Foster studied Composition and Conducting at the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 2000. He was awarded the Lutosławski composition prize. He is a graduate of the
National Film and Television School, where he studied with Francis Shaw and
Peter Howell (the latter having composed for the
BBC series
Doctor Who, with which Foster would later become associated).
Doctor Who and Torchwood Since November 2005, Foster has worked as orchestrator and conductor for composer Murray Gold on
Doctor Who. He also conducted the
BBC National Orchestra of Wales in
Doctor Who: A Celebration, which was held at the
Wales Millennium Centre on 19 November 2006 in aid of
Children in Need. The concert was followed by the release of the first
Doctor Who Soundtrack CD which includes music from series 1 and 2 of the programme. This was released on 11 December 2006 on Silva Screen Records. and
Peter Davison at the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular in Leeds, 2015. On 5 November 2007, Silva Screen Records released
The Soundtrack from Series 3. On 17 November 2008,
The Soundtrack from Series 4, followed 10 days later by the broadcast of the first
Doctor Who Prom. Foster arranged the music and conducted the
BBC Philharmonic at this event, which was part of
The Proms. On 24 and 25 July 2010, Foster again arranged and conducted Murray Gold's scores from Seasons 4+5 in
the Doctor Who Proms, an event followed by the release of
The Doctor Who 2008–2010 specials soundtrack on 4 October, and the
Series 5 soundtrack on 8 November. March 2011 saw the release of the
soundtrack for the 2010 Christmas special,
A Christmas Carol, and on 19 December of that year,
the soundtrack for Series 6 was released. Foster arranged and conducted Gold's music from Series 6 and 7, as well as some music from the classic (1963–89) years by
Tristram Cary,
Martin Slavin,
Malcolm Clarke,
Dudley Simpson,
Paddy Kingsland, Peter Howell and
Mark Ayres, for the third
Doctor Who prom, performed at the Royal Albert Hall in August 2013, which was followed by the soundtrack releases for
the seventh series and
the 2011 and 2012 Christmas specials, on 9 September and 21 October respectively. He also acted as Musical Director and Arranger for
Doctor Who Live – which toured the UK in October – November 2010, conducting his 16-piece band. Foster also composed music for the first three series of the BBC drama (and
Doctor Who spin-off)
Torchwood. His work on the show has earned him three nominations in the Best Music category at the 2006, 2007 and 2009 BAFTA Cymru Awards.
Silva Screen Records released a soundtrack album composed of his work on the first and second series in September 2008 and in July 2009 released the
Children of Earth soundtrack. Foster conducted the
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in
Doctor Who – A Symphonic Spectacular which took place on 4 February 2012, and 31 January 2014, at the
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Australia. In December 2012 he conducted Sydney-based Metropolitan Orchestra in the
Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular at the
Sydney Opera House. Foster left his role as
Doctor Who conductor and orchestrator in 2015 and was replaced by
Alastair King, who took up the role for Series 10.
Other works As a composer, Foster's early professional work includes theme tunes to
Love on a Saturday Night, ''The 1970's Office
and The Great British Test Series'' all for LWT as well as a host of commercials, working for the Mcasso Music agency. Other commercials he has worked on include award winning commercials for Soundtree Music such as Sony Paint and the 2007 Sony Walkman. Foster's resume as an orchestrator and conductor for film includes
27 Dresses,
The Mummy 3, ''
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Robin Hood
, Hoodwinked Too
, The Grey''. ahead of the special's airing. ==Filmography==