Turnage's works skilfully blend classical and jazz idioms, modernism and tradition.

Mark-Anthony Turnage is one of the most admired and widely performed composers of his generation.  He studied with Oliver Knussen and John Lambert in London, and with Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood.  His works skilfully blend classical and jazz idioms, modernism and tradition. He has worked as Composer in Association with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and holds current residencies with London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Turnage has composed numerous orchestral and chamber works, and two widely performed operas: Greek (1988) is based on Steven Berkoff’s adaptation of Oedipus the King; The Silver Tassie (2000) is based on the play by Seán O’Casey. Other works include Three Screaming Popes (after the paintings by Francis Bacon) and Your Rockaby, a concerto for saxophone and orchestra, and a concerto for trombone and orchestra, Yet Another Set To, dedicated to Christian Lindberg. Turnage’s 50th-birthday celebrations in 2010 featured performances at the Cabrillo Festival; the world premiere of Hammered Out at the BBC Proms conducted by David Robertson and its US premiere by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Susanna Mälkki; and the US premiere of Texan Tenebrae by the Chicago Symphony and Andrew Davis. Anna Nicole, a new opera for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, was premiered in February 2011.