Scottish composer, Sir James MacMillan has been named as the recipient of the prestigious Academy Fellowship by The Ivors Academy. Regarded as the highest accolade bestowed by The Ivors, the Academy Fellowship recognises exceptional compositional prowess, profound impact, and enduring musical legacy. The award will be given to Sir MacMillan at the Barbican on the evening of 15 March, where he will be conducting the UK premiere of his latest work, Fiat Lux, alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

With a collection of over 200 works, Sir James MacMillan has solidified his status as one of the most successful contemporary composers and his influence extends beyond his compositions, having founded The Cumnock Tryst music festival in his hometown in Scotland in 2014 which aims to foster musical creativity and community engagement. This is not Sir James MacMillan’s first recognition from the Academy, having won an Ivor Novello Award in 2007 as well as two British Composer Awards in 2008 and 2013.

Tom Gray, Chair of The Ivors Academy, expressed his delight at the awarding of the Academy Fellowship to MacMillan, stating: ’It is a great privilege to welcome Sir James MacMillan as the latest Fellow of The Ivors Academy. A prolific and globally-renowned composer, Sir James is a foremost proponent of the power of music to communicate and forge bonds. He is a titan of music, generous in his creativity and craft, and extremely worthy of this recognition from his peers.’

Speaking to Gramophone, Sir James MacMillan said ‘It was a delight and an honour to hear about the award…when I saw the list of previous fellows, it’s an amazing array of some of the most wonderful names, not just in classical music, but right across musical world.’

The Ivors Academy Fellowship, established in 2000, has recognised 25 musicians and composers for their excellence and impact in music creation. The illustrious list of Fellows includes iconic figures such as John Rutter, Sir Elton John and Annie Lennox.