{{short description|Irish composer (born 1951)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Use British English|date=May 2017}} '''Stephen McNeff''' (born 6 September 1951) is an Irish composer, best known for his work in contemporary theatre and opera.<ref>[https://www.editionpeters.com/composer/stephen-mcneff/w03150#elm270bSum Biography at Edition Peters]</ref>
==Biography== Stephen McNeff was born in Belfast and grew up in south Wales.<ref>[https://prsfoundation.com/grantees/the-composers-fund-stephen-mcneff/ Biography at PRS Foundation]</ref> He studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music and undertook post-graduate research at the University of Exeter. He was Associate Director of Manchester University's Contact Theatre in 1979−80. From 1980−84, as Composer in Residence and Associate Director of the Music Theatre Studio Ensemble of the Banff Centre and then Comus Theatre Canada, he won a Dora Mavor Moore Award<ref>[http://www.tapa.ca/doras/recipients_ Dora Award recipients] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629221140/http://www.tapa.ca/doras/recipients_ |date=29 June 2012 }}</ref> for his opera ''The Secret Garden'' (1985) based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. His theatre music in the 1990s saw McNeff receive a Scotsman award for the National Youth Music Theatre production of ''Aesop'' at the 1991 Edinburgh Festival before an unconventional<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/t-s-eliot-the-sequel-first-that-film-now-this-waste-land-opera-based-on-a-comic-no-wonder-lawyers-acting-for-the-eliot-estate-are-so-busy-1433576.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/t-s-eliot-the-sequel-first-that-film-now-this-waste-land-opera-based-on-a-comic-no-wonder-lawyers-acting-for-the-eliot-estate-are-so-busy-1433576.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=T S Eliot: the sequel: First that film, now this Waste Land opera|website=Independent.co.uk |date=3 May 1994|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> staging of T.S. Eliot's ''The Wasteland'' by the Donmar for the BOC Covent Garden festival in 1994 brought him wider attention.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music--always-good-for-a-quote-nicholas-williams-on-the-many-voices-of-berio-and-t-s-eliot-1435403.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music--always-good-for-a-quote-nicholas-williams-on-the-many-voices-of-berio-and-t-s-eliot-1435403.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=MUSIC / Always good for a quote: Nicholas Williams on the many voices|website=Independent.co.uk |date=11 May 1994|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> He was appointed 'Composer-in-the-House' with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 2005 and later became Composer in Residence.<ref>[http://www.royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/new_music/composer_in_the_house/composer_in_the_house_stephen_mcneff/ Royal Philharmonic Society report of BSO Composer in the House appointment]</ref> During his three-year tenure, he wrote a number of major works for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and its contemporary counterpart Kokoro.
Since 2002 McNeff has been a Visiting Artist of Dartington International Summer School, South West Music School, and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. He is currently on the composition staff of [https://www.gsmd.ac.uk Guildhall School of Music and Drama].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Stephen McNeff {{!}} Guildhall School of Music & Drama|url=https://www.gsmd.ac.uk/music/staff/teaching_staff/department/8-department-of-composition/1790-stephen-mcneff/|access-date=2020-09-21|website=www.gsmd.ac.uk}}</ref>
==Selected works==
'''Operas'''
*''2117/Hedd Wyn'' (2017), libretto by Gruff Rhys. Recording released by Ty Cerdd Records in 2022.<ref>[https://www.tycerdd.org/2117-hedd-wyn Ty Cerdd Records]</ref> *''The Burning Boy'' (2017), libretto by Charles Causley.<ref>[https://www.editionpeters.com/product/the-burning-boy/ep73133a Edition Peters]</ref> *''The Last King of Scotland'' (for 2013) after the novel by Giles Foden has been commissioned by Banff and Trinity Laban. An extract was performed by the commissioning conservatoire's students at the ROH2's Exposure series in 2012<ref>[http://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/news/latest-news/acclaimed-singer-holds-vocal-masterclass-at-trinity-laban Trinity Laban masterclass report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008015207/http://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/news/latest-news/acclaimed-singer-holds-vocal-masterclass-at-trinity-laban |date=8 October 2012 }}</ref> *''The Chalk Legend'' (2012) a Dorset-based community opera, libretto by Richard Williams<ref>London Premiere of ''The Chalk Legend'' (London Concert Choir, 14 July 2012) ([https://londonconcertchoir.org/sites/lcc.dd/files/programmes/12e0161-15lccho_the_chalk_legend_-_programme_screen.pdf London Concert Choir pdf p. 19]).</ref> *''Daughter Of The Elements'' (2011) based on the life and work of Marie Curie, first performed at the 2011 Tête à Tête Opera Festival <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tete-a-tete.org.uk/daughter-of-the-elements/|title=Daughters of the Elements - Tête à Tête|date=19 June 2011|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> *''A Voice Of One Delight'' (2010) scena for mezzo-soprano, to a text by Percy Bysshe Shelley and Edward John Trelawny, premiered at the Presteigne festival<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/local/midwales/hi/people_and_places/music/newsid_8691000/8691913.stm|title=Musical landscapes at Presteigne|date=19 May 2010|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016|via=bbc.co.uk}}</ref> *''Pelléas et Mélisande'' (2008) a chamber re-orchestration of Claude Debussy's opera for the Independent Opera Company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independentopera.com/productions/2008_production.html|title=Independent Opera|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> *''Tarka The Otter'' (2007) based on the novel by Henry Williamson, winner of the 2007 British Composer Award for Stage Work <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishcomposerawards.com/shortlist_archive.php?y=2007|title=BRITISH COMPOSER AWARDS|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> *''Gentle Giant'' (2007) based on the novel Michael Morpurgo *''What I Heard About Iraq'' (2006) settings of Eliot Weinberger's aphoristic poems on the post 9/11 Iraq conflict for Opera North <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/articles/2006/04/28/music_fuse_2006_highlights_feature.shtml|title=BBC - Leeds - Entertainment - fuseleeds 2006|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> *''Clockwork'' (2004) based on the children's novel by Philip Pullman *''Names Of The Dead'' (2003) *''Matins for the Virgin of Guadalupe'' (2001) *''The Secret Garden'' (1985)
'''Other vocal'''
*''Madrigali dell'Estate'' (2009) for mezzo-soprano to poems by Gabriele d'Annunzio *''Cities of Dreams'' (2008) for baritone solo, SATB choir and orchestra with texts by Rudyard Kipling, Walt Whitman and William Blake.<ref>[https://www.editionpeters.com/works/cities-of-dreams/135104 Edition Peters]</ref> *''Near Avalon: An Ancient Journey'' (2008) for the Ulster Orchestra and Ulster Youth Choir <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/radioulster/soundsclassical/features259752.shtml|title=BBC - Radio Ulster - Programmes|first=British Broadcasting|last=Corporation|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> *''Dissolve me into Ecstasies'' (2008) for soprano, tenor and baroque ensemble to a text by John Milton *''Weathers'' (2007) *''The Unknown'' (2006) five poems by Edward Thomas *''Four Tales from Beatrix Potter'' (2002–05) adapted by Adrian Mitchell *''More Need'' (2002) for soprano to a text by John Hegley
'''Orchestral and chamber works'''
*''Seven For A Secret'' (2011) adaptation of Maurice Ravel's ''L’Enfant et les sortilèges'' for the Rambert Dance Company<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/dance/8773349/Rambert-Dance-Company-Dance-cosies-up-to-science.html|title=Rambert Dance Company: Dance cosies up to science|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> *''Concert Duo'' (2010) percussion concerto for the Borletti-Buitoni Trust<ref>[http://www.bbtrust.com/commissions/works_performed.html Works performed: The Borletti-Buitoni Trust] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010063258/http://www.bbtrust.com/commissions/works_performed.html |date=10 October 2012 }}</ref> and BBC Symphony Orchestra *''LUX'' (2008) *''Savage Amusements(No. 1)'' (2007) *''Counting 1 & 2'' (2007) *Sinfonia (2007) *''Echoes and Reflections'' (2006) *''Reeling'' (2005) *''Secret Destinations'' (2005) *''Heiligenstadt'' (2005) *Clarinet Concerto (2005)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.northcheshire.org.uk/commissioning/clarinet-concerto/|title=Clarinet Concerto|date=30 May 2012|publisher=|access-date=2 September 2016}}</ref> *Cello Sonata (''Falling Man'') (2003) *Piano Quintet (2002) *''Ghosts'' (2001) for wind ensemble<ref>[http://www.markheron.co.uk/articles/Ghosts.pdf Article on performing 'Ghosts' in 'Winds' magazine, 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906063752/http://www.markheron.co.uk/articles/Ghosts.pdf |date=6 September 2015 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.editionpeters.com/modern.php?composer=MCNEFF&modern=1 Stephen McNeff page at Edition Peters] * [http://www.stephenmcneff.co.uk/ Official Website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McNeff, Stephen}} Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century classical composers from Northern Ireland Category:20th-century male composers from Northern Ireland Category:21st-century classical composers from Northern Ireland Category:21st-century male composers from Northern Ireland Category:British opera composers Category:Irish male opera composers Category:Irish opera composers Category:Male classical composers from Northern Ireland Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music Category:Alumni of the University of Exeter