James MacMillan

Born: July 16, 1959, in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland

Exploded on the scene in 1990 with BBC Proms premiere of The Confession of Isobel Gowdie

Currently: Composer/ Conductor, BBC Philharmonic

In progress: his second opera based on the ancient Welsh tales of the Mabinogion, to be premiered by Welsh National Opera in 2007

Press: “...a composer so confident of his own musical language that he makes it instantly communicative to his listeners.” — The Guardian

Passions: His music is notable for its extraordinary directness, energy and emotional power. References to Scottish folk music give a strong sense of the vernacular, while his “spiritual anchor” in Roman Catholicism, political ideals and community concerns inform both the spirit and subject matter of his music.

Acclaim: Over 300 performances of his percussion concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel (1992) by orchestras including London Symphony Orchestra, New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics and Cleveland Orchestra

Featured composer at Edinburgh Festival (1993) and South Bank Centre in London (1997)

On disc: on BMG/RCA Red Seal, BIS, Chandos, Naxos, Black Box and Hyperion

Compositions include: Seven Last Words from the Cross (1993), Quikening (1998), A Scotch Bestiary (2004 for LA Phil’s Disney organ premiere)