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A headshot of Jasper standing next to a ornate black metal fence

Jasper Dommett is a British composer who uses music to explore queer narratives and amplify the voices of marginalised people.

Their compositions blend emotional depth with a fresh, exploratory edge, often drawing on historical and contemporary LGBTQIA+ experiences. Jasper's 2023 work, Disco! Disco! Good! Good?, written for the Riot Ensemble, pays tribute to the queer ballroom culture of the disco era. The piece earned a nomination for an Ivor Novello Award, solidifying Jasper’s passion for telling powerful queer stories through music. Another of their works, Zip, Zap, Boooooogie!!!, written for the London Philharmonic Orchestra and dance, takes inspiration from the electric energy of queer nightclubs, exploring the complex emotions of first encounters. Broadway World described the piece as “intoxicating, praising their ability to craft engaging movement through music.​

A headshot of Jasper at Regents Park wearing a green tartan coat

2024 marked the premiere of Jasper’s opera Fanny & Stella’s Last Day Out, written with librettist Jessica Walker. The piece, based on the lives of Victorian drag queens, has already garnered critical acclaim. Opera Now praised the opera for its magnificently negotiated blend of Modernist and tonal elements, whilst Gramophone noted that, to write in a Modernist fashion, include tonalist asides and set pieces, and to retain wit is no mean feat, but Dommett succeedsOpera Today described it as “riotous, playful, and rollicking, emphasising its effective balance of humour and tragedy.

Alongside pursuing a PhD at the Royal College of Music, where their research focuses on microtonality, queer theory, and opera, Jasper continues to explore unique, often underrepresented stories through their compositions.

In 2025, their new opera Disorderly House will premiere at Buxton International Festival, delving into the life of 1920s dancer and female impersonator Bobby Britt. They are also composing a dramatic song cycle, Folds on Folds, for Lotte Betts-Dean, the Hebrides Ensemble, and Sewing Machine, which explores the history of domestic sewing and its ties to women’s lives. Additionally, Jasper is working on a new orchestral piece for BBC Radio 3, scheduled to premiere in 2025.

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Jasper’s music has received critical acclaim for its distinctive approach and emotional resonance. The Art’s Desk highlighted the “haunting textures” and “impressive melodic writing” in Dreams of Isolation, while the late conductor Sir Andrew Davies praised Jasper’s ability to craft “unique and original” music. Performed by ensembles such as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and featured on BBC Radio 3, Jasper's work continues to offer fresh and poignant perspectives on history, identity, and the queer experience.

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