Francis Shaw is based in London. A graduate of the London College of Music, he later studied compositionwith Goffredo Petrassi in Rome, Lennox Berkeley in London and Alexander Goehr atSouthampton University. 

Yehudi Menuhin commissioned Francis’s DIVERTIMENTO FOR STRINGS, first performed at the Windsor Festival in 1971, which started his professional composing life.

His concert music includes 2 operas for children: The SELFISH GIANT (1st. prize - Caerphilly International Opera competition, 1971. pub. Chester Music) & THE TIN KNIGHT. 4 Concertos: 2 for piano & orchestra, a Harpsichord concertino and a Viola concerto: Solo Piano music, Chamber & Choral music, several song cycles and music for children.

Orchestral arrangements include music by CHAPLIN, VANGELIS, The BEATLES (Sgt. Pepper. pub. Novello) & the Turkish songwriter ZULFU LIVANELI. Piano duet arrangements of light piano solos by BILLY MAYERL, ZEZ CONFREY, JAMES SCOTT and others (pub. Novello).  

His music for film includes THE COUNTRY GIRLS (1983): A ROOM WITH A VIEW (additional music & orchestrations,1985):  A NIGHTINGALE SANG (1989): VENDETTA (1994): EVIL [Ondskan] (2004, Ivor Novello award for Best Film score 2006).

TV music includes the BBC series IRELAND-A TELEVISION HISTORY (1980), SHACKLETON (1982), JAMAICA INN (1983), several Theatre Night TV productions of classic novels and plays including CRIME & PUNISHMENT (1978): THE MASTER BUILDER (1987) and A DINNER OF HERBS (1988). He has composed more than 80 documentary & factual TV scores. 

A complete list of his Film & TV music can be found on the IMDB website.

In 2006 his anthem for the Queen’s 80th birthday, BIRTHDAY PRAYER, was performed in her presence at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.

Francis has composed Production Library music for EMI (KPM), de Wolfe Music & The Scoring House (West One Music).

He has taught composition at the London College of Music, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, National Film & Television School (HOD music), Bristol & Kingston universities, and the Royal Collrge of Music. He has run seminar workshops in film music composition at the Academy for Performing Arts (Hong Kong), the Australian Film School (Sydney), the Norwegian Film School (Lillehammer) and FAS Industry Training (Dublin). He is a founder member of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors (BASCA) and was a Composer Director of PRS, 2004 - 2007. In 2004 he visited Afghanistan to assess the needs of the Music Department in Kabul University, teaching and negotiating the loan of a piano from the British Embassy.