SIR JAMES MACMILLAN CONDUCTOR & COMPOSER MENTOR
James MacMillan is the pre-eminent Scottish composer of his generation. He first attracted attention with the acclaimed BBC Proms premiere of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (1990). His percussion concerto Veni, Veni Emmanuel (1992) has received over 500 performances worldwide, including by Evelyn Glennie with the LPO at Royal Festival Hall in 2013. In 2014 the LPO under Vladimir Jurowski gave the world premiere of MacMillan’s Viola Concerto with soloist Lawrence Power. Other major works include the cantata Seven Last Words from the Cross (1993); Quickening (1998) for soloists, children’s choir, mixed choir and orchestra; the operas Inès de Castro (2001) and The Sacrifice (2005–06); St John Passion (2007); and St Luke Passion (2013). In 2008 the LPO released on its own label The Confession of Isobel Gowdie under Marin Alsop live in concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall (LPO-0035). On 30 December 2020 the Orchestra will perform his Sinfonietta at the Royal Festival Hall under Vladimir Jurowski, in a concert streamed free of charge on Marquee TV.
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© Hans van der Woerd
As the LPO’s Young Composer Mentor 2019/20 – his third and final season in the role – James MacMillan has led seminars with the composers across the year and provided guidance in workshops and rehearsals with the ensemble.
