James MacMillan, the leading Scottish composer, has become the new patron of the Sound festival of music in the north-east of Scotland.

The event, between October 21 and November 17, will feature more than 80 public performances.

This year's festival, most of which is held in Aberdeen, will feature world premieres from composers including Sally Beamish and Thea Musgrave, as well as featured ensembles and soloists from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the Hebrides Ensemble, the Scottish Ensemble and others.

Fiona Robertson, the festival's co-ordinator, said: "James MacMillan is a tireless supporter of new music and he has been actively involved with sound since its inception. We are thrilled that he has accepted the invitation to become a patron of the festival, cementing the already strong relationship between us.

"He joins our founding patron, Dame Evelyn Glennie, for whom he wrote one his most celebrated works, Veni Veni Emmanuel."

MacMillan said: "The emergence of the Sound new music festival over the last few years has been one of the astounding success stories in the Scottish arts scene.

"From nowhere, Scotland suddenly has a contemporary music festival on the verge of rivalling some of the most famous events in Europe. It has been building momentum now for the last four years, with each new event bigger and more ambitious than the last."

He added: "It is the great fortune for Aberdeen and thereabouts that they have conceived their plans and brought them to fruition in the north.

"The central belt of Scotland has not had a regular new music festival like this for many years. The rest of the country can learn a lot from this exciting new development."