Jessica Curry

About

Jessica (she/her) is a BAFTA-winning, Ivor Novello nominated composer of contemporary classical music.

Her work has been performed in diverse and high-profile venues such as The Old Vic Tunnels, The Barbican, Sydney Opera House, The Royal Albert Hall, Great Ormond Street Hospital, The Wellcome Trust, MOMI New York, The Royal Opera House, Sage Gateshead and Durham Cathedral. It has had extensive airplay on Radio 3 and Classic FM, as well as on radio stations and in concert halls around the world. In August 2022, her music rounded out Prom 21, the first ever Prom dedicated to games music.

Jessica is regarded as one of the finest game composers of her generation and was co-founder of renowned studio The Chinese Room.  Her BAFTA winning music for cult PS4 title Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture was named soundtrack of the year by MOJO magazine and sat in the Top 10 of both the Official and ClassicFM charts for several weeks.

Her soundtrack for the genre-defining, multiple award-winning Dear Esther toured internationally as part of Replay: Symphony of Heroes and as Dear Esther Live. The live show, created and produced by Curry, premiered at The Barbican to great acclaim, then embarked on a tour of the country's finest concert halls before touring internationally.

Her score for the Apple Arcade title Little Orpheus won her an Ivor Novello nomination, and the soundtrack for VR game So Let Us Melt is still acclaimed for its innovative blend of choir, orchestra and electronica.

Outside games, Jessica has worked with many of the finest choirs in the UK and has established herself as a unique voice in contemporary choral music. She was composer in residence for London Oriana Choir, was selected for PRSF’s New Music Biennial and has been commissioned by Oriana, Crouch End Festival Chorus, London Gay Men's Chorus and ORA Singers, amongst others. Her most recent album, Shielding Songs, was recorded with long-term collaborators London Voices and released in summer 2025 to critical acclaim. It has been described as “profoundly moving” by Choir & Organ and “lusciously ethereal” by The Guardian.

Alongside her compositions, Jessica has won recognition as a writer, presenter and activist. She created, wrote and presented High Score on ClassicFM, the first ever mainstream radio show about game music. The show had an astounding response and remains the most listened-to show on catch-up in the history of the station. She followed this by creating, writing and presenting BBC Radio 3’s Sound of Gaming, and has contributed to radio and television shows and podcasts that range from the BBC World Service and the Today programme to University Challenge and Front Row.

As a live presenter, Jessica has hosted concerts for the BBC Concert Orchestra and Sony’s groundbreaking Playstation concert at the Royal Albert Hall (where her music was also performed).

Jessica has mentored and nurtured people throughout her career, and has been particularly dedicated to working within marginalised groups. She has tirelessly promoted intersectionality and inclusivity both in classical music and games. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to music, along with her efforts in the promotion of games and game music within arts and culture and her dedication to making the industry a better place to work, she was awarded the Outstanding Contribution award by Women in Games in 2018. In 2023 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Music by Abertay University.

She is a featured composer in the Video Games and Music exhibition at the Philharmonie de Paris exhibition this year and her music is currently touring nationally as part of the BAFTA Music winners concert, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Jessica identifies as a disabled person, a mum, an ally and a feminist. 

Accessibility: your access needs will be met with openness and positivity.

I’m more than happy to meet up in wheelchair accessible/quiet/calm spaces. I’m mask-positive and will test for Covid on the morning of meetings if you’d like. I practice good hygiene and will never meet you if I’m symptomatic of any potentially contagious illness.

I am immunocompromised and so I don’t shake hands/hug- please don’t take this personally!

If I am coming to meet you, I would appreciate being told about layouts, stairs, wheelchair access etc. before my visit, preferably without my having to ask. Sitting or standing for any prolonged period is very painful for me.

Do let me know if you need rest breaks, would like to stretch or meet outside. I will let you know about my needs too.

I am an LGBTQ+ ally and regularly fundraise for trans charities. Pronouns will always be respected.

I have an Access Rider- this isn’t publicly available as it contains sensitive medical information, but I will usually share this at the beginning of projects.I ask for proactivity and thoughtfulness around my ongoing illness- this is detailed in the Access Rider, but in a nutshell it means being willing to make projects and spaces safe and accessible for me. Having hand sanitiser and masks available, meeting in quiet and well ventilated spaces with sturdy/comfy chairs, avoiding inessential schedule changes, keeping meetings as short as possible and generally having a curious and open mindset around access needs would all be hugely appreciated.

Please let me know if you have any symptoms of illness and we can either meet online or re-schedule. This one is vital for me.

It’s easy to feel defensive, but we all get it wrong sometimes! If you’re willing to listen and learn (and I include myself in this) then we can all make the world of work open and welcoming to disabled and neurodivergent folk.