SIMONA BUDD - MUSIC DIRECTOR
BIO
Simona is a freelance musician who works predominantly as a Musical Director and keyboard player. She has a wealth of experience and is in demand as a dynamic musician and as an energetic and motivating teacher. With excellent sight-reading and keyboard skills, Simona has established herself as a reliable and self-assured Keys MD and pianist for auditions, masterclasses, workshops and rehearsals.
Simona is involved with a number of production companies who create and produce an extensive range of shows both in the UK and abroad. Most recently, as Musical Director, Simona has completed sell-out runs of the Original UK Tour of Dreamgirls and the Original UK Production of Heathers the Musical at The Other Palace and at Theatre Royal, Haymarket in London’s West End. She has also recorded the award-winning Heathers’ Original London Cast Album. Other theatre credits as Musical Director include Applause, The Producers, Hot Mikado, Seussical and Grease as well as a number of pantomimes.
Simona is as much at home working with large ensembles as she is with individual singers and instrumentalists. She works as an accompanist for soloists at all levels in addition to fulfilling private commissions from individuals and a variety of establishments for song and other arrangements. Her arrangements have been performed at many of London’s leading venues and her work as an accompanist has taken her to a number of renowned venues in the UK and abroad. For a number of years, she was involved with the Cabaret circuit across London which included a residency at The Pheasantry - one of London's most recognised Cabaret venues. She continues to enjoy work as an accompanist and pianist at many of these venues and at some of London's five-star hotels including The Ritz. Other positions include as a guest lecturer, advisor and consultant on musical theatre workshops and courses. Many of these engagements are frequently undertaken for leading specialist performing arts and drama colleges of higher and further education.
Media work includes soloist for Mercedes and National Lottery radio advertising campaigns, conductor at the world premiere of Disney’s A Christmas Carol and Musical Director for the British Media Awards, Financial Risk Awards and Your Money Awards. She has been a Performance Coach for the ITV productions of Newsrooms’ Got Talent.
WELCOME TO MY WORLD OF MUSIC
“Musical Director, Simona Budd, who starts the show off with a 2 bar cowbell solo, guides us musically on the most enjoyable ride with her stunning orchestra, which featured world-class playing and impeccable knowledge of the genres to pull off some appropriate and stylistically accurate solo breaks throughout the score.” — Simon Oliver, Theatre Review, Dreamgirls UK Tour