Mont Campbell

Dirk Campbell (born Hugo Martin Montgomery Campbell, 30 December 1950, and previously known as Mont Campbell) is a British multi-instrumentalist, composer and energy company executive. Campbell was born in the British military hospital in Ismailia, Egypt, and lived in Kenya till 1962, so was exposed to indigenous Arab and African music before its alteration by western influence. He was studied Stravinsky and formed the progressive rock band Egg in 1968 with Dave Stewart and Clive Brooks. In 1972 he studied composition at the Royal College of Music, gaining an ARCM diploma in 1974. He composed the score to David Anderson's BAFTA-winning animated film Dreamland Express in 1983 and began a full-time career as composer in 1989 with film and commercials commissions from Redwing Films. He has since written scores for film, television, advertising, radio and stage. He is adept on a wide range of ethnic folk instruments which have led to recording work in film, television and computer games. He has created or contributed to several instrumental sound libraries (production music) distributed by ILIO Entertainments, World Winds, Origins, Music House, SOHO, Production Music Online, and others. Although initially known as a member of progressive rock bands such as Egg and National Health, Campbell would later (in his own words) "(forswear) the genre of rock music altogether, and began to develop an interest in folk tradition and, increasingly, non-western music." Originally a bass guitarist, he is now a multi-instrumentalist specialising in wind instruments from around the world, including period folk instruments. He is also a lecturer on "music in remote antiquity", and maintains a strong interest in "ways of incorporating non-western music into contemporary composition."In parallel to his work as a musician, Campbell is a director of the Sussex-based alternative energy company, Ovesco.