an Egyptian story told through a Western lens. The opera incorporates some of the harmonic and melodic characteristics of Arabic music, with its distinct rhythmic patterns. I’ve included many odd-numbered patterns in the score. However, I wouldn’t claim to be composing Arabic music—that wouldn’t be the point. The story itself is quite feminist, with all the male characters being deeply flawed, while the female characters hold everything together. There are many parallels to draw with today’s world.”

 

This awareness has also permeated Bradshaw’s work, though it’s a topic he only addresses when asked. In addition to composing Zarqa, the vast majority of the pop artists he has produced, composed for, collaborated with, and mentored have been women. Creating pathways for them in the music industry is a concern he feels deeply about.

“Probably 95% of the artists I’ve worked with as a record producer over 30 years have been female singers. The music industry, particularly in the contemporary space, has been a boys’ club for a very long time. It likely still is, and you become aware of the challenges women face—challenges that don’t even occur to most men because we simply never encounter them. As a man in the industry, you’re obligated to clear pathways as much as you possibly can whenever you can.”

Bradshaw’s passion for rearranging classical pieces in new formats is another aspect of his diverse career. He has reconfigured works by Beethoven, Bach, and Tchaikovsky into chamber pieces and even arranged a striking version of David Bowie’s "Heroes." “A great piece of music is efficient, I try not to interfere too much,” he says.

 

As Lee Bradshaw continues to push the boundaries of classical, rock, and pop music, his work resonates with listeners worldwide, evoking profound emotional responses and inspiring new ways of thinking about music.