Julian Anderson is among the most esteemed and influential composers of his generation. Born in London in 1967, he studied composition with John Lambert, Alexander Goehr and Tristan Murail before being receiving an RPS Composition Prize in 1992 for Diptych (1990), launching his career.
Strong relationships cultivated with ensembles including BCMG, the Nash Ensemble, and the London Sinfonietta have resulted in many commissions. Book of Hours (2004) for ensemble and electronics won an RPS Award in 2006, and the NMC recording won the 2007 Gramophone Award. Most recently, Symphony No. 2 ‘Prague Panoramas’ (2019-2021) commissioned by the BBC, Munich Philharmonic and The Cleveland Orchestra was premiered at the BBC Proms conducted by dedicatee Semyon Bychkov. Earlier in the season, Anderson's Cello Concerto ‘Litanies’ (2018-19) written for Alban Gerhardt received world and national premieres before subsequently winning the highly coveted Grawemeyer 2023 award.
Anderson was awarded the CBE in the 2021 New Year’s Honours and the Monaco Chevalier de l’Ordre de Mérite Culturel in October 2022, both for his for services to music. He is currently President of the Music Council for the Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco and Senior Professor of Composition at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.