Director

Starting from his schooldays, forming a string quartet, a chamber orchestra, and later a rock band, Colin Riley has continued to initiate ideas. He has been the driving force behind a diverse range of groups, including theatre company Icarus Allsorts (1990+), the Isleworth Festival / iF Festival (1995-2005), chamber orchestra String Factory (1996-1998), the Opera Band (1994-1998), the Homemade Orchestra (2000+), and most recently the ensemble MooV (2007+)  his own record label, Squeaky Kate (2008+) and Music Orbit (2007+). He has also just setup a new collective called Assemblage (2012+).

This is born out of a desire not to nurture ongoing and deeper relationships with other artists.  It has given Colin an insight into the many sides of the creative process, of funding and of the mechanics of putting on an event.

Over the last ten years Colin has also played an active role in championing and nurturing the work of emerging composers and innovative sound creators. He is a former board member of the SPNM , and as Co-Artistic Director of the Isleworth/iF Festival, was responsible for commissioning over 40 new works. Since 2002 Colin has acted as mentor to over 25 composers across the UK as part of the Adopt A Composer Scheme.  

In 2002 he formed Music Orbit, a network that aims to promote the work of emerging composers and provide opportunities for nurturing this work. Dr Colin Riley is also Senior Lecturer at Brunel University, West London.