His duet and vocal partners include violinists Alina Ibragimova and Tamsin Waley-Cohen and soprano Carolyn Sampson, who in 2020, with pianist Joseph Middleton, recorded his Five Larkin Songs. Sampson is just one of a growing number of leading British performers who have championed Watkins’ music; other notable collaborators include the London Symphony Orchestra, which commissioned his Flute Concerto (2014), premiered by Adam Walker. To commemorate the LSO’s centenary, he composed his London Concerto (2015). Watkins’ chorus and orchestra work The Moon was first heard at the 2019 BBC Proms, and Dawning was performed in 2020 by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Watkins' enduring collaboration with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales has produced a number of significant commissions. Among them is a Piano Concerto, which was premiered in 2002 with Watkins as soloist; additionally, there's a Double Concerto premiered in 2005, with soloists Philip Dukes (viola) and Josephine Knight (cello). As Composer-in-Association with BBC NOW, Watkins wrote a Cello Concerto in 2016 for his brother, along with the orchestral piece Spring premiered in 2017, under conductor Ryan Wigglesworth.

In 2017, the Hallé Orchestra commissioned Watkins’ First Symphony, premiered under Music Director, Sir Mark Elder. After its outstanding first appearance, hugely enthusiastic reception and subsequent successful recording, the Hallé and BBC NOW co-commissioned a Second Symphony (2021), which received the prestigious Sky Arts Classical Music Award in 2022.

A wealth of chamber music is central to Watkins’ output, complementing his parallel career as a pianist. His solo violin Partita and solo viola Fantasy were both written in 2006 for Alina Ibragimova and Lawrence Power respectively. Long-time supporters the Nash Ensemble commissioned a Horn Trio (2008) and among works for his brother Paul is Blue Shadows Fall (2012-13) commissioned by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Watkins’ Four Fables (2018), for clarinettist Robert Plane and the Gould Piano Trio, received its premiere at the Hereford Three Choirs Festival, while Seven Inventions for piano and marimba was written in 2019 for Colin Currie and premiered at the East Neuk Festival in Scotland.

Music Theatre Wales commissioned two chamber operas, both featuring libretti by David Harsent: Crime Fiction (2008) was followed by In the Locked Room (2011-12), a co-commission with Scottish Opera. Subsequently, this piece has received new productions at Staatsoper Hamburg (2015) and at London’s Royal College of Music (2018).

Huw Watkins was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to music.