James MacMillan

Biography

He studied composition at the University of Edinburgh with Rita McAlister and Durham University with John Casken and reached the PhD in 1987. Between 1986 and 1988 he was employed as a lecturer in music at the University of Manchester. After finishing his studies, MacMillan returned to Scotland to take a position as Associate Composer with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

First gained fame with the MacMillan premiered by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra orchestral work The Confession of Isobel Gowdie in 1990 at the Proms, a multi-week British classical music festival. The international claim of the work promoted MacMillan awareness significantly, he won several contracts, including a concerto for percussion for the Scottish musician Evelyn Glennie. Veni, Veni, Emmanuel was premiered in 1992 and is one of MacMillan's most performed works.

Work

James MacMillan 's compositions are imbued with spiritual and political elements. Catholicism has contributed much to his work as MacMillan also much sacred music (especially for chorus) composed, such as the Magnificat (1999), and several fairs. MacMillan and his wife belong to the Order of the Dominicans. Furthermore, MacMillan also guided by traditional Scottish music, which is to hear clearly again and again in his works. As the Scottish Parliament in 1999 after 292 years reconvened for the first time, accompanied by a fanfare composed by MacMillan Queen Elizabeth's entry into the Chamber. A few weeks after the opening ceremony MacMillan gave a public speech entitled Scotland's Shame, in which he attacked the sectarianism in Scotland sharp.

News

James MacMillan was appointed in 2000 to the composer and conductor of the BBC Philharmonic, a post he held until 2009. Since 2009 he has been chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic.

His earlier work with Symmons Roberts, he continued in his second opera, the content of which is based on ancient Welsh tales.

His last premiered works are the opera The Sacrifice ( Fall 2007, Welsh National Opera) and Sundogs, a great a cappella choral work, which is also based on texts by Symmons Roberts and was premiered in August 2006 from the Indiana University Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, a St. John's Passion, St John Passion ( 2008), and a violin or an oboe concerto (2010).

Works

  • After the Tryst (violin piano - 1988)
  • The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (orchestra - 1990)
  • The Berserking ( piano concerto - 1990)
  • Veni, Veni, Emmanuel (drums concert - 1992)
  • Seven Last Words from the Cross ( cantata: choir and strings - 1993)
  • Ines de Castro (opera, libretto by John Clifford - 1991-95 )
  • The World's Ransoming ( English horn and orchestra - 1997)
  • Cello concerto (1997)
  • Symphony Vigil (1997)
  • Quickening ( soloists, chorus, orchestra - 1998)
  • Cello Sonata no2 dedicated to Julian Lloyd Webber
  • The Birds of Rhiannon (orchestra optional chorus, text: Michael Symmons Roberts - 2001)
  • O Bone Jesu (2001), for SSAATTBB Soli
  • Piano concerto no. 2 (2003)
  • "Sun Dogs" (2006)
  • The Sacrifice ( opera )
  • St John Passion ( 2008)
  • Violin Concerto ( 2010)
  • Oboe Concerto ( 2010)
July 16 1959 Kilwinning Cumnock (disambiguation) Mass (music) Dominican Order Elizabeth II Bowed string instrument John Clifford (minister) Name Authority File
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