John Harle
John Harle OBE FRSA | |
|---|---|
Harle in 2001 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 20 September 1956 |
| Origin | Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Genres | Progressive, Pop, Soundtrack, Hybrid, Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Composer and Musician |
| Instrument | Saxophone |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | Universal, EMI Classics, Decca, Argo, Unicorn-Kanchana, Hannibal, Sospiro |
| Website | www |
John Crofton Harle (born 20 September 1956) is an English saxophonist, composer, record producer, conductor and educator. He is an Ivor Novello Award winner, has been the recipient of two Royal Television Society awards and has contributed directly and indirectly to a number of charting songs and albums.
Harle served as artistic advisor to Sir Paul McCartney for six years, and has also collaborated with Elvis Costello, Marc Almond, Herbie Hancock, Michael Nyman, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Stanley Myers and Elmer Bernstein. In May 1998, he was the castaway on BBC Radio 4's long- running Desert Island Discs programme. In October 2020, Harle released The John Harle Collection - a 20 Album retrospective of his career as composer and saxophonist. All proceeds from the collection were donated to the Help Musicians Coronavirus Appeal.
He is currently Director of The Guildhall Bauhaus and Professor of Music & Interdisciplinary Practice at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. He was awarded the OBE in the King’s New Year Honours List in 2025 for services to music, and is an FRSA (Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.)