Roxanna Panufnik is one of the UK's most popular and loved composers whose works have struck a deep emotional chord with audiences everywhere.
Since studying composition at London's Royal Academy of Music, Roxanna's since written a wide range of pieces including opera, ballet, music theatre, choral works, chamber compositions and music for film and television which are regularly performed all over the world.
Among her most widely given works are Westminster Mass, commissioned for Westminster Cathedral Choir on the occasion of Cardinal Hume's 75th birthday; The Music Programme, an opera for Polish National Opera's millennium season which received its UK premiere at the BOC Covent Garden Festival; and settings for solo voices and orchestra of Vikram Seth's Beastly Tales - the first of which was commissioned by the BBC for Patricia Rozario and City of London Sinfonia.
Other recent compositions include Roxanna's critically acclaimed harp concerto Powers & Dominions; Letters from Burma for oboist Douglas Boyd and the Vellinger String Quartet; Leda, a ballet for English National Ballet and Wratislavia Cantans and Abraham - a violin concerto commissioned by Savannah Music Festival for Daniel Hope, incorporating Christian, Islamic and Jewish music. This last work was converted into an overture, commissioned by the World Orchestra for Peace and premiered in Jerusalem under the baton of Valery Gergiev.
Roxanna's compositions have been recorded by many companies including Warner Classics and EMI Classics.
2011/12 includes premières with artists such as the Tasmin Little & London Mozart Players; Chanticleer; bassoonist Julie Price with the Wihan String Quartet, Kevin Kenner and the Szymanowski String Quartet and an oratorio, in Latin and Estonian, for the Tallinn Philharmonic Orchestra, youth choirs Elite of Tallinn, Patricia Rozario, conducted by Mihaail Gerts and commissioned to celebrate their ascension to European Capital of Culture, in 2011.
Roxanna has also been appointed inaugural Associate Composer with the London Mozart Players, 2012 - 2015. This will involve a major restrospective of her orchestral works and further commissions during her tenure.
Welcome!
This new year is packed with performances and premieres both here in the UK and the US. 2012 also sees the start of a beautiful new relationship with London Mozart Players as their Associate Composer, kicking off with the world premiere of Four World Seasons - with violin supremo Tasmin Little. Other new pieces include Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis - a joint commission between St Mark's Episcopal Church (Philadelphia) and the Exultate Singers (from Bristol, performing in London). Then two anthems: Hymn to St Alfege for the millennium celebrations of this Saint's church in Greenwhich and the BBC Radio 3 live broadcast of Joy at the Sound (with a vibrant new text from Roger McGough) from Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. See Performance Schedule page for further premieres and performance details.
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