PLOWMAN, Lynne

Described as “thrilling”, “highly original” and “immediately appealing”, Lynne Plowman’s music ranges from delicate instrumental solos to bold, theatrical large-scale works. She is perhaps best known for her award-winning chamber operas for young audiences, created with the writer, Martin Riley. 2023 saw two new productions – ‘The Face in the Mirror’ (commissioned in 2011 by Welsh National Opera) in a new French translation, by Opéra-Théâtre Junior in Geneva, and ‘Captain Blood’s Revenge’ (a 2012 Glyndebourne commission) at the Norfolk Into Opera Festival. Living in rural Wales, Lynne Plowman’s music is often directly influenced by the natural world. A BBC Radio 3 lockdown commission, ‘Songbird’ for solo flute, ignited a series of pieces featuring bird-song, including ‘Bird Music’ for recorder and piano, commissioned by James Brookmyre and Elisabeth Williams and ‘Dances with Bells and Birds’ - five movements for solo piano – which was premiered by Elena Cholokova at the 2023 Prague Piano Festival, ahead of a new CD recording on US label, New Focus Recordings, planned for 2024. A series of larger ensemble works reflects on the climate crisis. ‘Carbon Sky’ was commissioned and premiered by The Berkeley Ensemble in 2019, performed most recently during their 2023 birthday celebrations at St John’s Smith Square in London. ‘Clarion Call’ was commissioned by Ensemble Télémaque for performances in and around Marseille in 2021, and ‘Small World’, commissioned by the Merian Ensemble, received its premiere in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2022.