David Housden

A multi-instrumentalist, Housden began playing the piano at the age of 8 before going on to learn the guitar, drums, bass and becoming a trained vocalist during his teenage years. He spent the early part of his career writing, performing, recording and touring in bands and theatre productions, traveling the length and breadth of the country and Europe, playing to crowds of up to 7000 people at a time. In 2010 he left the live circuit behind, choosing instead to focus on his studies. It was here that he developed his love for composing to picture and visual arts. Studying at an Avid sponsored school he was trained in Pro-Tools 101, 110 and 130 (a course specifically tailored for the use of Pro-Tools in game audio) and went on to receive work experience writing additional music and sound effects for Outer Empires, the first MMO ever developed for iOS. Graduating in 2011 with a BA in Music Production and a 1st in Composition, he wasted no time in securing his first commission with Mike Bithell, Lead Designer at Bossa Studios. Together, they collaborated on Mike’s indie side-project the critically acclaimed Thomas Was Alone. Such was the popularity and demand, the soundtrack went on to receive an official release on iTunes and other online retailers. Both the game and soundtrack have enjoyed rave reviews across the board, receiving BAFTA nominations for ‘Best Story’, ‘Best Original Music’ and ‘Best Performance’ (for which it went on to win); as well as Honourable mentions from the Independent Games Festival for Excellence in Visual Design and Excellence in audio. In March 2013 excerpts from Housden’s BAFTA nominated score were performed and recorded in Holland by a live ensemble organised by Dutch Game Music. The concert was dedicated to indie games and featured a selected track from the OST expertly arranged for live performance, among pieces from Minecraft, Journey, Dear Esther, Fez, & Super Meat Boy.