Highlights of the 2008/9 season included an appearance at Carnegie Hall and a summer tour of Germany with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Carl was also commissioned to write a score for a new animation by the Malaysian cartoonist Lat, premiered in May 2009.

He has written extensively for radio, film and television including The World at War, Pride and Prejudice and the BBC’s Cranford. Numerous feature films include The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Scandal and Topsy Turvy. In 1980 Carl began composing full length scores for archive films, starting with the incredible 5½ hour score for Abel Gance’s Napoleon. This led to a further 50 full-length restorations including Ben Hur, The Thief of Bagdad, and Phantom of the Opera. Carl has composed and recorded new music for all 12 of Chaplin’s Mutuals films which are now available on DVD and being performed live throughout the world.

As part of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 150th anniversary celebrations, Carl and Paul McCartney composed a full length work entitled Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Oratorio. Carl has written 13 ballets including A Christmas Carol and Cyrano de Bergerac (choreography by David Bintley) for the Birmingham Royal Ballet and Alice in Wonderland for the English National Ballet.

The score for Napoleon resulted in the French Minister of Culture awarding Carl The Order of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. Other honours and awards include Honorary Doctor of Arts from Bard College, Honorary Doctor of Music (Liverpool University), a BAFTA Special Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, and in 2005 Carl was awarded the CBE (Hon.) for his contribution to the world of music. He is also an alumnus of The New England Conservatory and Bard College.