Eric James Watson (born 1946) is a Singapore-based Welsh musician, composer, conductor, music, technologist and pedagogue. He was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 2019.
Watson was born in Cardiff, Wales[1] but grew up in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England.[2] He studied composition and conducting at the Trinity College Of MusicatGreenwich, London, England and won the Ricordi prize in 1967.[1][2]
After graduation, Watson taught music in schools and then became a conductor and pianist in musical theatre at London’s West End theatre.[1]
Watson was the composer and music director of the 2001 Singapore National Day Parade (NDP).[2] He also wrote and arranged orchestral music with four orchestras, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO), an Indian and a Malay ensemble, for the 2007 Singapore NDP.
Watson was also a senior lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.[3]
In 2006, Watson won the inaugural Chinese Orchestral Composition organised by SCO.[3]
From 2016 to 2018, he was the composer-in-residence of SCO.[1]
Watson was awarded the Cultural Medallion on 15 October 2019.[4]
In 1991, Watson moved to Singapore to be with his Singaporean wife.[2] He later became a Singapore permanent resident.[3]