We were delighted to hear that Errollyn Wallen, a founder member and supporter of Women in Music over many years, has been appointed Master of the King’s Music. She takes up the role following on from Dame Judith Weir, who was appointed Master of the Queen’s Music ten years ago. Errollyn is the first black composer to be appointed in the role.
Errollyn is highly versatile composer and musician. As well as being the first woman to be awarded an Ivor Novello award for Classical Music, and she has received an MBE and CBE for her work as a composer and services to music. She has written music for many national occasions, including the 2012 Paralympic Games, and Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees.
Wallen was born in Belize and came to Britain as a small child. She studied music at Goldsmiths and Cambridge Universities. Errollyn’s commitment to inclusivity is demonstrated by her championing of black music and black musicians in the UK, as well as her support for Women in Music, giving a keynote speech at our conference in 2008, and a testimonial at our collaborative event at Europe House in 2013.
Her music has featured in the BBC Proms including her reworking of Blake’s Jerusalem for the ‘Last Night’ in 2020 which she created as an acknowledgement of the Windrush generation of migrants to Britain. She has also been BBC Radio 3’s Composer of the Week and was the guest on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs on 14th July 2024.
She has recently published an autobiographical memoir entitled Becoming a Composer.
She is a Visiting Professor of Composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, who also awarded her an honorary doctorate in composition.