Education
He learned piano as a child, served in New Guinea during World World War II and then studied orchestration and composition at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
He learned piano as a child, served in New Guinea during World World War II and then studied orchestration and composition at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.
He was the Principal Conductor of the Royal Opera House orchestra for three years and is best known for his work as a composer on British television, especially his long association with the British Broadcasting Corporation science-fiction series, for which he composed incidental music during the 1960s and 1970s. Among his early television work was the music for Moonstrike (1963). Simpson was also responsible for the theme music for The Brothers (1972), The Tomorrow People (1973), Moonbase 3 (1973), The Ascent of Manitoba (1973) and (1978).
He also composed music for several plays from the British Broadcasting Corporation Television Shakespeare series.
Simpson was born in Melbourne. Simpson became assistant conductor, pianist and later musical director for the Borovansky Ballet Company, forerunner to The Australian Ballet.
He moved to the United Kingdom and after a season as guest conductor at Covent Garden, he became Principal Conductor of the Royal Opera House orchestra for three years. He accompanied the touring section of the Royal Ballet with Margot Fonteyn as principal ballerina.
Simpson"s first work on was during William Hartnell"s era as the First Doctor in Planet of Giants, in 1964, but he is primarily associated with the programme in the 1970s.
When John Nathan-Turner became producer of in 1980, he decided that the music needed to be updated, and took Simpson out for a meal telling him how much he appreciated his work on but that it would no longer be required as he intended to have the British Broadcasting Corporation Radiophonic Workshop provide music from that point. Simpson"s last broadcast work on was for The Horns of Nimon. Between 1964 and 1980, Simpson composed the incidental music for the following serials: ran for 4 series of 13 episodes each, a total of 52 episodes.
Simpson had to be paid a special fee for this appearance, as he was a member of the Musicians" Union and not Equity.