# Helen Grime

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**Helen Grime** (born 1981) is a Scottish composer of [contemporary classical music](/source/Contemporary_classical_music). Her work, *[Virga](/source/Virga_(composition))*, was selected as one of the best ten new classical works of the 2000s by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. She is married to the composer and pianist [Huw Watkins](/source/Huw_Watkins).

## Early life

Grime's grandparents were music teachers in [Macduff, Aberdeenshire](/source/Macduff,_Aberdeenshire). Her mother also taught music, at [St. Margaret's School, Edinburgh](/source/St._Margaret's_School,_Edinburgh).[1] Though she was born in [York](/source/York), England, Grime's parents returned to [Scotland](/source/Scotland) with her when she was a baby, and she spent her early years in [Ellon, Aberdeenshire](/source/Ellon,_Aberdeenshire).[2]

As a youth, Grime learned the [oboe](/source/Oboe)[3] with John Anderson, whilst her sister Frances learned violin. Grime began music studies at age 9 at the [City of Edinburgh Music School](/source/City_of_Edinburgh_Music_School), and continued at age 17 at [St Mary's Music School](/source/St_Mary's_Music_School).[4] She played the oboe in the [National Youth Orchestra of Scotland](/source/National_Youth_Orchestra_of_Scotland). She started to compose from age 12,[5] where her teachers included [Hafliði Hallgrímsson](/source/Hafli%C3%B0i_Hallgr%C3%ADmsson).[6]

Grime continued formal studies at the [Royal College of Music](/source/Royal_College_of_Music) (RCM), where she studied composition with [Julian Anderson](/source/Julian_Anderson) and [Edwin Roxburgh](/source/Edwin_Roxburgh) and played oboe in the RCM Sinfonietta and RCM Baroque Orchestra. She earned first-class honours and a master's degree from the RCM in 2004. Her other composition teachers included [Sally Beamish](/source/Sally_Beamish) and Jennifer Martin.[2] Grime was a Legal and General Junior Fellow at the [Royal College of Music](/source/Royal_College_of_Music) from 2007 to 2009 and a 2008 [Leonard Bernstein](/source/Leonard_Bernstein) Fellow at the [Tanglewood Music Center](/source/Tanglewood_Music_Center) (USA).

## Career

Grime became a lecturer in composition at the Department of Music at [Royal Holloway](/source/Royal_Holloway), [University of London](/source/University_of_London), in January 2010.

Grime's compositions include an oboe concerto, for which she herself was the soloist in its world premiere,[2] written on commission from the Meadows Chamber Orchestra (Edinburgh), and for which she won a "Making Music" prize in the British Composer Awards. Other works have included *Virga* (2007), commissioned by the [London Symphony Orchestra](/source/London_Symphony_Orchestra) and later performed at [The Proms](/source/The_Proms) in August 2009.[7] *A Cold Spring* (2009) was commissioned by [Birmingham Contemporary Music Group](/source/Birmingham_Contemporary_Music_Group) and premiered 20 June at [Aldeburgh Festival](/source/Aldeburgh_Festival), conducted by [Oliver Knussen](/source/Oliver_Knussen).[1] The BBC commissioned her work *Everyone Sang* for the 75th anniversary of the [BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra](/source/BBC_Scottish_Symphony_Orchestra) in 2010. In 2010, she was signed to Chester Music for publication of her music.[8] In February 2011, she was named the next associate composer of [The Hallé](/source/The_Hall%C3%A9) Orchestra, starting in autumn 2011, for a contracted period of three years.[5]

In November 2025 Grimes won an [Ivor Novello Award](/source/Ivor_Novello_Awards) for her piece *Folk* for soprano and orchestra.[9]

## Personal life

Grime is married to the composer and pianist [Huw Watkins](/source/Huw_Watkins), who has performed her works in concert.[10]

She was appointed [Member of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Member_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (MBE) in the [2020 New Year Honours](/source/2020_New_Year_Honours) for services to music.[11]

## Selected compositions

**Stage**

- *Doorstepping Susanna*, Chamber Opera for soprano, counter-tenor, bass, bass clarinet, double bass and percussion (2002)

**Orchestral**

- *[Virga](/source/Virga_(composition))* (2007)[12]
- *Everyone Sang* (2010)
- *Night Songs* (2012)
- *[Near Midnight](/source/Near_Midnight)* (2012)
- *[Two Eardley Pictures](/source/Two_Eardley_Pictures)* (1. "Catterline in Winter," 2. "Snow") (2016)
- *[Woven Space](/source/Woven_Space)* (2017)
- *[Meditations on Joy](/source/Meditations_on_Joy)* (2019)

**Concertante**

- Oboe Concerto (2003)
- [Clarinet Concerto](/source/Clarinet_Concerto_(Grime)) (2009)[13]
- [Violin Concerto](/source/Violin_Concerto_(Grime)) (2016)[14]
- [Piano Concerto](/source/Piano_Concerto_(Grime)) (2017)
- [Percussion Concerto](/source/Percussion_Concerto_(Grime)) (2019)[15]
- [Trumpet Concerto, *night-sky-blue*](/source/Trumpet_Concerto_(Grime)) (2022)

**Chamber and ensemble music**

- *5 Miniatures* (1996)[6]
- Quintet for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano (2002)
- *Romance* for violin and piano (2003)
- *Blurred Edges* for flute (piccolo), clarinet (bass clarinet), violin, cello, harp and piano (2004)
- *Chasing Butterflies* for 100 violas (8-part ensemble) (2004)
- *Song for Seven Instruments* (2004)
- Quartet (2004)
- *Elegiac Inflections* for wind ensemble (2005)
- *5 Movements* for cello and piano (2005)
- *YKSITOISTA* for chamber ensemble (2005)
- *Into the Faded Air* for 2 violin, 2 violas and 2 cellos (2007)
- *The Brook Sings Loud* for violin, cello and piano (2008)
- Piano Trio (2008)
- *A Cold Spring* for chamber ensemble (2009)[16]
- *To See the Summer Sky* for violin and viola (2009)[13]
- *Fantasie, Danse, Cérémonie* for flute and harp (2010)
- *7 Pierrot Miniatures* for flute (piccolo), clarinet (bass clarinet), violin (viola), cello and piano (2010)[17]
- *Luna* for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, percussion and piano (2011)
- Oboe Quartet (2012)
- String Quartet No 1 (2014)
- String Quartet No 2 (2021)

**Piano**

- *The Flash of Fireflies in Folds of Darkness* (2004)
- *Harp of the North* (2004)
- *Entwined Channels* for 2 pianos (2006)
- *10 Miniatures* (2009)

**Vocal**

- *A Vision* for soprano, clarinet, violin and cello (2000)
- *A Last Look* for soprano and piano (2002)
- *In the Mist* for tenor and piano (2008)
- *Nobody Comes* for voice and piano (2008)

**Choral**

- *Lachrymae* for chorus a cappella (2005)
- *Missa Brevis* for choir and organ (2023)

## References

1. Tim Cornwell (31 March 2010). ["How this 28-year-old Scot wrote some of best classical music of 21st century"](https://www.scotsman.com/news/how-this-28-year-old-scot-wrote-some-of-best-classical-music-of-21st-century-1-798111). *The Scotsman*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

1. Michael Tumelty (19 January 2010). ["A rising star who is thoroughly composed"](http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/a-rising-star-who-is-thoroughly-composed-1.999949). *The Herald*. Retrieved 2 December 2010.

1. Margaret Vaughan (30 January 1997). ["Band of hope amid the madness"](http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/band-of-hope-amid-the-madness-1.415195). *The Herald*. Retrieved 2 December 2010.

1. Kenny Mathieson (12 February 1999). ["Music: St Mary's Music School, Glasgow University"](http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/usic-st-mary-s-music-school-glasgow-university-1.305912). *The Herald*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

1. Andrew Clark (1 December 2010). ["New traditionalist"](http://presscuttings.ft.com/presscuttings/s/3/viewPdf/44969585). *Financial Times*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

1. Michael Tumelty (17 January 1997). ["Peter Evans, Concert Hall, Glasgow University"](http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/peter-evans-concert-hall-glasgow-university-1.417298). *The Herald*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

1. [commissions/helen-grime/](http://www.bcmg.org.uk/commissioning/past-commissions/helen-grime/)*www.bcmg.org.uk* [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160203235303/http://www.bcmg.org.uk/commissioning/past-commissions/helen-grime/) 3 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine

1. Michael Tumelty (1 December 2010). ["New star remains perfectly composed"](http://www.heraldscotland.com/classical/news/new-star-remains-perfectly-composed-1.1071921). *The Herald*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

1. ["The Ivors Classical Awards"](https://ivorsacademy.com/the-ivors-classical-awards/). *The Ivors Academy*. 2025-10-14. Retrieved 2025-10-16.

1. ["Radio 3 in Concert - Music for piano trio from the Aldeburgh Festival - BBC Sounds"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002dmxs). [BBC Sounds](/source/BBC_Sounds). Retrieved 13 July 2025. (announced at around 25'45")

1. No. 62866. 28 December 2019. p. N18.

1. Andrew Clements (9 August 2009). ["Prom 30 – BBCSO/Knussen (Royal Albert Hall, London)"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/aug/09/prom-30-bbcso-knussen-review). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

1. George Hall (26 January 2010). ["Music of Today/Philharmonia/Segerstam"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jan/26/music-of-today-philharmonia-segerstam). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

1. Wilson, Francis (2016-10-12). ["Meet the Artist... Helen Grime, Composer"](https://crosseyedpianist.com/2016/10/12/meet-the-artist-helen-grime-composer/). The Cross Eyed Pianist (Blog). Retrieved 2017-08-25.

1. ["In the Studio - British percussionist Colin Currie"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3csww8r). *Bbc.co.uk*. Retrieved 2019-02-13.

1. Andrew Clements (27 January 2010). ["BCMG/Knussen (BCSO Centre, Birmingham)"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jan/27/bcmg-knussen-review). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

1. Rowena Smith (16 March 2010). ["Hebrides Ensemble (Traverse, Edinburgh)"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/mar/16/hebrides-ensemble-review). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 27 March 2011.

## External links

- [Chester Novello publishing house page on Helen Grime](http://www.chesternovello.com/Default.aspx?TabId=2431&State_2905=2&composerId_2905=3953)
- [Royal Holloway, University of London page on Helen Grime](http://pure.rhul.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/helen-grime_3f36a658-725f-44aa-9fb8-be6fac2e19aa.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20101230032805/http://pure.rhul.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/helen-grime_3f36a658-725f-44aa-9fb8-be6fac2e19aa.html) 30 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- [Scottish Music Centre page on Helen Grime](https://web.archive.org/web/20110927184645/http://www.scottishmusiccentre.com/directory/e3040)
- [Sound Scotland page on Helen Grime](http://www.sound-scotland.co.uk/site/2010/artists/GrimeHelen.htm)
- [Sound and Music page on Helen Grime](https://web.archive.org/web/20110727125633/http://soundandmusic.org/thecollection/resources/collection/composer/helen-grime)
- [CV from Aberdeen Chamber Orchestra](http://www.aberdeenchambermusic.org/programme/helengrime.doc)[dead link]
- ["BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra 75th Anniversary Concert", BBC Two Programmes page](http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wkfyc)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Helen Grime](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Grime) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Grime?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.