MacMillan, James (1959– )

Scottish composer. In works such as The Confessions of Isobel Gowdie, premiered at the London Promenade concerts in 1990, he forsakes modern orthodoxies for a more popular approach. His other works include the concerto Veni, Veni, Emmanuel (1992), the choral work Magnificat (1999), and the operas Golem (1989), God's Liar (2001), and The Sacrifice (2007). His works are often inspired by Catholicism and Scottish traditional music.

He studied at Edinburgh University and at Durham, where he received a PhD in 1987, with John Casken. He was a lecturer of music at the University of Manchester 1986–88 and became a professor in 1992. He was composer and conductor at the BBC Philharmonic from 2000.

Works Opera the chamber opera Tourist Variations (1991);operas Inès de Castro (1993); Golem (1989), God's Liar (2001), and The Sacrifice (2007); music theatre Busqueda (1988) and Visitatio Sepulchri (1993).

Orchestral Into the Ferment for ensemble and orchestra (1988), Tryst for orchestra (1989), The Berserking, piano concerto (1990), Sinfonietta (1991), Veni, Veni Emmanuel, percussion concerto for Evelyn Glennie (1992), Epiclesis, trumpet concerto (1993), VS for orchestra (1993).

Chamber Tuireadh (Requiem) for clarinet and string quartet (1991), Scots Song for soprano and chamber quintet (1991).

Other music for band, choral pieces including Magnificat (1999), and piano music.