Iain Hamilton

Scottish composer Iain Hamilton enjoyed a strong career on both sides of the Atlantic. Like many other composers of his age, he began his career writing in a serialist idiom, but later adopted a more eclectic style; a tendency toward bright, kinetic rhythms and textures was common to all phases. Around the time of his graduation in 1950 and shortly after that, he won several major prizes, including one for his Symphony No. 2. Living in the U.S. between 1961 and 1981, he received commissions from various American institutions, including such top-level organizations as the Eastman School of Music (the Piano Sonata No. 3) and the Library of Congress (Hyperion). Hamilton is especially known for his 12 operas. ~ James Manheim