Nicola Frances LeFanu

Short bio Nicola Frances LeFanu

Birthday: 1947 in Wickham Bishops, Essex, England

Active: 1970s - 2020s

Genre: Classical

Period: Contemporary, Modern

Full biography Nicola Frances LeFanu

Nicola Frances LeFanu is a prominent contemporary British composer and academic. She was born on April 28, 1947, in London, England, into a highly musical family. Her father, William LeFanu, was a composer, and her mother, Elizabeth Maconchy, was also a well-known British composer.

LeFanu studied at the Royal College of Music in London, where she later became a professor of composition. She has also taught at the University of York and the University of Oxford. Some of her notable works include "The Hidden Landscape," "Night Passage," and "Catena."

LeFanu's musical style is often described as lyrical and expressive, and she draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including literature, visual art, and the natural world. Her compositions often feature complex harmonies, unconventional tonal structures, and intricate rhythms.

Throughout her career, LeFanu has received numerous honors and awards, including the Ivor Novello Award, the South Bank Show Award, and the Elgar Bursary. She has also been the recipient of grants from the Arts Council of Great Britain, the British Council, and the Fulbright Commission.

In addition to her work as a composer, LeFanu has been actively involved in promoting and supporting contemporary music through her work with organizations such as the Society for the Promotion of New Music and the Association of Professional Composers.

Compositions featuring Nicola Frances LeFanu

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	The Crimson Bird, for soprano & orchestra	27:51 min	Vocal Music	2016
2	Threnody, for orchestra	6:54 min	Orchestral	2015
3	Songs without Words, for clarinet, violin, viola & cello	11:01 min	Chamber Music	2005
4	Amores, songs (5) without words for horn & string ensemble	25:07 min	Chamber Music	2003
5	Mira Clas Tenebras, for voice, English horn, viola & harp	22:22 min	Vocal Music	2002
6	Catena for 11 solo strings	20:21 min	Chamber Music	1999
7	Misterium mirabile, for chorus	4:11 min	Choral	1999
8	A Travelling Spirit, for voice & recorder	5:12 min	Vocal Music	1996
9	String Quartet No. 2	12:15 min	Chamber Music	1996
10	Concerto for Alto Saxophone & String Orchestra	23:42 min	Concerto	1989
11	Lament, for oboe, clarinet, viola & cello	13:19 min	Chamber Music	1988
12	Invisible Places, for clarinet & string quartet	15:45 min	Chamber Music	1986
13	Trio No. 2: Song for Peter, for soprano, clarinet & cello	18:34 min	Vocal Music	1983
14	A Penny for a song, for voice & piano		Vocal Music	1981
15	Columbia Falls, for orchestra	18:58 min	Orchestral	1974
16	The Hidden Landscape, for orchestra	22:40 min	Orchestral	1973
17	Abstracts and a Frame, for violin & piano	13:04 min	Chamber Music	1971
18	Minature and Canon, for piano quartet	3:58 min	Chamber Music	-
19	Concertino for clarinet & string orchestra	16:39 min	Concerto	-
20	Preludio 2 for orchestra	7:07 min	Orchestral	-
21	Saint Ita's Lullaby, for chorus & organ	2:51 min	Choral	-
22	Soliloquy for Oboe	5:23 min	Chamber Music	-
23	Song of the Night Sky, for clarinet & piano	1:46 min	Chamber Music	-
24	Canción de la luna, for counter-tenor & string quartet	12:43 min	Vocal Music	-
25	Billet à Whistler ("Pas les rafales à propos"), for voice & piano	6:41 min	Vocal Music	-
26	The Bourne, for voice & harp	3:27 min	Vocal Music	-
27	The Old Women of Beare	18:10 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
28	Lullaby and Nocturne	16:02 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-

Albums featuring Nicola Frances LeFanu

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	Elizabeth Maconchy, Nicola LeFanu, Giles Swayne, Malu Lin – Relationships(CD, Album)	2021	Resonus Classics
2	Elizabeth Maconchy, Nicola Lefanu, Hilary Tann, Eleanor Alberga, Barbara Jazwinski, Cecilia McDowall, Jeremy Huw Williams, Paula Fan, Yunah Lee – Women's Voices(CD, Album)	2020	Lorelt
3	The Crimson Bird And Other Orchestral Works(CD, Album)	2020	NMC (3)
4	Gemini, David Lumsdaine (2), Nicola LeFanu – Mandala 3(CD, )	2017	Metier
5	Elizabeth Maconchy & Nicola LeFanu – Reflections(CD, Album)	2005	Metier
6	Nicola LeFanu – Fiona Cross, Nicholas Clapton, Goldberg Ensemble, Malcolm Layfield – Catena For Eleven Solo Strings • String Quartet No. 2 • Clarinet Concertino	2004	Naxos
7	Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, The - Maurice Karkoff / Nicola LeFanu / Miklós Maros / Erich Urbanner – Works Of Nicola Lefanu, Maurice Karkoff, Miklós Maros & Erich Urbanner(LP, Album)	1986	Col Legno
8	Nicola LeFanu, Jane Manning, Christopher Van Kampen, Gemini, The Nash Ensemble – Nicola LeFanu The Same Day Dawns/But Stars Remaining/Deva(LP, Stereo)	-	Chandos

Videos featuring Nicola Frances LeFanu

David Lumsdaine: Mandala 3

This lovely piece may sound like a late 18th century chorale - it is in fact the base of a very recent composition by David Lumsdaine. From a new CD (to be released in February 2017) featuring music of Lumsdaine and his wife Nicola LeFanu, both well estab