Piece by young composer chosen for Royal Wedding

Paul Mealor

An original piece of music by a little-known composer, Paul Mealor, a lecturer at Aberdeen University, has been chosen by Prince William and Catherine Middleton for the Royal Wedding tomorrow.

The ceremony in Westminster Abbey will feature Mealor's Ubi Caritas, performed by the Choir of Westminster Abbey and the Choir of Her Majesty's Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, conducted by James O'Donnell. Music by Elgar, Vaughan Williams and Walton will also be performed and there will be a specially commissioned piece by John Rutter.

Mealor, 35, has taught at the University of Aberdeen since 2003. In 2005 he launched, in association with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the University of Aberdeen Music Prize for Composition.

Ubi Caritas was premiered last October at St Andrew's University where the Royal couple first met. A further connection is Paul's birthplace of Anglesey, since that is also where the Royal couple now reside.

Paul Mealor told Classic FM Radio: "I was thrilled to hear that HRH Prince William of Wales had chosen my music for his wedding. How humbling it is for me to know that Prince William and Catherine will celebrate the beginning of their lives together with my music. The ceremony is going to be, without a doubt, the most emotionally intense and exhilarating hour of my life!''

Professor Ian Diamond, Principal and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Aberdeen said: "I know that all Paul's colleagues and students at the University will want to join me in congratulating him on this tremendous honour. He has made a huge contribution to the strength of music teaching and research at the University and we are extremely proud of his achievements."

Born in St Asaph, North Wales in 1975, Paul Mealor studied composition from an early age with John Pickard, Robert Saxton, at the University of York with Nicola LeFanu, in Copenhagen with Hans Abrahamsen and Per Nørgård and in Stockholm with Magnus Lindberg.

Paul Mealor's compositions are now performed around the world including major commissions from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Britten Sinfonia, Northern Sinfonia, Jeremy Huw Williams, Mika Takehara, Ian Pace and the Gemini Ensemble. His works are regularly broadcast on international radio, including Swedish Radio, New Zealand Radio, Danish Radio, Japanese TV and Radio, Australian Radio, S4C (Welsh
TV), and the BBC.