John Metcalfe is a producer, arranger, composer and violist whose collaborators include Peter Gabriel, Blur, U2, George Michael, Coldplay and Max Richter. Born in New Zealand and shaped by Manchester’s vibrant music scene, he was a member of cult post-punk band The Durutti Column and helped launch the pioneering Factory Classical label with Tony Wilson.

A classically trained musician, Metcalfe has released seven solo albums, including The Appearance of Colour, praised by Clash as “effervescent, divinely beautiful”, and Tree, released on Peter Gabriel’s Real World label. His music blends contemporary classical, electronics, systems music and modern rhythms.

Metcalfe spent more than three years collaborating with Peter Gabriel on Scratch My Back and New Blood, serving as arranger, co-producer and musical director, and later creating the orchestral arrangements for Gabriel’s i/o. He has also worked on U2’s Songs of Surrender, arranged music for major productions including Alice in Wonderland and Giudizio Universale, and continues to perform as a session violist with artists such as Sam Smith and London Grammar.

For nearly three decades, through the Duke Quartet and his diverse work across music, film, theatre and dance, Metcalfe has remained one of Britain’s most distinctive and sought-after musical innovators.