Composer of the Week: Errollyn Wallen

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Composer of the Week

Music: Classical

An informative guide to composers' lives and their music.

An informative and accessible guide to composers' lives and their music.

Composer of the Week: Errollyn Wallen: Finding New Feet

Finding New Feet

Errollyn Wallen

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, Errollyn Wallen, Finding New Feet

Donald Macleod and composer Errollyn Wallen discuss her breakthrough moment.

Donald Macleod chats to Errollyn Wallen about her colourful early career in London as a session keyboardist and burgeoning composer. Plus, what it's like to live in a lighthouse.

Donald Macleod and composer Errollyn Wallen discuss her breakthrough into the musical world.

Belize-born British composer Errollyn Wallen has been called a “renaissance woman of contemporary music”. She’s a remarkably versatile and prolific composer, pianist and songwriter and one of our most in-demand musical voices today. She was the first black woman to have a piece performed at the Proms in 1998 and her music opened the 2012 Paralympic games. She's even been performed in space, aboard NASA’s STS115 mission. Wallen writes in a kaleidoscopic range of styles; her music constantly crosses and re-crosses musical boundaries and it brims over with a sense of adventure and delight. All this week, Donald Macleod gets to know Errollyn as she dials into his studio from her Scottish lighthouse where she retreats to concentrate on her work.

Today, we hear from Errollyn about her colourful early career in London as a keyboardist in bands, and writing music for a TV gameshow. She and Donald also discuss the the challenge of breaking through as a serious composer. Plus, we hear about life in Errollyn’s lighthouse, and how she ended up living there.

TIGER
John Butt, organ

Lines
Errollyn Wallen, piano

It all depends on you (excerpt)
Fiona Baines, soprano
Andrew Sparling, clarinet
Martin Robertson, clarinet

The Girl in My Alphabet
Errollyn Wallen, piano
Douglas Finch, piano

Three Ships (IV – Some Trouble)
Tom Kerstens, guitar

Red (Homage to Rodrigo)
Tom Kerstens, guitar

Greenwich Variations
Errollyn Wallen, piano


Produced by Amelia Parker

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Donald Macleod talks to British composer Errollyn Wallen about her life and career.

Donald Macleod talks to Errollyn Wallen - a versatile and prolific composer, pianist and songwriter and one of our most in-demand musical voices today - about her life and career.

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