Michael Tippett

Sir Michael Kemp Tippett OM CH CBE was an English composer who rose to prominence during and immediately after the Second World War. Noted for works such as the oratorio A Child of Our Time, Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli, and the opera The Midsummer Marriage, Tippett was frequently compared with his contemporary Benjamin Britten. His music evolved from lyrical to experimental styles, influenced by jazz and blues after visiting America in 1965. A pacifist and open about his homosexuality, Tippett was imprisoned in 1943 for refusing war duties and was a known advocate for music education.