James MacMillan is a composer/conductor with the BBC Philharmonic whose music combines rhythmic excitement, raw emotional power, and spiritual meditation. References to folk music from his native Scotland give his work a strong sense of the vernacular, while strongly held religious and political beliefs inform both the spirit and subject matter of his music.
His works have been performed worldwide by orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, and the Cleveland Orchestra. His large-scale work for chorus a cappella, Sun-dogs, was premiered in 2006 by the Indiana University Contemporary Vocal Ensemble.