In recent years, Patrick Hawes has emerged as one of the country’s most popular and inspirational composers. Born in Lincolnshire, he studied music at Durham University where he was organ scholar and conductor of the University Symphony Orchestra. His skills as a composer were nourished through his teaching of music and English and, with The Wedding at Cana, he established a personal and thoroughly English style which quickly endeared him to the listening public and led to his appointment as Composer in Residence at Charterhouse. The subsequent decision to leave teaching provided the freedom to take up a variety of commissions, most notably The Call - a song cycle written for the soprano Janet Coxwell and premiered by the English Chamber Orchestra in Lincoln Cathedral in 1999. It was with the release of his debut album Blue in Blue, however, that Patrick first gained widespread public recognition. Made CD of the week on Classic FM, it was nominated for a Classical Brit award and was voted by Classic FM listeners as the fastest ever and highest new entry into the station’s Hall of Fame.

In March 2008, the world premiere of the Lazarus Requiem at The Cadogan Hall represented a landmark in Patrick’s career and followed on directly from his time as Composer in Residence at Classic FM. This position involved writing twelve pieces for piano - each piece being premiered over a twelve-month period The pieces were directly inspired by a recent move to the Norfolk coast and by the wonderful skies and landscapes of that county. The resulting album Towards the Light was an instant hit with the public and, for a second time, Classic FM listeners voted it the highest new entry in the 2007 Hall of Fame. A national tour followed and Patrick enthralled audiences with his performances at the piano and ability to communicate the inspiration behind the pieces through his spoken introductions.

Key to Patrick’s work and success has been the relationship with his brother Andrew. Andrew’s words have provided the foundation for a wide range of choral and vocal compositions such as The Far Seeing Land, the Vauday Part Songs and the children’s opera A King’s Ransom. It was Andrew who conceived the idea of The Wedding at Cana and the Lazarus Requiem, as well as providing the inspiration behind many small-scale anthems and carols. Together, they produce works deeply imbued with the Christian spirit and unique in their symbiosis of words and music.

April 2009 is to see the release of Patrick’s latest album Song of Songs. It consists of six choral pieces for strings and voices along with other works for choir and organ. The recording will feature the English Chamber Orchestra, Patrick’s own choir Conventus and the stunning soprano Elin Manahan Thomas. Later in the year, Julian Lloyd Webber is to record Patrick’s new piece for cello and piano - Gloriette which was commissioned by Leeds Castle for a premiere in August 2008.

Patrick’s main project for 2009, however, is to complete the Highgrove Suite for His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. This began as a one-movement work for harp and strings and was premiered on the Prince’s sixtieth birthday by the royal harpist Claire Jones and the Philharmonia orchestra. Three new pieces for the same forces are to complete the suite, each one inspired by an aspect of the gardens at Highgrove.