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Errollyn Wallen

Leading international composer and singer-songwriter Errollyn Wallen is as much at home in jazz and pop as in the classical world. Her recent memoir offers an intriguing glimpse into the mind and motivation of a composer and covers aspects of Wallen’s sometimes troubled childhood, and her experiences of growing up as one of the very few composers of colour for classical music in the UK. One of the 20 most performed living composers globally, Wallen's example challenges assumptions at every level.

Becoming a Composer: Music from the Outside In

Errollyn Wallen CBE is a multi-award-winning Belize-born composer who was appointed Master of the King's Music in August 2024. Her output includes over 20 operas and numerous orchestral, chamber and vocal works. She composed works for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in 2012, for Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees and a re-imagining of Parry’s Jerusalem for the Last Night of the Proms. Her acclaimed Concerto Grosso was released on the NMC label in January 2020, performed by Chineke! Errollyn was awarded an MBE in 2007 and was made a CBE in 2020. She has received an Ivor Novello Award for Classical Music, a British Composer Award and a FIPA D’Or for Best Music for a Television Series. 

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