He worked almost exclusively with artists outside classical institutions—Dutch and American groups, freelance musicians and especially his own Steve Martland Band[2] which toured his music internationally.
He also worked with the King’s Singers and Evelyn Glennie for whom he wrote Street Songs.
In August 1998 he collaborated with the band Spiritualized on a project for the Flux Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Martland’s preoccupation with the function of the composer in society was reflected in his commitment to music education.
Martland died in Reading after suffering a heart attack in his sleep, during the night of 6 May 2013, at the age of 58.