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Colin Matthews

Composer

Matthews, like Britten, has the gift of creating crisply memorable material …

— Edward Greenfield, The Guardian

Colin Matthews at 70

18 February, 2016

Colin Matthews, photographed by Fiona Garden
Colin Matthews, photographed by Fiona Garden

Colin Matthews celebrates his 70th birthday this week. There will be several events over the coming months to mark the occasion, kicking off with a performance of his first & second oboe quartets by the Berlin Oboe Quartet in Bremen this evening.

June will be a busy month, with the premiere of a new film directed by Barrie Gavin at the Aldeburgh Festival, ‘Colin Matthews at 70’. There will be several concerts featuring Colin’s music during the Aldeburgh Festival, including Reflected Images on 21st June, Night Music on 23rd June and Two Tributes and  Flourish with Fireflies on 24th June. In Manchester, the BBC Philharmonic will play Broken Symmetry and the Violin Concerto on June 15, and there will be a concert of chamber music at the RNCM (details tbc). And at the Lichfield Festival, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales will play No Man’s Land on the 9th July.

Finally, NMC Recordings will be releasing a new recording in June, featuring performances of Cortege, Cello Concerto No.2 and the Violin Concerto.

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Latest News & Views

Hans Werner Henze poses for a photo between Colin and Belinda Matthews. Another man (Olly Knussen) is just visible next to Colin.

Hans Werne Henze

1 July, 2026

CM, Michael Tilson Thomas & Joshua Robison posing outside next to a car door

Michael Tilson Thomas

24 April, 2026

A large, empty concert hall with a grand piano on the stage

45 Composers, Three concert halls

31 March, 2026

Upcoming Performances

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

20 September, 2026 - String Quartet No.6
Gildas Quartet
Brighton Dome

20 October, 2026 - Pluto the Renewer
Orchestre symphonique et chœurs d'ARTS², Nicolas Krüger (Conductor)
La Collégiale Sainte-Waudru de Mons, Belgium

22 October, 2026 - Pluto the Renewer
Orchestre symphonique et chœurs d’ARTS², Nicolas Krüger (Conductor)
Palais des Beaux Arts de Charleroi, Belgium

22 October, 2026 - Three Songs without Words (Ravel/Matthews)
Hallé Orchestra, Nicholas Collon (Conductor)
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

23 October, 2026 - Three Songs without Words (Ravel/Matthews)
Hallé Orchestra, Nicholas Collon (Conductor)
Sheffield City Hall

View all performances

Useful Links

Faber Music
NMC Recordings
The Holst Foundation

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