Michæl Maxwell Steer is a composer, producer, writer, teacher, and occasional performer who lives in Tisbury Wiltshire. Since 2009 he has directed Cherubim Music Trust, a charity founded by his wife Clancy Steer, that loans professional-calibre orchestral instruments to advanced music students and now holds over 80 instruments.
From 1975-1990 he taught at the Junior Royal College of Music, latterly as Head of C20th Studies where he inaugurated audiophonic composition at junior level.
In 1991 Michæl stepped back from a previous busy life as a composer /writer /producer of broadcast music, mostly for the BBC, of more than 120 drama programmes; beginning with BBCtv’s Greta Garbo – the Swedish Years (Emmy award 1968) and ending with BBCr3’s Mr V (Prix Italia nomination 1989).
During the existence of BBCr3 Features Dept he also scripted & arranged music for 25 original Drama /Feature programmes voiced by such artists as David Suchet, Robert Stephens and Elizabeth Spriggs. His most acclaimed radio programme, produced by the legendary Piers Plowright, was A Short Walk from London to Venice, featuring John Wells as Thomas Coryate, a friend of Ben Jonson. Scripted by Michael it also featured him playing a range of harpsichord, virginals and organ music associated with the countries on Coryate’s journey.
Michæl also wrote two plays, The Watcher in the Rain about James Joyce’s schizophrenic daughter Lucia, and A Tormented God commissioned for Sir Robert Stephens by the Royal National Theatre, based on Berlioz’s Mémoires.
After the BBC closed R3 Features, Michæl and his wife, BAFTA /Olivier award-winning costume designer Deirdre Clancy, decided to leave London with their family and settle in Wiltshire. Since then he has taught piano privately, developing ColourMuse, a coloured-note teaching method to assist beginners. He has tutored half a dozen students who entered music college and went on to have careers.
In 1996 he was invited to edit an edition of Contemporary Music Review on the subject of Music & Mysticism, which led to a large conference at City University, London from which emerged a group who improvised music by spiritual attunement. This was very much in tune with his evolving ideas and beliefs. Of the music he wrote at this period, his 2004 choral work Easter Dawn was recently recorded by Recordare conducted by Harry Bradford, with Osman Tack piano.
During the 18 years Michæl has directed Cherubim Music Trust it has grown from a handful of instruments to over 80; which have been lent to several hundred young musicians. Much of the growth has been stimulated by concerts by Cherubim Young Musicians he has produced in Tisbury and elsewhere. Since 2012 he has also curated 130+ monthly lunchtime Aperitif Concerts at the Savile Club, London which frequently feature Cherubim Young Musicians.