LeFanu, Nicola (Frances)

LeFanu, Nicola (Frances) (b Wickham Bishops, Essex, 1947). Eng. composer and teacher, daughter of Elizabeth Maconchy. Cobbett chamber mus. prize 1968, 1st prize BBC young composers’ comp. 1971. Taught at Francis Holland Sch., London, 1969–72, St Paul's Girls’ Sch. 1975–7. Lect., Morley Coll. 1976, lect. in mus., King's Coll., London Univ. from 1977, comp.-in-res. NSW Cons. 1979. Prof. of mus., York Univ., from 1994. Works incl.:OPERAS: Anti-World, mus. th., dancer, sop., bar., alt. fl., cl., perc. (1972); Dawnpath, chamber opera (1977); The Old Woman of Beare, monodrama (1981); The Story of Mary O'Neill, radiophonic opera, sop., 16 vv. (1986); The Green Children, children's opera (1990); Blood Wedding (1991, prod. London 1992); The Wildman (1994).BALLET: The Last Laugh (1972).ORCH.: Preludio I, str. (1967); Preludio II, str. (1976, rev. of I); The Hidden Landscape (1973); Columbia Falls (1975); Farne (1980); Variations, pf., orch. (1982); conc., alto sax., str. (1989).CHORAL & VOCAL: Il Cantico del Cantici II (1968); But Stars Remaining, sop. (1970); Christ Calls Man Home, unacc. SATB (1971); Rondeaux, ten., hn. (1972); Paysage, bar. (1973); The Valleys Shall Sing, ch., wind (1973); The Same Day Dawns, sop., 5 players (1974); The Little Valleys, 4 unacc. sop. (1975); For We Are the Stars, 16 vv. (1978); Like a Wave of the Sea, ch., ens. of early instrs. (1981); A Penny for a Song, sop., pf. (1981); Rory's Rounds (1983); Trio II: Song for Peter, sop., cl., pf. (1983); Stranded on my Heart, ten., ch., str. (1984); I am Bread, sop., pf. (1987); The Silver Strand, unacc. SATB (1989); Cancion de la Luna, counterten., str. qt. (1994–5); At the Blue Hour, ch., vc. (1995).CHAMBER & INSTR.: Soliloquy, ob. (1966); Variations, ob. qt. (1968); Chiaroscuro, pf. (1969); Abstracts and a Frame, vn., pf. (1971); Songs and Sketches, vcs. (1971); Omega, org. (1972, rev. 1984); Collana, 6 instr. (1976); Deva, vc., 7 instr. (1979); Trio I, fl., vc., perc. (1980); Moon Over Western Ridge Mootwingee, sax. qt. (1985); Invisible Places, cl. quintet (1986); Lament, ob., cl., va., vc. (1988); str. qt. (1988); Lullaby, cl., pf. (1988); Nocturne, vc., pf. (1988); str. qt. (1997).