Oliver Tarney
Composer
Oliver Tarney is a British composer whose music grows out of a long involvement with singers and the choral tradition. His work ranges from intimate choral pieces to large-scale works for choir and instruments, with a particular interest in music that is both rewarding to perform and direct in its communication. Much of his choral music is published by Oxford University Press.
Selected Works
Lux Stellarum
A Requiem drawing together the traditional liturgy with biblical and poetic texts concerned with stars, light and the cosmos.
Written for the American Cathedral in Paris and first performed at Saint-Sulpice. Recorded by The Choir of Royal Holloway, Andrew Dewar and Rupert Gough.
Copies: Available directly from Oxford University Press. For enquiries, contact music.permissions.uk@oup.com.
St Mark Passion
A large-scale setting of St Mark’s Passion narrative, incorporating other episodes from the Gospel alongside the events of Holy Week.
Commissioned and first performed by the St Endellion Easter Festival in 2019, with a new production given at Ushaw, Durham, in 2026.
Magnificat
A twelve-movement setting in which the words of the Magnificat are placed alongside texts from Christian, Jewish and Islamic traditions.
Commissioned by Sing for Pleasure for its fiftieth anniversary, the work has since received performances around the UK and has been recorded by Serafine Chamber Choir and Sinfonia.
The Night Before Christmas
A setting of the familiar Christmas poem, interwoven with carols including Silent Night, Good King Wenceslas and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
Published by Oxford University Press in 2026.
I am. We are.
A three-part work exploring identity, growing up and belonging, written with lyricist Hazel Gould in collaboration with members of the National Youth Boys’ Choir.
Recorded by National Youth Choir and performed as part of the fiftieth anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
The Wise Men and the Star
An atmospheric Epiphany carol setting a text by Lucia Quinault, published by Oxford University Press and recorded by The Sixteen.
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