His oratorios 17 Days, Codebreaker and Malala have been widely acclaimed. The first commercial recording of Codebreaker, by Hertfordshire Chorus and the BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by David Temple, entered the Classical Chart at No. 7, and it has been broadcast on both BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. James McCarthy studied composition at Royal Holloway College, University of London, with Simon Holt. He has received commissions from numerous performing groups, including Crouch End Festival Chorus, Hertfordshire Chorus, Scottish Opera, Sonoro and Canty. http://www.jamesmccarthy.co.uk