(Stuart) Oliver Knussen

Composer and conductor, born in Glasgow, W Scotland, UK. He showed early flair for composition, conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in his first symphony in 1968. Two other symphonies followed, together with numerous orchestral, chamber, and vocal works, and operas including Where the Wild Things Are, (1979–83). He became a co-director of the Aldeburgh Festival in 1983.

Knussen made his conducting debut at the age of 16, with the London Symphony Orchestra, directing his own First Symphony, which he wrote as a teenager (1966-1967).

His compositions include the following:

Second Symphony (Margaret Grant Prize, Tanglewood 1971)
Hums and Songs of Winnie-the-Pooh (1970-1983)
Océan de Terre (1972-1973)
Ophelia Dances, Book 1 (Koussevitzky centennial commission, 1975)
Trumpets (1975)
Triptych (Autumnal, Cantata, Sonya's Lullaby, 1975-1977)
Coursing (1979)
Third Symphony (1973-1979)

His major works from the 1980s are his two "children's" operas, Where the Wild Things Are and Higglety Pigglety Pop!, both with libretti by Maurice Sendak.

Knussen was married to Sue Knussen, who was a producer and director of music programs for British television and the education director for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and they had a daughter, Sonya. Oliver Knussen wrote his Songs for Sue as a memorial tribute to his late wife, and the music received its world premiere in Chicago in 2006.