Weir, Judith (1954– )

Scottish composer. Known for the narrative quality and clarity of her music, she has written several pieces for theatre and opera. She studied with English composer John Tavener and worked with computer music at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1973. Later she studied with Robin Holloway (1943– ) at Cambridge. Her compositions, which often draw from the history and culture of her native Scotland, include The Art of Touching the Keyboard (1983), for piano; The Bagpiper's String Trio (1985), and A Night at The Chinese Opera (1987).

Works Opera The Black Spider (1985), A Night at The Chinese Opera (1987), The Vanishing Bridegroom (1990), and Blond Eckbert (1994).

Orchestral orchestral pieces Wunderhorn (1979), The Ride Over Lake Constance (1984), Variations on ‘Summer is icumen in’ (1987), Music Untangled (1992), Heroic Strokes of the Bow (1992).

Choral Heaven Ablaze in his Breast for chorus, two pianos, and eight dancers (1989).

Ensemble re-compositions of Mozart's Il sogno di Scipione (1991) and Monteverdi's Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda (1992).

Other chamber music; songs and keyboard pieces.