King's Classical Alumni Playlist

A version of this playlist can also be found on Spotify.

David Bruce (PhD Music Composition, 1999) completed his PhD under the supervision of leading contemporary composer and former Henry Purcell Professor of Composition, Sir Harrison Birtwistle. Unusually, his ‘Cymbeline’ is written for mandolin and string quartet.

Pianist and composer Yiruma (Composition, 2000) is another former student of Sir Harrison Birtwhistle. His solo piano pieces have proved hugely popular with audiences around the world.

Sarah Nicolls (Music, 1995) is a regular soloist on BBC Radio 3, CEO of First Light Pianos, and inventor of the vertical piano, sometimes known as the 'Standing Grand'. She featured in the 'Firm Foundations' issue of InTouch.

Sir George Benjamin succeeded Harrison Birtwhistle as Henry Purcell Professor of Composition in 2001. His former student, Dai Fujikura (PhD Music, 2006), combines western and eastern traditions in many of his works. Here is his cello concerto performed by International Contemporary Ensemble with cellist Katinka Kleijn.

Time for a bit of choral music. Lady Susan ‘Suzi’ Digby OBE (Music, 1980) is a renowned choral conductor and educator who has been a trailblazer for reintroducing singing to UK schools.

Next up, South African composer and pianist, Surendran Reddy (Musicology, 1982), is known for his fusion of jazz and classical with world music and South African mbaqanga.

No list of classical music alumni would be complete without the brilliant Michael Nyman (Music, 1971). A ground-breaking minimalist composer, he is perhaps best known for his award-winning film scores.

Keeping in a more experimental mode, Chris Newman (Music, 1979) is an artist working across music and the visual arts. Here he is performing his '7 stupid songs', which, by the time of this performance, he had whittled down to only four.

Another film and TV composer for you now, Isobel Waller-Bridge (Music, 2012) has provided the soundtracks for the TV shows 'Fleabag' and 'War & Peace', and also scored the feature film 'Vita and Virginia', about fellow alumna Virginia Woolf.

Finally, Ji Liu (PhD Music, 2018) is a pianist and composer who has topped the classical charts on numerous occasions. Here he is playing the final 5 minutes of an 18 hour performance of his own work 'Sonata Fantasy, The Book of Moments'.

We hope you enjoyed our King’s classical playlist. If we missed your favourite King’s composer or musician from the list, let us know on Facebook or via email.