Stuart MacRae (born 12 August 1976) is a Scottish composer.

Education and career

Stuart MacRae was born in Inverness,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

. He studied at Durham University with Philip Cashian and Michael Zev Gordon, and subsequently with

Simon Bainbridge Simon Bainbridge (30 August 1952 – 2 April 2021) was a British composer. He was also a professor and head of composition at the Royal Academy of Music, London, and visiting professor at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, in the United ...

and

Robert Saxton Robert Saxton (born 8 October 1953 in London) is a British composer. Biography Robert Saxton was born in London and started composing at the age of six. He was educated at Bryanston School. Guidance in early years from Benjamin Britten and El ...

at the

Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a conservatoire and drama school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz ...

. By his mid-twenties he was writing astonishingly original and powerfully expressive works, and was receiving commissions from organisations such as the BBC and the

London Sinfonietta The London Sinfonietta is an English contemporary chamber orchestra founded in 1968 and based in London. The ensemble has headquarters at Kings Place and is Resident Orchestra at the Southbank Centre. Since its inaugural concert in 1968—givi ...

as well as being appointed Composer-in-Association 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 r ...

. Often inspired by aspects of nature and humans' relationship to it, MacRae's style draws on various strands of European

modernism Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...

, including the music of Igor Stravinsky,

Elliott Carter Elliott Cook Carter Jr. (December 11, 1908 – November 5, 2012) was an American modernist composer. One of the most respected composers of the second half of the 20th century, he combined elements of European modernism and American "ultra- ...

Iannis Xenakis Giannis Klearchou Xenakis (also spelled for professional purposes as Yannis or Iannis Xenakis; el, Γιάννης "Ιωάννης" Κλέαρχου Ξενάκης, ; 29 May 1922 – 4 February 2001) was a Romanian-born Greek-French avant-garde c ...

Harrison Birtwistle Sir Harrison Birtwistle (15 July 1934 – 18 April 2022) was an English composer of contemporary classical music best known for his operas, often based on mythological subjects. Among his many compositions, his better known works include '' T ...

and

Peter Maxwell Davies Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (8 September 1934 – 14 March 2016) was an English composer and conductor, who in 2004 was made Master of the Queen's Music. As a student at both the University of Manchester and the Royal Manchester College of Musi ...

Key works

* ''The Witch's Kiss'' (1997; chamber ensemble) * ''Violin Concerto'' (2001) * ''Ancrene Wisse'' (2002; choir, orchestra) * ''Motus'' (2003; chamber ensemble) * ''Echo and Narcissus'' (2006; chamber ensemble/dance) * ''Birches'' (2007; chamber orchestra) * ''Gaudete'' (2008; soprano and orchestra) * ''Earth'' (2010; orchestra) * ''Prometheus Symphony'' (2019; soprano and bass-baritone soloists and orchestra)Prometheus Symphony
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Operas

* ''The Assassin Tree'' (2006; chamber opera) * ''Remembrance Day'' (2009; chamber opera) * ''

Ghost Patrol ''Ghost Patrol'' is a 1936 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield. Plot A scientific genius has invented a machine capable of causing planes to crash. He uses it on planes loaded with valuables. Various characters become involved in co ...

'' (2011; chamber opera) * ''The Devil Inside'' (2016) * ''Anthropocene'' (2019)

Awards

* 2013 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Opera for ''

''.

Career highlights

* 1993-7 – studies at Durham University, then

. * 1996 – finalist in Lloyd's Bank Young Composers' workshop. * 1997 – premiere of ''The Witch’s Kiss'' with

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra The BBC Philharmonic is a national British broadcasting symphony orchestra and is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The Philharmonic is a department of the BBC North Group division based at Media ...

and Peter Maxwell Davies. * 1999–2003 – Composer-in-Association of

. * 2001 – MacRae portrait concert conducted by

James MacMillan Sir James Loy MacMillan, (born 16 July 1959) is a Scottish classical composer and conductor. Early life MacMillan was born at Kilwinning, in North Ayrshire, but lived in the East Ayrshire town of Cumnock until 1977. His father is James MacMi ...

Edinburgh International Festival The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially european classical music, classical music) and ...

. * 2001 – ''Violin Concerto'' premiered at

BBC Proms The BBC Proms or Proms, formally named the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts Presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hal ...

. * 2006 – ''The Assassin Tree'', MacRae's first opera premiered at

. * 2008 – ''Gaudete'' premiered at

. * 2012 – ''

'' premiered by

Scottish Opera Scottish Opera is the national opera company of Scotland, and one of the five national performing arts companies of Scotland. Founded in 1962 and based in Glasgow, it is the largest performing arts organisation in Scotland. History Scottish ...

and

Music Theatre Wales Music Theatre Wales (MTW) is a touring contemporary opera company, based in Cardiff, Wales. MTW performs newly commissioned works, alongside existing pieces from the recent past which are either neglected or have been unseen in the UK. Works are ...

Selected recordings

''The City Inside''
– Black Box BBM1058
''Piano Sonata''
– Delphian DCD 34009
''Tol-Pedn''
– Kairos 0012442KAI
''Interact''
– London Sinfonietta SINF CD1-2006
''Violin Concerto, Two Scenes from the Death of Count Ugolino, Motus, Stirling Choruses''
– NMC D115

References

External links

Stuart MacRae's website

Stuart MacRae's homepage at Novello & Co.
Scottish classical composers Alumni of the College of St Hild and St Bede, Durham Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Alumni of the University of Edinburgh 1976 births Living people British male classical composers 20th-century classical composers 20th-century British composers 21st-century British composers 21st-century classical composers 21st-century British musicians 20th-century British male musicians 21st-century British male musicians {{UK-composer-stub