Nico Muhly appointed inaugural Composer in Residence at Christ Church Oxford

<p>The appointment will see Muhly develop a body of new work for Christ Church Oxford over the coming years, alongside deep engagement with the musical life of the Cathedral, College and School. The partnership has already borne fruit with the premiere of <em>With Harte and Hande</em>, a newly commissioned carol based on a text from the 16th-century York Mystery Play (<em>Herod and the Magi</em>), first performed during a special Epiphany service in the Cathedral in January. A large-scale cantata is also planned, to be premiered at a major anniversary concert this summer before touring internationally.</p><p>Beyond composing new works, Muhly will work closely with young musicians at Christ Church Cathedral School and with undergraduate students, becoming an active presence across the Foundation’s musical community.</p><p>Based in New York, Muhly is a Grammy Award-nominated composer whose commissions include works for the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Tallis Scholars, the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the BBC Singers. His collaborations span classical and popular music, including projects with Sufjan Stevens, the National, Paul Simon and James Blake, as well as film and television scores such as <em>The Reader</em>, <em>Kill Your Darlings</em> and <em>Pachinko</em>. He currently holds residencies at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and The Juilliard School, and recently completed a three-year project with the Choir of Magdalen College. New recordings of his choral music are scheduled for release in 2026.</p><p>Announcing the appointment, the Very Reverend Professor Sarah Foot, Dean of Christ Church, said: ‘We are delighted to be able to mark such a significant year in the history of the Cathedral Choir by launching this cultural collaboration. It is a great joy that Nico Muhly has accepted our invitation to join us at an important time for the Foundation’s music.’</p><p>Muhly described the role as a rare opportunity to write music shaped by place and tradition. ‘I hope that the body of work I provide, ranging from large-scale compositions to smaller pieces, will offer a musical throughline through daily worship and the church year, voicing the heartbeat of the musical traditions championed in this place for five centuries,’ he said.</p><p>Peter Holder, Organist and Director of Music of Christ Church Cathedral, added: ‘Recent and present anniversaries afford us both an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary musical heritage we inherit here, but also to look forward in new and distinctive ways. The energy and inspiration that Nico will bring to us, not just in his music but in coaching our musicians across the Foundation, gives us much to look forward to in the years ahead.’</p>