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Colin Matthews

Composer

The Isambard Kingdom Brunel of contemporary music …

— Paul Griffiths, The Times
  • Colin Matthews, photographed by Fiona Garden
    Colin Matthews, photographed by Fiona Garden
  • Colin Matthews, photographed by Fiona Garden
    Colin Matthews, photographed by Fiona Garden
  • Colin Matthews, photographed by Fiona Garden
    Colin Matthews, photographed by Fiona Garden

COLIN MATTHEWS was born in London in 1946. He studied with Arnold Whittall and Nicholas Maw; in the 1970s he was assistant to Benjamin Britten, and worked for many years with Imogen Holst. His collaboration with Deryck Cooke on the performing version of Mahler’s Tenth Symphony lasted from 1963 until its publication in 1975. Over four decades his music has ranged from solo piano music through five string quartets and many ensemble and orchestral works. He was Associate Composer with the London Symphony Orchestra between 1992 and 1999, and Composer-in-Association with the Hallé from 2001-10, now their Composer Emeritus.

Read complete biography about Biography

Featured Recording

Divertimento for Double String Quartet, Oboe Quartet No.1, Triptych, Five Concertinos, String Quartet No.2

Colin Matthews: Divertimento

Performers: Divertimenti Ensemble, Schubert Ensemble, Haffner Wind Ensemble, Brindisi Quartet; Melinda Maxwell (oboe); Oliver Knussen (conductor)

This disc of chamber music brings together works previously issued only on LP, from the Schubert and Divertimenti Ensembles, with an unreleased recording by the Brindisi Quartet of String Quartet No.2. The disc is completed with Five Concertinos for Wind Quintet, performed by Nicholas Daniel’s Haffner Ensemble.

More about this recording

Gallery

A selection of images spanning Colin Matthews’ career in music.

  • Elliott Carter & CM in conversation in Snape Maltings concert hall
    Elliott Carter & CM - Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
  • Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
    Donald Mitchell, Paul Daniel, Colin Matthews, Michael Berkeley, Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
  • CM, Janet Baker, Benjamin Britten, Rita Thomson in conversation while looking at a music score together
    CM, Janet Baker, Benjamin Britten, Rita Thomson - Aldeburgh Festival 1976 (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
  • CM in conversation with Sally Groves & Hans Werner Henze
    CM, Sally Groves, Hans Werner Henze - Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
  • Lukas Foss & CM sittign on the stage at Snape Maltings during a break in rehearsal
    Lukas Foss & CM - Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
  • Group photo standing outside Snape Maltings concert hall
    Robin Holloway, CM, Oliver Knussen, Toru Takemitsu, Howard Skempton - Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)
  • Colin Matthews sitting at his desk
    Colin Matthews at his desk, photographed by Fiona Garden

Elliott Carter & CM in conversation in Snape Maltings concert hallAldeburgh Festival (Photo: Nigel Luckhurst; copyright Britten-Pears Foundation)CM, Janet Baker, Benjamin Britten, Rita Thomson in conversation while looking at a music score togetherCM in conversation with Sally Groves & Hans Werner HenzeLukas Foss & CM sittign on the stage at Snape Maltings during a break in rehearsalGroup photo standing outside Snape Maltings concert hallColin Matthews sitting at his desk

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Latest News & Views

Nottingham University Challenge team - Roy, Hopkins, Wood, Matthews

Christmas University Challenge

19 December, 2020

Gurrelieder poster for first perfomance in 1913

Gurrelieder

7 April, 2020

Group pic of composers David Alberman (LSO chair and principal 2nd violin), Christian Mason (composition support) and from left to right Christian Drew, Stef Conner, Chris McCormack, Camilla Panufnik, Patrick Jones, Emma-Kate Matthews, CM, and Alex Paxton.

2020 Panufnik Composers

6 March, 2020

Upcoming Performances

Click on the date and title of the performance to view venue and booking details in a new window.

20 January, 2021 - La cathédrale engloutie (Debussy/Matthews)
Orchestre de Paris, Ludovic Morlot (conductor)
Philharmonie, Paris, France

4 February, 2021 - Eleven Studies in Velocity
Royal Academy of Music
Livestreamed from the David Josefowitz Recital Hall

27 April, 2021 - Seascapes (World Premiere)
Nash Ensemble
Wigmore Hall, London

View all performances

Useful Links

Faber Music
NMC Recordings
The Holst Foundation

© 2021 Colin Matthews · Website by Bookswarm

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