Sir James Loy MacMillan, (born 16 July 1959) is a Scottish classical composer and conductor.

Early life

MacMillan was born at

Kilwinning Kilwinning (, sco, Kilwinnin; gd, Cill D’Fhinnein) is a town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is on the River Garnock, north of Irvine, about southwest of Glasgow. It is known as "The Crossroads of Ayrshire". Kilwinning was also a Civil P ...

, in

North Ayrshire North Ayrshire ( gd, Siorrachd Àir a Tuath, ) is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east an ...

, but lived in the

East Ayrshire East Ayrshire ( sco, Aest Ayrshire; gd, Siorrachd Àir an Ear) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland. It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. The headq ...

town of

Cumnock Cumnock (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cumnag'') is a town and former civil parish located in East Ayrshire, Scotland. The town sits at the confluence of the Glaisnock Water and the Lugar Water. There are three neighbouring housing projects which lie just o ...

until 1977. His father is James MacMillan and his mother is Ellen MacMillan (née Loy). He studied composition at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

with

Rita McAllister Margaret 'Rita' McAllister (born 6 March 1946) is a Scottish musicologist, composer and academic. She is the Director of Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is a renowned authority on the works of Sergei Prokofiev. Biography McA ...

and Kenneth Leighton, and at Durham University with John Casken, where he gained an undergraduate degree and then a PhD degree in 1987. At Durham he was a member of the College of St Hild and St Bede as an undergraduate student and the Graduate Society while studying for his PhD. He was a lecturer in music at the

Victoria University of Manchester The Victoria University of Manchester, usually referred to as simply the University of Manchester, was a university in Manchester, England. It was founded in 1851 as Owens College. In 1880, the college joined the federal Victoria University. Afte ...

from 1986 to 1988. After his studies, MacMillan returned to Scotland, composing prolifically, and becoming Associate Composer with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, often working on education projects. As a young man he was briefly a member of the

Young Communist League The Young Communist League (YCL) is the name used by the youth wing of various Communist parties around the world. The name YCL of XXX (name of country) originates from the precedent established by the Communist Youth International. Examples of YC ...

Rising success

He came to the attention of the classical establishment with the

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBC SSO) is a Scottish broadcasting symphony orchestra based in Glasgow. One of five full-time orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), it is the oldest full-time professional ra ...

's premiere of ''

The Confession of Isobel Gowdie ''The Confession of Isobel Gowdie'' is a work for large symphony orchestra by the Scottish composer James MacMillan. It is, according to the composer, a Requiem for one Isobel Gowdie, supposedly burnt as a witch in post-Reformation Scotland. Desp ...

'' at the Proms in 1990.

Isobel Gowdie Isobel Gowdie was a Scottish woman who confessed to witchcraft at Auldearn near Nairn during 1662. Scant information is available about her age or life and, although she was probably executed in line with the usual practice, it is uncertain whe ...

was one of many women executed for

witchcraft Witchcraft traditionally means the use of magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually women who were believed to have u ...

in 17th-century

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...

. According to the composer, "On behalf of the Scottish people the work craves absolution and offers Isobel Gowdie the mercy and humanity that was denied her in the last days of her life". The work's international acclaim spurred more high-profile commissions, including a percussion concerto for fellow Scot

Evelyn Glennie Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, (born 19 July 1965) is a Scottish percussionist. She was selected as one of the two laureates for the Polar Music Prize of 2015. Early life Glennie was born in Methlick, Aberdeenshire in Scotland. The indig ...

: '' Veni, Veni, Emmanuel''. It was premiered in 1992 and has become MacMillan's most performed work. He was also asked by

Mstislav Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian cellist and conductor. He is considered by many to be the greatest cellist of the 20th century. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was well ...

to compose his Cello Concerto, which was premiered by Rostropovich himself in 1997. Further successes have included his second opera ''The Sacrifice'', commissioned by Welsh National Opera, Autumn 2007, which won a

Royal Philharmonic Society The Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) is a British music society, formed in 1813. Its original purpose was to promote performances of instrumental music in London. Many composers and performers have taken part in its concerts. It is now a mem ...

Award, and the ''St John Passion'' jointly commissioned by the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

and

Boston Symphony Orchestra The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the second-oldest of the five major American symphony orchestras commonly referred to as the " Big Five". Founded by Henry Lee Higginson in 1 ...

and conducted by

Sir Colin Davis Sir Colin Rex Davis (25 September 1927 – 14 April 2013) was an English conductor, known for his association with the London Symphony Orchestra, having first conducted it in 1959. His repertoire was broad, but among the composers with whom h ...

at its world premiere in April 2008. He was awarded the

British Composer Award British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English ...

for

Liturgical Music Liturgical music originated as a part of religious ceremony, and includes a number of traditions, both ancient and modern. Liturgical music is well known as a part of Catholic Mass, the Anglican Holy Communion service (or Eucharist) and Evenso ...

, for his ''Strathclyde Motets'', in December 2008. In 2019, ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'' ranked MacMillan's ''Stabat Mater'' the 23rd greatest work of art music since 2000.

Influences

MacMillan's music is infused with the spiritual and the political. His

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

faith has inspired many of his sacred works; for example, a Magnificat (1999), and several

mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different element ...

es. This central strand of his life and compositions was marked by the

BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...

in early 2005, with a survey of his music entitled ''From Darkness into Light''. MacMillan and his wife are lay Dominicans, and he has collaborated with Michael Symmons Roberts, a Catholic poet, and also

Rowan Williams Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth, (born 14 June 1950) is a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet. He was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury, a position he held from December 2002 to December 2012. Previously the Bi ...

, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Perhaps his most political work is '' Cantos Sagrados'' (1990), a setting of Latin American poetry by

Ariel Dorfman Vladimiro Ariel Dorfman (born May 6, 1942) is an Argentine-Chilean- American novelist, playwright, essayist, academic, and human rights activist. A citizen of the United States since 2004, he has been a professor of literature and Latin Americ ...

and Ana Maria Mendoza, combining elements of

liberation theology Liberation theology is a Christian theological approach emphasizing the liberation of the oppressed. In certain contexts, it engages socio-economic analyses, with "social concern for the poor and political liberation for oppressed peoples". ...

with more conventional religious texts. MacMillan has explicitly stated that his aim in writing this work was to emphasise 'a deeper solidarity with the poor of that subcontinent' in the context of political repression.

Scottish traditional music Scottish folk music (also Scottish traditional music) is a genre of folk music that uses forms that are identified as part of the Scottish musical tradition. There is evidence that there was a flourishing culture of popular music in Scotland duri ...

has also had a profound musical influence, and is frequently discernible in his works. When the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holy ...

was reconvened in 1999 after 292 years, a fanfare composed by MacMillan accompanied the

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

into the chamber. Weeks after the opening ceremony, MacMillan launched a vigorous attack on sectarianism in Scotland, particularly anti-Catholicism, in a speech entitled "Scotland's Shame". His Mass of 2000 was commissioned by

Westminster Cathedral Westminster Cathedral is the mother church of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. It is the largest Catholic church in the UK and the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster. The site on which the cathedral stands in the City o ...

and contains sections which the congregation may join in singing. Similarly, the ''St Anne's Mass'' and ''Galloway Mass'' do not require advanced musicianship, being designed to be taught to a congregation. One of his most important commissions (by the Bishops' Conferences of England & Wales and of Scotland) was to write a new mass setting for choir and congregation to be sung at two of the three masses celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI during his Apostolic and state visit to Great Britain in 2010. First sung at mass at Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, on 16 September it was sung again at the mass and beatification of

John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English theologian, academic, intellectual, philosopher, polymath, historian, writer, scholar and poet, first as an Anglican priest and later as a Catholic priest and ...

at Cofton Park, Birmingham, on 19 September). He was also commissioned to write a setting of the text ''Tu es Petrus'' (Matthew 16:18) for the Pope's entry at mass at Westminster Cathedral on 18 September. BBC Radio Three broadcast in 2020-2021 ''Faith in Music'', Macmillan's examination of religious faith in the work of seven composers from

Thomas Tallis Thomas Tallis (23 November 1585; also Tallys or Talles) was an English composer of High Renaissance music. His compositions are primarily vocal, and he occupies a primary place in anthologies of English choral music. Tallis is considered one o ...

Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...

Appointments and collaborations

MacMillan was composer and conductor with the BBC Philharmonic from 2000 to 2009, following which he took up a position as principal guest conductor with the Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic. His collaboration with Michael Symmons Roberts continued with his second opera, '' The Sacrifice'' (based on the ancient Welsh tales of the

Mabinogion The ''Mabinogion'' () are the earliest Welsh prose stories, and belong to the Matter of Britain. The stories were compiled in Middle Welsh in the 12th–13th centuries from earlier oral traditions. There are two main source manuscripts, create ...

), being premiered by

Welsh National Opera Welsh National Opera (WNO) ( cy, Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru) is an opera company based in Cardiff, Wales; it gave its first performances in 1946. It began as a mainly amateur body and transformed into an all-professional ensemble by 1973. In its ...

in Autumn 2007. ''Sundogs'', a large-scale work for a cappella choir, also using text by Symmons Roberts, was premiered by the

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. * Indiana Univers ...

Contemporary Vocal Ensemble in August 2006. He is an

Honorary Fellow Honorary titles (professor, reader, lecturer) in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties. This practice primarily exists in the UK and Germany, as well as in m ...

Blackfriars Hall Blackfriars Priory (formally the Priory of the Holy Spirit) is a Dominican religious community in Oxford, England. It houses two educational institutions: Blackfriars Studium, the centre of theological studies of the English Province of the D ...

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's second-oldest university in contin ...

. He is patron of

St Mary's Music School St Mary's Music School is a music school in Scotland in the West End of Edinburgh, for boys and girls aged 9 to 19 and is also the Choir School of St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral. The school, which is non-denominational, provides education for ...

in Edinburgh, of the London Oratory School Schola Cantorum along with

Simon Callow Simon Phillip Hugh Callow (born 15 June 1949) is an English film, television and voice actor, director, narrator and writer. He was twice nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his roles in '' A Room with a View'' (1 ...

and

Princess Michael of Kent Princess Michael of Kent (born Baroness Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz, 15 January 1945) is a member of the British royal family of German, Austrian, Czech and Hungarian descent. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, ...

, and he has been appointed patron of The British Art Music Series along with

Libby Purves Elizabeth Mary Purves, (born 2 February 1950) is a British radio presenter, journalist and author. Early life and career Born in London, a diplomat's daughter, Purves was raised in her mother's Catholic faith and educated at convent school ...

and

John Wilson John Wilson may refer to: Academics * John Wilson (mathematician) (1741–1793), English mathematician and judge * John Wilson (historian) (1799–1870), author of ''Our Israelitish Origin'' (1840), a founding text of British Israelism * John Wil ...

, and of the Schola Cantorum of the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School He was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE) in 2004, and a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are t ...

in 2015. In 2008, he became Honorary Patron of

London Chamber Orchestra The London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is a professional chamber orchestra based in London in the United Kingdom. The name has also been used by historical ensembles dating back to 1921. LCO performs at small concert halls across London and has previ ...

's ''LCO New: Explore'' project, which explores links between music and other art forms and fosters emerging creative talent in composition. He also serves as the Honorary President of the

Bearsden Choir The Bearsden Choir (previously known as Bearsden Burgh Choir) is a choir of 120 mixed adult voices based in Glasgow, Scotland. It was formed in 1968 and performs both sacred and secular classical choral works. The singer Jamie MacDougall is its H ...

. and he is Patron of the Strathearn Music Society based in

Crieff Crieff (; gd, Craoibh, meaning "tree") is a Scottish market town in Perth and Kinross on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich, and the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins the A823 to Dunfermline. Crieff has bec ...

Personal life

MacMillan married Lynne Frew in 1983; they have two daughters and a son. He also had a granddaughter, Sara Maria, who had Dandy–Walker syndrome. He said of her short life that, "We have been blessed and transformed through knowing and loving Sara, and being known and loved in return by her."

Key works

* ''After the Tryst'' (violin and piano – 1988) * ''Cantos Sagrados'' (choir and organ – 1989) * ''

'' (orchestra – 1990) * ''

The Berserking ''The Berserking'' is a concerto for solo piano and orchestra by the Scottish composer James MacMillan. The work was commissioned by the Musica Nova Festival and was premiered in Glasgow on 22 September 1990 by the pianist Peter Donohoe and the ...

'' (piano concerto – 1990) * '' Veni, Veni, Emmanuel'' (percussion concerto – 1992) * '' Seven Last Words from the Cross'' (cantata: choir and strings – 1993) * ''Inés de Castro'' (opera, libretto: Jo Clifford – 1991–95) * ''Britannia!'' (orchestra – 1994) * ''Christus Vincit'' (1994), for SSAATTBB and Soli * ''Three Scottish Songs'', voice and piano (text: William Soutar) (1995) * Cello Concerto (1996) * '' The World's Ransoming'' (cor anglais and orchestra – 1996) * '' Symphony: Vigil'' (1997) * ''

Quickening In pregnancy terms, quickening is the moment in pregnancy when the pregnant woman starts to feel the fetus' movement in the uterus. Medical facts The first natural sensation of quickening may feel like a light tapping or fluttering. These sensat ...

'' (soloists, chorus and orchestra – 1998) * '' Symphony No. 2'' (1999) * Mass (choir and organ – 2000) * Cello Sonata No. 2, dedicated to

Julian Lloyd Webber Julian Lloyd Webber (born 14 April 1951) is a British solo cellist, conductor and broadcaster, a former principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the founder of the In Harmony music education programme. Early years and education Julian ...

* ''The Birds of Rhiannon'' (orchestra + optional chorus, text: Michael Symmons Roberts – 2001) * ''O Bone Jesu'' (2001), for SSAATTBB + soli * Symphony No. 3 "Silence" (2002) * Piano Concerto No. 2 (2003) * ''

A Scotch Bestiary ''A Scotch Bestiary: Enigmatic Variations on a Zoological Carnival at a Caledonian Exhibition'' is an organ concerto by the Scottish composer James MacMillan. The work was commissioned by the BBC and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. It was composed ...

'' (organ and orchestra – 2004) * ''Sun-Dogs'' (2006) * ''The Sacrifice'' (2007) * ''St John Passion'' (2008) * Piano Concerto No. 3 "The Mysteries of Light" (2008) * ''Miserere'', mixed chorus a cappella (2009) *

Violin Concerto A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin (occasionally, two or more violins) and instrumental ensemble (customarily orchestra). Such works have been written since the Baroque music, Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first dev ...

(2009) * Oboe Concerto (2010) * ''Clemency'' (2011) * Woman of the Apocalypse (2012) * ''St Luke Passion'' (2013) *

Viola Concerto A viola concerto is a concerto contrasting a viola with another body of musical instruments such as an orchestra or chamber music ensemble. Early examples of viola concertos include Telemann's concerto in G major and several concertos by Carl ...

(2013) * Percussion Concerto No. 2 (2014) * Symphony No. 4 (2015) * Stabat Mater (2015) * '' A European Requiem'' (2015) * Larghetto for orchestra (transcription of ''Miserere'', 2017) * Symphony No. 5 "Le grand Inconnu" (2018) * ''A Christmas Oratorio'' (2021) * " Who shall separate us?", anthem for the

state funeral of Elizabeth II On 8 September 2022, at 15:10 BST, Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, and the longest-reigning British monarch, died of old age at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, at the age of 96. The Queen's death wa ...

(2022)

Bibliography

Articles

Books

Critical studies and reviews of MacMillan's work

* * Spicer, Paul.
James MacMilan: Choral Music: a practical commentary and survey
'. Boosey & Hawkes (2001, updated 2021)

References

External links

Desert Island Discs – Sir James MacMillan
at

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of Talk radio, spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history fro ...

* * (accessed 12 October 2014).
James MacMillan
unofficial site at Classical Net
James MacMillan
profile at BBC Philharmonic * Hewett, Ivan

''Daily Telegraph'', 22 April 2009 ;Reviews of world première of the Violin Concerto * Picard, Anna

''The Independent'', 16 May 2010 * Morrison, Richard
Review
''Times Online'' 14 May 2010 * Ashley, Tim
Review
''The Guardian'', 17 May 2010 ;Review of ''Seven Last Words from the Cross''
Review
''Gramophone'', September 2009 ;Personal life * Sweeney, Charlene
Composer James MacMillan says Scotland in denial over anti-Catholicism
''Times Online'', 8 December 2009 * Grey, Richard
Composer's note of anger over music education
''Scotland on Sunday'', 20 November 2005 {{DEFAULTSORT:Macmillan, James 20th-century classical composers 21st-century classical composers Scottish classical composers British male classical composers Scottish conductors (music) British male conductors (music) Honorary Members of the Royal Academy of Music Academics of the University of Manchester Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Knights Bachelor Composers awarded knighthoods Lay Dominicans Scottish Roman Catholics People from Kilwinning 1959 births Living people Scottish opera composers Male opera composers Recipients of the Medal of the Royal College of Organists Fellows of Blackfriars, Oxford 20th-century Scottish musicians 20th-century British composers 21st-century British composers 20th-century British conductors (music) 21st-century British conductors (music) 20th-century British male musicians 21st-century British male musicians Alumni of the College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham Durham University Graduate Society alumni