Edward ("Eddie") McGuire (born 1948) is a Scottish composer whose work ranges from compositions for solo instruments and voice to large-scale orchestral and operatic works. McGuire studied composition with James Iliff at the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke ...

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from 1966 to 1970 and then with Ingvar Lidholm in

Stockholm Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropo ...

in 1971.

Early life

McGuire was born and brought up in

Possilpark Possilpark is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow, situated north of the River Clyde and centred around Saracen Street. The area developed around Saracen Foundry of Walter MacFarlane & Co., which was the main employer. In the wake of the ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popu ...

. His father played folk violin and was a member of a male voice choir which sang arrangements of

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

and Irish songs at charity concerts.

Career

As a student at the

McGuire won the Hecht Prize (1968) and the National Young Composers Competition (held in Liverpool University in 1969). A competition organised by the Society for the Promotion of New Music to find a modern test piece for the 1978

Carl Flesch International Violin Competition The Carl Flesch International Violin Competition (also known as the International Competition for Violinists "Carl Flesch" and the City of London International Competition for Violin and Viola (Carl Flesch Medal)) was an international music competi ...

was won by McGuire with a solo violin piece, ''Rant''. This piece was recently performed for a 65th birthday concert for McGuire organised by the BBC Scottish Symphony Club which was followed by another concert at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Another early success was when ''String Quartet'' was selected for the 40th anniversary Barbican Gala of the SPNM in 1983. His 3 act opera ''The Loving of Etain'' to a libretto by Marianne Carey was premiered by Paragon Opera at the Atheneum Theatre, Glasgow, in 1990. McGuire's 2 act opera ''Cullercoats Tommy'', with a libretto by

Michael Wilcox Michael Wilcox is a British playwright. He was resident playwright at the Dovecot Arts Centre in Stockton-on-Tees for the 1977 season. In 1980, he was resident playwright at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. In 2008, he signed a letter against B ...

was premiered by Northern Sinfonia and Northern Stage in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1993. McGuire received a British Composers' Award in 2003. In 2004 he received a Creative Scotland Award which allowed him to create the work ''Defying Fate''. He was commissioned to produce the finale for the 2006 St Magnus Festival, ''Ring of Strings''. Calgacus, first recorded in 1997 by BBCSSO at the London Proms was performed again by the same orchestra for 2014 Celtic Connections. His most frequently performed work has been his 3 act ballet ''Peter Pan'' staged by Scottish Ballet and Hong Kong Ballet over 120 times with a page dedicated to it on his website. McGuire plays the flute in the

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the Whistlebinkies. In January 2006 he travelled to

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with the group to play a concert ("Scotland the Brave") with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. A CD of his music, ''Eddie McGuire: Music for Flute, Guitar and Piano'', on the

Delphian Records Delphian Records is an Edinburgh-based independent classical record label, founded in 2000 by two students of the University of Edinburgh, Paul Baxter and Kevin Findlan with start-up funding from two private individuals, and support from the Pri ...

label was 'Editor's Choice' in

Gramophone magazine ''Gramophone'' is a magazine published monthly in London, devoted to classical music, particularly to reviews of recordings. It was founded in 1923 by the Scottish author Compton Mackenzie who continued to edit the magazine until 1961. It was ac ...

in 2006. In 2015 Delphian Records released ''Entangled Fortunes'' performed by the

Red Note Ensemble Red Note Ensemble is one of the contemporary music ensembles in Scotland, formed by some musicians in the UK. Playing and developing contemporary music, the ensemble performs to audiences around and beyond Scotland. It was partially named for the ...

and once again featured in

'Editor's Choice'

Selected compositions

* McGuire, Edward. Calgacus: Symphonic Poem. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1997. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Celtic Knotwork: for 3 recorders, voices, 4 flutes or 4 clarinets. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1990. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Violin Sonatina: for violin and piano. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1997. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Romance for Cello, Guitar, 1994. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1998. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Concerto for Trombone: for trombone and string orchestra. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1997. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Concerto for Viola: for viola and string orchestra. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1998. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Concerto for Cello: for cello and string orchestra, Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 2020. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Trio for Flute, Oboe, Bassoon. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1971. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Prelude 22: (the Big Bang) : Solo Trumpet. Coventry: Warwick Music, 2005. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Symphony: for symphony orchestra. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1978. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Source: a Symphonic Poem: for symphony orchestra. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1979. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Rant: for solo violin. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1986. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Peter Pan: a ballet score in 3 acts: for symphony orchestra. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1990. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. String Trio II: McEwen Commission. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 2019. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. String Quartet: SPNM competition winner. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 1982. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Kaleidoscope Suite: for double wind quintet. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 2019. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. On Inchcolm: for SATB choir & ensemble to poem by Tom Furniss. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 2017. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Three Comic Sketches: suite for 4 bass clarinets. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 2020. Musical score. * McGuire, Edward. Euphoria: for sextet. Recorded by Red Note on Delphian. Glasgow: Scottish Music Centre, 2020. Musical score.

Selected recordings

* McGuire, Eddie. ''Luminate: Live Music Now Scotland Celebrates 30 Years''. Edinburgh: Delphian Records, 2015. Sound recording. * McGuire, Eddie. ''Albannach'' performed by The Whistlebinkies: 2006. https://www.greentrax.com/music/product/The-Whistlebinkies-Albannach-CD * McGuire, Edward. Dancing Memories, Mrs. De Ruyg's Delight. S.l: s.n., 2006. Sound recording. * McGuire, Edward. Fast Peace 3. ''Point of Departure.'' the Alma Duo (Phyllis Kamrin, viola, and Michael Goldberg, guitar) perform McGuire's ''Fast Peace 3'' (KA9001CD) Kamelion 1994 * McGuire, Edward. ''Viola Pieces''. James Durrant performs McGuire's ''Divertimento for 20 Violas'', ''Prelude 6'' and ''Martyr'' (ALTO CD1) Alto Records 1994 * McGuire, Edward. ''Upstart Jugglers'': Mr McFall's Chamber ensemble perform McGuire's ''Nocturnes'' (MMCC 003)Mr McFalls Chamber
2001 * McGuire, Eddie. ''Music for Flute, Guitar and Piano'' (DCD34029
Delphian Records
2006: Nancy Ruffer (flute), Abigail James (guitar) and Dominic Saunders (piano) * McGuire, Eddie. ''Flotilla'': the Flotilla trio of 2 soprano saxophones and alto saxophone perform McGuire's ''Remembrance'' (ATKS 0802
Big Shed Music
2008 * McGuire, Eddie. ''Knotwork'': the Fell Clarinet Quartet perform McGuire's ''Celtic Knotwork'' and ''Chinese Knotwork'' (DCD34065
Delphian Records
2008 * McGuire, Edward. ''Embracing the Unknown'': Edinburgh String Quartet, John Kenny (trombone), Catriona McKay (harp) play McGuire's ''Guest Sextet'' (BC3010
Brass Classics
2009 * McGuire, Edward. The Prairie Song Project: Amy Morris (flute) and Michael Heaston (piano) perform McGuire's ''Aria'
Prairie Song Project
2012 * McGuire, Edward. ''Guitar Phases'': Stefan Grasse performs McGuire's ''Dark Cloud'' for 8 guitars (Xolo CD 1033
Xolo
* McGuire, Edward. ''Celtic Prayer'': Paisley Abbey Choir sings McGuire's ''Three Donne Lyrics'

References

External links