Composer Errollyn Wallen CBE has been appointed as the new Master of the King's Music by King Charles III.

The Belize-born British musician succeeds Dame Judith Weir, the first woman to hold the role, who was chosen by Queen Elizabeth II in July 2014. The post is now held for a fixed 10-year period.

Music making for all

In accepting the post which was first held by Nicholas Lanier in 1626 and had subsequently been held since 1924 by Sir Edward Elgar, Sir Walford Davies, Sir Arnold Bax, Sir Arnold Bliss, Malcolm Williamson and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Ms Wallen said that it was, "a privilege and a great honour" and that she would be "championing music and music-making for all".

After studying music and composition at Goldsmiths, King's College London and King's College, Cambridge, Errollyn Wallen has become one of the most sought after composers of her generation.

The Observer newspaper described her as the "renaissance woman of contemporary British music".

Paralympics to Proms

In 2023 she was ranked by the on-line classical music magazine Bachtrack among the top 20 most performed living classical composers, and was the first woman to receive an Ivor Novello Award for classical music. Her music has been performed throughout the world from the 2012 Paralympic Games to the Proms.

Errollyn Wallen has been conferred an Honorary Doctorate from Glasgow University, an Honorary Membership (Hon. RAM) from the Royal Academy of Music and conferred Honorary fellowship of Girton College, Cambridge.

The recipient of the 2020 ISM Distinguished Musician Award for her "outstanding contribution to musical life in the UK" she has been a judge on the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.

In 2023 she was ranked by the on-line classical music magazine Bachtrack among the top 20 most performed living classical composers4BR

Brass bands

Her collaborations have spanned genres and styles — from the BBC Singers to Willard White, as well as with the brass banding world.

'Chrome' was written in 1997 for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, followed by 'Gold Saturday' in 2004.

She has also composed 'Brukdown' for the Bone-Afide trombone quartet and 'ONYX' for the Onyx Brass Ensemble and collaborated on 'Carbon 12 — A Choral Symphony' in 2008 which featured, orchestra, choirs and a brass band.