Iain Hamilton was born in Glasgow, but raised largely in London, where, in 1947, he turned from a career in engineering to study of music at the Royal Academy, winning considerable distinction, not least with his Clarinet Concerto in 1951. In 1961 he moved to the United States, where he remained for twenty years, served as a professor at Duke University and lived in New York City. Iain Hamilton was a prolific composer with twelve operas to his credit.