Gavin Higgins is one of the most exciting and gifted compositional talents of his generation. He studied french horn at Chetham’s School of Music and composition at The Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal College of Music.
In 2010 he became the inaugural composer in residence for the Rambert Dance Company for whom he wrote a number of daring ballet scores including What Wild Ecstasy (2012) which was shortlisted for a British Composer Award; and the ground-breaking Dark Arteries (2015) which was shortlisted for a Royal Philharmonic Award and a British Composer Award.
Higgins has worked with orchestras and ensembles such as the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, Psappha New Music Ensemble, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Manchester Camerata, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. His trombone concerto, commissioned by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, won an Ivor Novello Award in 2019.
A number of Gavin's works have also been commissioned by BBC Proms: Der Aufstand (2012), Rough Voices (2020), Velocity (2014), and Concerto Grosso for Brass Band and Orchestra (2023).
In 2019 his first opera, The Monstrous Child, commissioned by the Royal Opera House, opened to critical acclaim, and in 2020 Higgins was appointed Composer-in-Association with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.