Composer Brochure | Works

BIOGRAPHY
1996 Premieres of The World’s Ransoming, the first of a triptych
of commissions from the London Symphony Orchestra,
and Inès de Castro by Scottish Opera at the Edinburgh
Festival. The opera is a public success, but proves
controversial for its blending of traditional narrative structure
with postmodern musical style. Rostropovich is soloist in
the Cello Concerto, with the LSO conducted by Sir Colin
Davis.
1997 Veni, Veni, Emmanuel reaches 100th performance in five
years since its premiere. Celebrates anniversaries of St
Ninian and St Columba with Ninian for clarinetist John
Cushing, and Í (A Meditation on Iona). Featured composer
at Bergen Festival. Premiere of Symphony: ‘Vigil’,
conducted by Rostropovich, completes the LSO’s Triduum
series. 20 works performed at Raising Sparks festival in
London, named after song cycle for Jean Rigby and Nash
Ensemble.
1998 Premieres of Why is this night different? by Maggini
Quartet, and orchestral version of Cantos Sagrados.
Japanese premiere of Symphony: ‘Vigil’ by NHK Symphony
under Tadaaki Otaka.
1999 Triduum launches new recording series on BIS, and is
performed complete at Edinburgh Festival. Quickening,
setting poems of birth and rebirth by Michael Symmons
Roberts, premiered at BBC Proms by The Hilliard Ensemble
with BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by
Andrew Davis. First performances of Symphony No.2 by
SCO.
2000 Evelyn Glennie gives 200th performance of Veni, Veni,
Emmanuel: the work has joined the repertoire of 80
orchestras in 27 countries. Parthenogenesis composed
following workshops with Rowan Williams and Michael
Symmons Roberts. Appointed Composer/Conductor with
the BBC Philharmonic in Manchester, leading to new
recording series on Chandos.
BIOGRAPHY 5