Liam Mattison (b. 1990) is composer based in London. Originally from Leeds, he began musical life as a clarinet player in local wind bands and orchestras. He started to orchestrate music for the school musical theatre revues and found that his true passion lay in composition.

After moving to London in 2008, Liam began to develop a strong individual artistic voice. He draws inspiration from cinema, musical caricatures and is particularly interested in miniature form and the vocalise. He enjoys using physical space, exploring relationships between musical objects, and strives to create the most beautiful sounds.

His music has been commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, London Contemporary Orchestra Soloists, Gaglianos Ensemble, CHROMA and Crouch End Festival Chorus, Riot Ensemble and the English National Opera Orchestra. It has been performed at Queen Elizabeth Hall, St. John Smith’s Square, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Snape Maltings, Jubilee Hall and Conservatori Licieu (Barcelona).

Liam was selected for the Advanced Composition course at Dartington International Summer School in 2013, studying with Francesco Antonioni, and generously supported by the Dartington Hall Trust. Liam continued his studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with Gwyn Pritchard and Edward Jessen, and later at the Royal Academy of Music with Philip Cashian, Oliver Knussen and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, supported by the Countess of Munster Trust. Liam has also taken tuition in free improvisation with Mark Lockheart and in collaborative practice with Ian Mitchell and Lizzi Kew Ross.

Liam was a Britten-Pears Young Artist (2015-16) and a composer on the London Symphony Orchestra’s Panufnik Scheme, which has led to a commission for the LSO’s 2018-19 Barbican season. He also taken part in the Cheltenham Music Festival’s Composer Academy (2016) with Michael Zev Gordon and in Psappha’s ‘Composing for…’ scheme (2017). His RPS commission will be a solo piece for the 2019 Presteigne Festival.

Liam currently divides his time between composition and working for Opus Arte at the Royal Opera House, and work as a freelance engraver and orchestrator. His work in this field has been seen at the Cambridge and Apollo Theatres (Willemijn Verkaik in Concert; Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), the Other Palace (The Wild Party) and for groups such as the Gabrieli Consort & Players.

(July 2018)