John Casken

John Casken (b1949) has established himself as one of the most distinctive composers of his generation. His works range across every genre and the titles reveal that he can be inspired both by literature and by legend as well as landscape and the visual arts.

He lives in Wooler in North Northumberland where the landscape, its changing colours, huge skies, evidence of Early Christianity, and the poetry of this part of England have influenced his works in different ways. They have helped to create a strong sense of place, forming a thread throughout his music, and in his own paintings.

John Casken has had close associations with Royal Northern Sinfonia, Hallé, BBC Philharmonic, and worked closely with the Nash Ensemble, Gould Piano Trio and in particular with The Lindsays and Quatuor Danel. Nine of his works have been performed at the BBC Proms, and four of these were BBC commissions. He has been featured composer at a number of festivals in the UK and received performances at many international concerts and festivals. Casken’s first opera Golem received seven different productions in performances across the world and his second opera God’s Liar was performed in London, Brussels and Vienna.

Golem won the First Britten Award in 1990; the orchestral song-cycle Still Mine was awarded the Prince Pierre de Monaco Prix de Composition Musicale in 1993; The Dream of the Rood for four voices and large ensemble won a British Composer Award in 2009; and in 2020 John Casken was awarded the First Tippett Medal for his drama/chamber opera The Shackled King, based on ‘King Lear’.

After studying at Birmingham University (1967-71) John Casken spent time in Warsaw studying with Andrzej Dobrowolski at the Academy of Music, and while in Poland he formed a long association and close friendship with Poland’s leading composer, Witold Lutosławski. Subsequently, John Casken became a Lecturer at the universities of Birmingham (1973-79) and Durham (1981-92), was a Research Fellow at Huddersfield Polytechnic (1980-81) and from 1992-2008, was Professor of Music at The University of Manchester, a university with which he retains strong links as Emeritus Professor of Music.

Johncasken.com

Updated September 2025