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James MacMillan, composer/conductor
Short Biography
"The most exciting young British composer to have emerged in the 1990s" (The Guardian)
Born in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1959, James MacMillan is one of today’s most successful living composers and his works are now performed throughout the world. His music is notable for its extraordinary directness, energy and emotional power. References to Scottish folk music imbue MacMillan’s work with a strong sense of the vernacular, while strongly-held religious and political beliefs coupled with community concerns inform both the spirit and subject matter of his music.
The premiere of his Tryst in 1990 at the St Magnus Festival led to his appointment as Affiliate Composer of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. In September 2000 he became Composer/Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, succeeding Sir Peter Maxwell Davies in this role.
His conducting activities have included the Philharmonia, Scottish Chamber (including a tour of Sweden), Royal Scottish National, BBC Scottish Symphony, Ulster, Iceland Symphony, Queensland Symphony and Trondheim Symphony orchestras, the BBC Philharmonic, London Sinfonietta, Britten Sinfonia, Orchestre National de Montpellier, Orchestre de Picardie, Orquestra Nacional de Porto, Hebrides Ensemble and Barcelona 216. He has also directed his own works on recordings for BMG and BIS. Forthcoming engagements, conducting his own works and others, include the BBC Philharmonic, Britten Sinfonia (at the Edinburgh Festival), Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, Residentie Orkest, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana, Sydney Symphony and West Australian Symphony Orchestra.
James MacMillan is represented by Intermusica Artists’ Management Ltd, London
July 2001/252 words
The works of James MacMillan are published by Boosey & Hawkes
Not to be altered or shortened without permission of Intermusica. Please destroy all previous biographical material.