born Sept. 8, 1934, Manchester, Eng.
British composer.
He studied in England, Italy, and the U.S. He cofounded the contemporary ensemble The Fires of London and was its musical director (197087); he wrote many of his works for the group. Since 1970 he has lived and composed primarily in the remote Orkney Islands. He has written many musical theatre works and has conducted orchestras worldwide. His most famous compositions are Eight Songs for a Mad King (1969) and An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise ; his other works include Vesalii Icones (1969), Miss Donnithorne's Maggot (1974), and Ave maris stella (1975); the operas Taverner (1968), The Martyrdom of St. Magnus (1976), and Le Jongleur de Notre Dame (1978); and seven symphonies.