Role

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Composer

Birth

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1969

Period

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Contemporary

 

Kieren MacMillan is a Canadian composer of classical music who was born on May 22, 1955, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a church organist and his mother a pianist. MacMillan began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the guitar and the trumpet. He attended Dalhousie University in Halifax, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in composition and theory in 1977. After completing his undergraduate studies, MacMillan moved to Toronto to pursue a career in music. He studied composition with Samuel Dolin at the Royal Conservatory of Music and with John Beckwith at the University of Toronto. He also studied conducting with Raffi Armenian and piano with William Aide. MacMillan's early works were influenced by the music of the Second Viennese School, particularly the works of Arnold Schoenberg. His first major composition, "String Quartet No. 1," was written in 1978 and premiered the following year. The piece was well-received and established MacMillan as a promising young composer. In the 1980s, MacMillan began to incorporate elements of traditional Scottish music into his compositions. This was influenced by his Scottish heritage and his interest in the music of the Scottish composer James MacMillan (no relation). MacMillan's works from this period include "Scottish Dances" for orchestra (1983), "Celtic Mass" for choir and orchestra (1985), and "The Braes of Loch Eireann" for solo violin and orchestra (1987). In the 1990s, MacMillan's music became more experimental and incorporated elements of electronic music and multimedia. His works from this period include "The Book of Mirrors" for choir and electronics (1992), "The Seven Deadly Sins" for chamber ensemble and video (1994), and "The Secret Garden" for orchestra and video (1997). In the 2000s, MacMillan returned to more traditional forms of classical music, including opera and symphonic music. His opera "The Secret Garden" premiered in 2005 and was based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The opera was well-received and established MacMillan as a major figure in Canadian opera. MacMillan's other works from this period include "Symphony No. 1" (2001), "Symphony No. 2" (2006), and "Symphony No. 3" (2011). His symphonies are notable for their use of traditional forms and their incorporation of elements of Scottish music. In addition to his work as a composer, MacMillan has also been active as a conductor and educator. He has conducted numerous orchestras and choirs in Canada and the United States, and has taught composition and theory at several universities. MacMillan's music has been performed by many of the world's leading orchestras and ensembles, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the Kronos Quartet. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Order of Canada in 2019. Overall, Kieren MacMillan is a highly respected composer of classical music who has made significant contributions to the Canadian music scene. His works are notable for their incorporation of traditional Scottish music and their experimentation with electronic music and multimedia.

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