Robert Saxton

Robert Saxton was born in London, 1953 and started composing at the age of six. Guidance in early years from Benjamin Britten and Elisabeth Lutyens was followed by periods of study in both Cambridge and Oxford Universities with Robin Holloway and Robert Sherlaw Johnson, and also with Luciano Berio. He quickly came to public attention, gaining his first public performance before he was twenty and winning the Gaudeamus International Composers prize at the age of twenty two.

Saxton has written works for the London Sinfonietta, London Symphony, English Chamber and London Philharmonic Orchestras, and received commissions from the BBC Proms, Cheltenham, Aldeburgh and Huddersfield Festivals. His music has been recorded by Collins Classics, EMI, Sony Classical, Hyperion and most recently NMC.

In 1986 he was awarded the Fulbright Arts Fellowship to the USA, where he was in residence at Princeton and was assistant to Oliver Knussen at Tanglewood. In 1995 he co-directed the composers' course on Hoy, with Sir Peter Maxell Davies. He has directed the composers' course at Dartington International Music Festival on several occasions and was artistic director of Opera Lab.

Robert Saxton was Head of Composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (1990-97) and the Royal Academy of Music (1997-99) and, in 1999, was appointed Fellow of Music at Worcester College and Music Lecturer at the University of Oxford.

He is currently writing his second chamber opera, The Legend of the Wandering Jew, to a BBC commission. He is also writing a new string quartet for the Arditti Quartet, commissioned by the South Bank Centre.

"Drawing on a wide range of influences from his Jewish roots to the relationship between mathematical and music principles... his considerable technique and imagination make for writing of compelling melody (though not always in the conventional sense) and of richly organic background texture." The Observer

Robert Saxton

Related news items

Forthcoming performances of works by Robert Saxton