Scottish Music Centre - Industry Directory

Artists | Classical | Composers and Arrangers

Born Glasgow. Studied composition with James Iliff at the Royal Academy of Music, London (1966-70) and then with the Swedish composer Ingvar Lidholm in Stockholm. His works have been regularly broadcast and commissions have come from the Glasgow University McEwen Bequest, the New Music Group of Scotland, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the St Magnus Festival, and the Edinburgh International Festival. In recent years he has produced several large-scale works to critical acclaim: the ballet score Peter Pan, A Glasgow Symphony, a chamber opera The Loving of Etain, and concerti for guitar, trombone, viola, violin and (most recently) double bass. McGuire also plays flute with, and writes for, the Scottish folk group The Whistlebinkies, and plays with the Chinese group Harmony Ensemble.

Cake Talk, a new opera in 1996 for RSNO Junior Chorus followed success of The Loving of Etain (Paragon Opera); Peter Pan (Scottish Ballet) and Cullercoats Tommy (Northern Stage). Recent CDs include Calgacus (BBCSSO), London Proms 1997; Songs of New Beginnings (Paragon); Fast Peace III (Alma Duo); Divertimento, Martyr (Durrant, Viola Pieces); Nocturnes (Mr McFall's Chamber) and Celtic Knotwork (Scottish Flute Trio and Chinook Clarinet Quartet) in 2001. His new double bass concerto was recorded by the BBC SSO with soloist Anthony Alcock in Ayr Town Hall on January 24th and Broadcasting House Glasgow on 25th January 2002. Ring of Strings was commissioned for the finale of the 2006 St Magnus Festival.

He was the recipient of a British Composers Award in 2003 and a Creative Scotland Award in 2004.

Artists | Classical | Literary Sources

Artists | Folk and Traditional | Flute