Sir James Macmillan awarded Musicians’ Company Fellowship

The Musicians Company has announced that composer Sir James MacMillan has been awarded the organisation’s Collard Life Fellowship. One of the company's most prestigious prizes, the award was given to Sir James during the Musicians Company’s annual Installation Dinner this week, in recognition of the composer’s contribution to British music.

Only the fifth holder of this award since its inception in 1931, Sir James joins previous recipients Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Herbert Howells and Peter Maxwell Davies. Sir James composes across genres, creating choral, orchestral and opera to brass bands. He also recently created Who Shall Separate Us?, an anthem heard for the first time at the recent funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Sir James said: 'I feel humbled and touched to have been considered for the Collard Life Fellowship, and had to pinch myself when I looked at the signatures of the previous Fellows, whose music I have loved and admired all my life. It is a great happiness for me to have been embraced by the Worshipful Company of Musicians considering the inspiring work they do for musicians in a tradition that goes back centuries.'

Born in the Scottish town of Cumnock, Sir James’ career took off following the premiere of his work, The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, at the 1990 BBC Proms. He has partnered with organisations and festivals including Edinburgh Festival, Southbank Centre and Grafenegg Festival. Sir James was awarded a Knighthood in the 2015 Queen's Birthday honours.

More recently, Sir James’ Stabat Mater was streamed from the Sistine Chapel by The Sixteen and he experiences continued success as the founder of the annual Cumnock Tryst festival in his hometown.

The Musicians’ Company is one of the oldest charitable companies in the City of London, supporting emerging talent by donating over a quarter of a million pounds every year. Other recent benefactors of the company’s awards were mezzo soprano Amy Holyland and baritone Patrick Keefe, who jointly received this year's John Christie Award.