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Patrick Hawes
1958 - present
Throughout the past few years Patrick Hawes has emerged as one of the most popular contemporary English composers.
Patrick's most recent work, the Highgrove Suite , is released on Classic FM on 27th September. It began as a one-movement piece entitled 'Goddess Of The Woods' and received its premiere at Covent Garden on the occasion of The Prince Of Wales sixtieth birthday in November 2008. Three further movements were commissioned, each inspired by a different area of the gardens at Highgrove. The premeiere took place before a private audience at Highgrove in June 2010, performed by the royal harpist Claire Jones and The Philharmonia orchestra with Patrick himself conducting. You can find out more or pre-order the album here .
Life and Music
- Patrick's music owes a great deal to the English Romantic tradition of Delius and Vaughan Williams but also displays elements of the Renaissance and Baroque styles which formed the basis for his research degree at Durham University.
- He was an organ scholar and conductor of the university symphony orchestra and chamber choir. And after a period teaching music and English.
- Whilst in the position of Composer in Residence at Charterhouse, Hawe wrote the children's opera 'A King's Ransom' and built on his creative partnership with his poet brother Andrew Hawes.
- He recorded the 'Lazarus Requiem', featuring soprano Janet Coxwell, with the English Chamber Orchestra and in 2002, the Orchestra collaborated with Patrick's own choir 'Conventus' on his debut album 'Blue in Blue'.
- Within weeks of its release in January 2004, 'Blue in Blue' stormed the classical charts and subsequently, it was voted the fastest and highest new entry into the Hall of Fame by the Classic FM audience.
- His television and screen works include ITV’s theme for the Rugby World Cup and the score for the Emmy award-winning film 'The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie' which stars Emmy Award-winning actress Gena Rowlands alongside James Caan.
- His album 'Towards The Light' was inspired by the expansive skies and constantly changing light of the Norfolk coast, where he lives as well as his Christian faith.
Visit Patrick's Facebook page here
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Did you know?
Lazarus Requiem is Patrick's largest work to date, and uses traditional Latin text from the Requiem Mass with an account in English of the raising of Lazarus.
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