Barnaby Priest studied music at Sussex University under Colin Matthews and Anne Boyd. After studying composition and conducting at the Eastman School of Music with Joseph Schwantner and Sam Adler, he completed his M.Mus in composition at King’s College, London with Nicola Le Fanu. In the late 70’s he worked as amanuensis for the German composer, Hans Werner Henze.
In the 1980’s he lived and worked in Italy where his music was performed and broadcast on Italian and German radio. In 1987, he moved to South-East Asia and later to Dubai. He currently lives in Italy once more.
Throughout his career he has worked with choirs and orchestral groups while at the same time continuing to compose. From 2009 – 2017 he was the conductor and musical director of the Dubai Chamber Orchestra.
While he has written music in a wide range of genres and styles he has increasingly concentrated on exploring a sound world that uses a limited diatonic palette.
He is currently working on an extended editing project creating performance editions of the 60 Periodical Overtures in 8 Parts, originally published in London by Richard Bremner between 1763 and 1780.