Steve Law

Steve Law grew up in North-West London and now lives with his wife in East Sussex. A self-taught pianist from a young age, Law developed an early interest in ragtime and the music of Scott Joplin. He took up classical lessons in his early teens having already learned Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F. He studied music at Bristol University under Raymond Warren and received a masters degree in composition in 2000 for his jazzy opera Heaven on Earth, which was described as “a significant contribution to the genre.”  Law has a gift for melody that is rare in contemporary music. His popular original style assimilates jazz and pop influences into classical pieces which are by turns lyrical and rhythmic.  

Musicweb International described his first album of piano music as “kaleidoscopically varied  works… engagement with melody… impressionistic atmosphere… slowly burning passion.”  Law’s Violin Concerto was premiered in 2017 in Scotland by Mark Wilson, conducted by Paul Wood. In 2018 his 3 Poems by Lorna Law were premiered by Ferrier Award-winning baritone Gareth Brynmor John in London with the composer at the piano. Law’s other compositions include an opera, two piano sonatas, songs, an “80s Symphony,”  piano works, albums and ensemble music.  

Law is also known as one of the most accurate transcribers of solo piano recordings. His meticulous transcriptions of Dudley Moore’s album Songs Without Words are published by  Faber and his transcriptions from historical recordings of George Gershwin’s piano improvisations are to be included in the Gershwin Critical Edition. In 2012-13 Law performed unique tribute concerts, starting at St James’s Piccadilly, recreating the music and jazz of Dudley Moore. Law was invited by Dudley to meet him in London in 1999.  

Law has made many arrangements for musicians such as Rena Fruchter, Jack Gibbons (Fats Waller) and the late BBC broadcaster Geoffrey Stern, which have been performed in the United Kingdom and United States.