Gareth Williams

Freelance composer working in Scotland, musical director of NOISE opera, and Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Edinburgh.

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From 2011 to 2014, Gareth was Composer in Residence at Scottish Opera, and he has created many operas for the company:

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•     The King's Conjecture  (Librettist Bernard MacLaverty) 2010

•     White  (Librettist Margaret McCartney) 2011

•     Elephant Angel  (Librettist Bernard MacLaverty) 2012

•     Last One Out  (Librettist Johnny McKnight) 2012

•     Mr MacNeep Has Lost His Sheep (for pre school audiences) 2014

•     Breath Cycle (Librettist David Brock) 2014

•     The Song, the Stars and the Blossom  (Text  -Dennis Potter) 2014

•     The Rocking Horse Winner  (Librettist Anna Chatterton) 2016

 

In September 2014, he was appointed a Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. Since then, he has created:

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•     Fields Of Light,  commissioned by BBC Radio 3 for the Scottish Symphony Orchestra  -Oct 2015

•     Hirda, a folk opera written with Shetland fiddler, Chris Stout, premiered on    Shetland, and sung in Shetland dialect. (NOISE opera) - Nov 2015

•     Rocking Horse Winner  (Librettist Anna Chatterton) commissioned by Scottish Opera and Tapestry Opera, premiered in Canada -  May 2016.

•     306: Dawn, written with Oliver Emanuel, commissioned by the National Theatre of Scotland, in association with the Red Note Ensemble,  premiered in Scotland - May 2016

  

Upcoming Projects

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•    A new work for the Gaspard Trio  -  Belfast Arts Festival 2017

•    306: Day  -  National Theatre of Scotland

•    Breath Cycle Phase II - an international singing project for people with Cystic Fibrosis

•    A new opera, commissioned by NOISE Opera, in collaboration with the Scottish indie band, Admiral Fallow

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His work seeks to find new participants, collaborators and audiences for new opera, and to explore ideas of vulnerability - on stage and through his vocal writing.

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