He recently graduated with a Postgraduate Diploma in Composition from the Royal Northern College of Music, where he studied with Adam Gorb, supported in conducting tuition from Lancelot Fuhry. He also holds a BMus(Hons) degree in Composition from Birmingham Conservatoire.
During his time at RNCM, his work Little Suite for Strings was selected by the Goldberg Ensemble for public performance as part of their Contemporary Music Tour of the UK, and more recently his new chamber work PLUX 1 was premiered at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. In July Iain was awarded the Alan Rawsthorne Prize for Composition following the performance of his new work Swarm for String Orchestra.
As an undergraduate student, Iain studied at Birmingham Conservatoire with Thoma Simaku, John Mayer and Andrew Downes, during which time he had compositions played by the Brodsky Quartet, BCMG, Birmingham Conservatoire Sinfonia, the PELM Quaret, Birmingham Conservatoire Gamelan Ensemble, and the Kate Luxmoore Group. Iain conducted numerous premieres of student compositions as well as final recitals in the Adrian Boult Hall, and was a director of the Birmingham Conservatoire Composers' Ensemble in 2000-2001.
Iain has received numerous public performances of his music. In 2002, the acclaimed Brodsky Quartet premiered two of his miniatures for string quartet on BBC Radio 3's "In Tune" programme, and more recently the Goldberg Ensemble performed one of his works in a concert at the Cosmo Rodewald Hall, University of Manchester.
Performances of his music have also taken place in the Regent Hall London, the Adrian Boult Hall, Brighton Corn Exchange, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham Conservatoire Recital Hall and the Lord Rhodes Room at the RNCM. International performances include the world premiere of Whoosh-ka!, featured as part of the Birmingham Conservatoire Tour of Ukraine in 2001, sung by Adam Linstead.
As a music educator, Iain has been actively involved in the planning and facilitation of education projects and workshops around the country. In March he was invited to join the staff of Musicate.Org as a composition animateur, and in 2003 he worked as a Project Administrator and workshop leader with Diaspora, an independent organisation in the West Midlands. Iain has this year been working alongside the Halle Orchestra Education Team on their Family Concert Series at the Bridgewater Hall and was selected as the Trainee Composer for their "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" project at the Lowry, Salford.
Iain Masson is currently delivering music workshops at Glenmead Primary School, Stowlawn Primary School, St. James' Catholic Primary School and Mount Pleasant Primary School as a creative musician in residence. He works with teachers and pupils to create extraordinary compositions and performances for the whole of KS1/KS2 to enjoy, and supports staff in the delivery of weekly music lessons for all year groups.
____________________________
Iain is enjoying being the weekly conductor of Alveley Village Band in Shropshire - the most enthusiastic and diverse group of musicians he has ever worked with! The band rehearses bright and early on Saturday mornings at 9am in the local school. It's worth getting up for, and all instruments can take part!
____________________________
Iain has been booked to conduct Bedworth Symphony Orchestra following the resignation of conductor Rob West. He will conduct the orchestra until a new conductor is appointed in July.
____________________________
Iain is currently learning how to make (and play) instruments made out of fruits and vegetables, in a bid to get the children in his school children having fun with vegetables and making their own vegetable instruments. They even get to eat them at the end!
____________________________
Iain will conduct Stratford Wind Band in June and is looking forward to working with all the players in the Band.
____________________________
Iain enjoyed his term of guest-conducting with the Heart of England Co-Operative Concert Orchestra, which put on a wonderful programme of light music in a charity concert in Rugby last year. He was grateful to Christopher Evans for the opportunity to conduct the evening orchestra in Coventry.
____________________________
"Suite of Kitchenettes for Solo Piano":
Kitchenette no.1: Prelude to a Pickled Onion.....audio
2. Conversation Between Two Dripping Taps......audio
3. Running Mouse..........................................audio
4. Lunch Chimes...........................................audio
5. March of the Toasty Soldiers......................audio
6. Spontaneous Plumber: Toolbox Song............audio
"Little Suite for Strings":
ii. Passing By...............................................audio
"Whoosh-ka" for Baritone and Piano:
Whoosh-ka!..................................................audio
