Morelia International Film Festival

Nyman kept the Ca mpiello Band together after the play's run had finished; the line­up mutated, amplification was added and the name changed to the Michael Nyman Band. This became the laboratory in which Nyman has formulated his compositional style around strong melodies, flexible yet assertive rhythms, and precisely articulated ensemble playing. More than thirty years on, the Michael Nyman Band still tours the world, playing to huge audiences.

If works for the Michael Nyman Band have dominated his out­ put, the composer has written for the widest possible variety of ensembles and situations. His numerous orchestral and chamber works are widely performed; as are his stage works, nota­bly the chamber operas The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat (1986), Man and Boy: Dada (2002) and Love Counts (2005). He has provided music for such distinguished choreographers as Siobhan Davies, Shobana Jeyasingh and Christopher Wheeldon; he has also written music for a fashion show, the opening of a high­speed rail link and a computer game. Nyman's music has reached its largest audience by way of his film scores, most famously for Peter Greenaway (eleven movies including The Draughtsman's Contract), Jane Campion (The Piano), Neil Jordan (The End of the Affair) and Mi­chael Winterbottom (four movies including Wonderland).

In recent years Nyman has collaborated with Gidon Kremer, Hanif Kureishi, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, the bbc Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Nina Kotova, and Gina Kim in the film Never Forever. In 2005 Nyman launched his own record label mn Records. The label has offered instrumental albums, operas and original soundtrack recordings, plus definitive new editions of his most celebrated soundtrack work. The tenth cd on the label is a re­ cording of Love Counts released in spring 2007. Full details of all releases can be found at www.mnrecords.com.

At every turn Nyman has proved eminently practical. The ivory tower anguish of a tormented composer does not exist for him; rather, he maintains an openness to collaboration, a spry sense of humour, a literate imagination and an instinctive ability to engage a highly diverse audience.

Taken from a biography by Nick Kimberley, 2005