Cecilia McDowall
Encyclopedia
Cecilia McDowall has been described by the International Record Review
as having ‘a communicative gift that is very rare in modern music’ and Gramophone has said of her that ‘she has an instinctive understanding of the medium allied to the ability to speak directly to the listener wholly without artifice’. Often inspired by extra-musical influences, her writing combines a rhythmic vitality with expressive lyricism 'which is, at times, intensely moving'. She read music at the University of Edinburgh
continuing her studies at Trinity College of Music
, London, later completing an MMus in composition. She studied with Joseph Horovitz
, Robert Saxton
and Adam Gorb. She has won many awards and has been four times short-listed for the British Composer Awards.
Her music has been commissioned and performed by leading choirs, including the BBC Singers
, ensembles and at major festivals both in Britain and abroad and has been broadcast on BBC Radio and worldwide.
A commission from the Portsmouth Festival Choir, the Shipping Forecast, gained national media attention, in June 2011. The work reflects the mystery and force of the sea, drawing together the poetry of Seán Street, the psalm 'They that go down to the sea in ships', and the words of the shipping forecast itself.
Recent commissions include the Musicians' Benevolent Fund
St Cecilia anthem for the service of St Cecilia at St Paul's Cathedral
, sung by the joint choirs of Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and St Paul's Cathedral, and liturgical works for Durham and Liverpool Cathedrals. Future works include commissions from the BBC for Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir
, the winner of the BBC Radio 3 2008 Choir of the Year: the Welsh Chamber Orchestra, Jeremy Huw Williams, baritone, David Juritz, violin, conductor, Anthony Hose at the Beaumaris Festival; the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
. and Chorus in conjunction with the NE Community Choir for performance in Aberdeen in October, 2011: the City of London Sinfonia
(a commission from the Scott Polar research Institute to celebrate the centenary of Scott's death in 1912) which will be performed in the Birmingham Symphony Hall in February, 2012; and in a new work for the 2012 Presteigne festival
. The renowned American choir, Phoenix Chorale
, have recorded Three Latin Motets on the Chandos label ( Spotless Rose: Hymns to the Virgin Mary ).This CD won a Grammy award in February, 2009, and was nominated for Best Classical Album.
In 2010 Oxford University Press
signed Cecilia McDowall as an 'Oxford' composer and she is currently 'composer-in-residence' at Dulwich College
, London.
Choral works
Chamber, Small ensemble and solo works
International Record Review
International Record Review is an independent British monthly classical music magazine.Established in March 2000, it reviews classical music CDs, DVDs and books. CD reviews are divided into orchestral, chamber, instrumental, choral, vocal and opera, with DVD reviews, invariably of opera,...
as having ‘a communicative gift that is very rare in modern music’ and Gramophone has said of her that ‘she has an instinctive understanding of the medium allied to the ability to speak directly to the listener wholly without artifice’. Often inspired by extra-musical influences, her writing combines a rhythmic vitality with expressive lyricism 'which is, at times, intensely moving'. She read music at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
continuing her studies at Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music
Trinity College of Music is one of the London music conservatories, based in Greenwich. It is part of Trinity Laban.The conservatoire is inheritor of elegant riverside buildings of the former Greenwich Hospital, designed in part by Sir Christopher Wren...
, London, later completing an MMus in composition. She studied with Joseph Horovitz
Joseph Horovitz
Joseph Horovitz is a British composer and conductor. Horovitz's family emigrated to England in 1938. He studied music and modern languages at New College, Oxford, and later attended the Royal College of Music in London, studying composition with Gordon Jacob. He then undertook a year of further...
, Robert Saxton
Robert Saxton
-Biography:After early advice and encouragement from Benjamin Britten, Robert Saxton took private composition lessons with Elisabeth Lutyens. He went on to study with Robin Holloway at Cambridge University, with Robert Sherlaw Johnson as a post-graduate at Oxford University, and later with Berio....
and Adam Gorb. She has won many awards and has been four times short-listed for the British Composer Awards.
Her music has been commissioned and performed by leading choirs, including the BBC Singers
BBC Singers
The BBC Singers are the professional chamber choir of the BBC. As one of six BBC Performing Groups, the 24-voiced choir has been in existence for more than 80 years. The BBC Singers have commissioned and premiered works by the leading composers of the past century, including Benjamin Britten, Sir...
, ensembles and at major festivals both in Britain and abroad and has been broadcast on BBC Radio and worldwide.
A commission from the Portsmouth Festival Choir, the Shipping Forecast, gained national media attention, in June 2011. The work reflects the mystery and force of the sea, drawing together the poetry of Seán Street, the psalm 'They that go down to the sea in ships', and the words of the shipping forecast itself.
Recent commissions include the Musicians' Benevolent Fund
Musicians' Benevolent Fund
The Musicians' Benevolent Fund is a United Kingdom charity offering help and support to working and retired musicians, other professionals in the music industry, and their dependants....
St Cecilia anthem for the service of St Cecilia at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, sung by the joint choirs of Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral and St Paul's Cathedral, and liturgical works for Durham and Liverpool Cathedrals. Future works include commissions from the BBC for Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir
Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir
Scunthorpe Co-operative Junior Choir is a choir from Scunthorpe, England, currently conducted by Sue Hollingworth, the 2010 winner of the Gramophone Magazine inaugural Music in the Community The Chormaster's Prize award...
, the winner of the BBC Radio 3 2008 Choir of the Year: the Welsh Chamber Orchestra, Jeremy Huw Williams, baritone, David Juritz, violin, conductor, Anthony Hose at the Beaumaris Festival; the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is Scotland's national symphony orchestra. Based in Glasgow, the 89-member professional orchestra also regularly performs in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, and abroad. Formed in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra, the company has performed full-time since 1950,...
. and Chorus in conjunction with the NE Community Choir for performance in Aberdeen in October, 2011: the City of London Sinfonia
City of London Sinfonia
The City of London Sinfonia is an English chamber orchestra based in London. In London, the CLS performs regularly at Cadogan Hall and St Paul's Cathedral. It is also the resident orchestra at Opera Holland Park. The CLS has annual residencies in four towns in Southern England: Ipswich, King's...
(a commission from the Scott Polar research Institute to celebrate the centenary of Scott's death in 1912) which will be performed in the Birmingham Symphony Hall in February, 2012; and in a new work for the 2012 Presteigne festival
Presteigne festival
The Presteigne Festival is a classical music festival which takes place at the end of August each year in the town of Presteigne situated in the Welsh Marches....
. The renowned American choir, Phoenix Chorale
Phoenix Chorale
The Phoenix Chorale is a professional chamber choir based out of Phoenix, Arizona, United States.The ensemble formed in 1958 as the Bach and Madrigal Society...
, have recorded Three Latin Motets on the Chandos label ( Spotless Rose: Hymns to the Virgin Mary ).This CD won a Grammy award in February, 2009, and was nominated for Best Classical Album.
In 2010 Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
signed Cecilia McDowall as an 'Oxford' composer and she is currently 'composer-in-residence' at Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
, London.
Selected works
Orchestral and Large ensemble works- Theatre of Tango for baritone solo, violin solo and chamber orchestra (2011)
- Crossing the bridge for string orchestra (2011)
- Radnor Songs for soprano and chamber orchestra (2009)
- Great Hills for solo violin, two flutes and string orchestra (2007)
- Rain, Steam and Speed for chamber orchestra (2006)
- Dancing Fish for soprano saxophone and string orchestra (2005)
- Trumpet Concerto (Seraphim) for trumpet, strings and percussion (2002)
- Not just a place for violin and double bass solo and string orchestra (2001)
Choral works
- Northlight for SATB and chamber orchestra (2011)
- A heavenly song for SATB and organ (2011)
- Shipping Forecast for SATB and piano (or organ or string orchestra) (2011)
- Song of the Sea for SATB and organ (2011)
- Jesu, the very thought of Thee SSAATTBB and organ (2010)
- Aurea luce SATB and organ (2010)
- Alma Redemptoris Mater for SSATBB (2010)
- Deus, portus pacis for SSATB (2009)
- Ad Lucem, a Canticle of Light (2009) for SATB and organ or string orchestra
- Lonely Hearts for SSA and piano or harp (2005)
- Three Latin Motets ( Ave Regina, Ave Maria and Regina Caeli ) SATB (2004)
- Christus natus est , SATB and chamber orchestra (2003)
- Stabat Mater for baritone solo, children’s chorus, SATB and orchestra (2004)
- Magnificat for soprano and mezzo-soprano solo, SATB and orchestra (2003)
- A Fancy of Folksongs for SATB and piano or harp (2003)
- Ave maris stella for SATB and string orchestra (2001)
Chamber, Small ensemble and solo works
- Are we on the same page? string quartet (2011)
- Skerry and Fjord for trombone and piano (2010)
- Time between Tides for violin, viola and cello (2010)
- Colour of Blossoms piano trio (2009)
- Cavatina at Midnight for clarinet, cello and piano or piano trio (2008)
- Strange violin, are you following me? for violin and piano (2008)
- Falling Angels for cello and piano (2007)
- Colour is the keyboard for piano (2007)
- Mein blaues Klavier for soprano saxophone and piano (2006)
- Century Dances for oboe (flute), clarinet and bassoon (2005)
- The Moon Dances for flute and piano (2003)
- The Night Trumpeter for trumpet and piano or ensemble (2002)
- Dream City for flute, clarinet, string quartet and harp (2002)
- Four piano solos (2002)
- White Fox Woman for mezzo-soprano and oboe (2002)
Selected Recordings
Notable recordings of McDowalls music include:- Laudate (2009) CCCC, George Vass, Dutton Epoch CDLX 7230
- Spotless Rose (2008) Phoenix Chorale, Charles Bruffy, Chandos CHSA 5066
- Stabat Mater (2007) CCCC, Joyful Company of Singers, CDLX 7197
- Proclamation International Celebrity Trumpet Ensemble, Brass Classics
- Seraphim (2005) Orchestra Nova, George Vass, Dutton Epoch CDLX 7159
- Ave maris stella (2004) CCCC, George Vass, Dutton Epoch CDLX 7146