Performances and reviews of Pat’s music

1990 “Elegy” for cello and piano, based on a tone row. Competition runner-up.

1998 “Five Songs of Ariel and Caliban” for SATB Choir and Strings performed by Bungay Choral Society, combining contemporary harmony and sound effects with earlier styles.

REVIEW Beccles and Bungay Journal, April 21 2000
“Songs of Ariel and Caliban”
Concert first proves premier performance.
” . . . The work certainly caught the threatening atmosphere of The Tempest, with much staccato work, but ensemble and choir worked harmoniously together, and the work, certainly something very different for the society, retained the interest of the audience throughout. It is one which will no doubt be heard again at other concerts”.
Terry Reeve

2001 “Dark Fantasy”, (prize-winning piece for Women in Music, European tour), comprising three songs, with original words and music. It has elements of mystery and magic, and includes environmental issues. It can be performed by SSAA, SSAB, or SATB, with or without simple instrumental parts. All three songs build up the voices in layers, and the whole cycle can be quickly learned in one session.

REVIEW SATIPS Independent Prep. Schools Magazine
“Dark Fantasy”
This is a competition-winning piece containing three songs of increasing difficulty. There are optional parts for pitched and unpitched instruments. The first song, Hawks and Hounds, has an environmental text and looks fun. Its ostinato figures could be easily taught to any group. The careful instrumentation and dynamics add much to the sense of foreboding as does the change to the minor key half-way through. The second song is a dirge and builds up to a large climax before fading away. It has two independent melodies, an ostinato and a part for a second soprano in parallel fifths. Though more complex than the first, the melodic writing should come quite easily. The impetus for the final song is a battle between 3/4 and 6/8 rhythms set over a drum ostinato. As it progresses, the material becomes more complex. The overall effect is exciting and this should prove a good challenge for an able choir.
Alan Childs

2002 “The Only Blonde in the World” (polytonal and for flexible instrumentation) was short-listed for the CoMA/Liverpool Tate competition, for which there were over 80 entries). It was later workshopped and recorded at the CoMA Summer School in 2002. It was then selected for performance in London by the London Chamber Group Wind Quintet at a “Music Party” in 2003.

2004 “What’s Out There?” (an electronic composition) was played on “ghetto blasters” in the streets of Lunel, France during their contemporary music festival.

2004 “Glass & Steel” (a miniature electro-acoustic piece). was accepted by the 60X60 project in New York in 2004 and was publicly aired in the UK Mix at the Digital Music Research Network conference in Leeds in 2007. It also made the Order of Magnitude Dance Mix and was broadcast in the USA on the Martian Gardens contemporary music radio show in August 2007. It has since been played at events in Russia and Canada. The track and CD are both available on iTunes and ‘CD Baby’.

2007 “Stop Daydreaming” (a ‘duet’ for solo bassoon) was performed by Robert Howard at the Prescot Festival in June 2007, again in 2011 by Fiona Linane (on clarinet), and then thirdly by John Mason in 2013 in Trunch (on bassoon).

2008 The Centre for Global and Social Analysis at Athabasca University, Alberta. Canada asked for a copy of “Loveliest of Trees” for baritone and piano based on Houseman’s poem and the Japanese melody “Sakura”.
Since 2008, Suffolk County Council, have used both published and unpublished string arrangements for beginners as they were unable to find what they needed in the music shops. They have been very well received.

2010 “Tweety” and “Cheeky Ducks” were broadcast on 209 Radio (Headstand – poetry and music).

2011 (January) “Time Nearly Stood Still” for double string orchestra was workshopped by the Yorkshire Late Starters Orchestra in Durham. The conductor, Robin Michael commented on the piece “Great, fantastic, terrific!”

2011 “Refracting Waters” Three Aquarelles for flute and alto flute commissioned by, and main title given by Carl Willets was performed in an arrangement for flute and saxophone in the USA in 2012. This was also performed in its original format for flute and alto flute at the Octagon Chapel, Norwich, in June 2012.

2011 “Calling” for solo Horn in F was performed by Michelle McQuade Dewhirst at the Composer’s Voice Concert in New York on 11th March 2012

2012 “Almost a Passacaglia” (viola version) was performed at the Octagon Chapel, Norwich, in June 2012.

2012 Three short pieces broadcast on 60 x 60 Radio Request Extravaganza WFMT Chicago.

2013 “Stark Raving Fiddler” selected for Vox Novus/Untwelve Mix 60 x 60 collaboration.

2013 “A Sad Pavan for these Distracted Times” for String Trio, after Thomas Tomkins performed in South Walsham.

2013 “Contrasts for ‘Cello” performed at two different venues in Los Angeles by Maksim Velichkin.

2013 “Storm over Weimar” for piano performed at Doncaster by Michael Finnissy.

2013 “Stop Daydreaming” (a ‘duet’ for solo bassoon) second performance by John Mason of Norfolk Winds in Trunch concert series.

2013 “Stomping and Roaming” for descant recorder group and “Dark Fantasy” for four-part youth choir played/sung in afternoon activities in local primary schools.

2014 “Storm over Weimar” for piano, second performance.

2014 “A Norfolk Carnival of the Animals” for soprano and violin performed at the Octagon Concert series in Norwich.

2014 “Practically a Passacaglia” (extended version of Almost a Passacaglia, performed by Darragh Morgan on violin.

2014 “The Armed Tigress” performed by Michael Finnissy on piano in Doncaster.

2014 “Signals and Songs” a WW1 commemoration for string quartet performed South Walsham Arts Centre.

2015 “Cargoes” a setting of John Masefield’s poem for soprano and percussion performed in the Eaton concert series.

2015 “The Armed Tigress” for piano performed by Michael Finnissy (preceded by “L’Homme Armée” on which it is based, sung by Susie Self), at The Creake Centre for the Performing Arts.

2015 “Animals” for soprano and cello workshopped by Sarah Leonard and Sophie Harris at the CoMA Summer School.

2016 “Fragile Petals of Nepal”, a variation on the Nepalese National Anthem for piano, singing bowl and gong was performed at Templewood, Cromer.

2016 Vocal and instrumental music specially composed for a site-specific community theatrical project “This Earth We Tread”, for the 1000th year anniversary of St Walstan (a local saint) at the ruins of St Michael and All Angels, Bowthorpe, Norwich.

2017 “1001 Nights” was performed by the Spinks String Duo at a salon in Lincolnshire.

2018 “Storm over Weimar” for piano was performed a third time at West Runton in a concert that also featured Cantamus singing a setting of William Blake with the composer Michael Finnissy taking part.

2018 “A Meditation on Stainer’s God So Loved the World” for clarinet and cello, was performed by members of contemporary music group IXION at a collaborative concert with Norwich School in the new Blake Studio, in the presence of Judith Weir, Master of the Queen’s Music.

2018 “Random Walk” a sound track accompanying a GIF showing the behaviour of graphene with two atoms removed, was selected by physicists as the most interesting composition representing 2D materials, and will feature in the interactive exhibition at the Campus of Vienna University from May until October. An award for it was presented at the end of the associated concert.

2018 “Alla Polacca” was performed by the Spinks String Duo and “Aralara” was performed by the Larisa Piano Trio at a salon in Lincolnshire.

February 2020 “Eurydice” for ’Singing Viola’ Katherine Clarke viola and mezzo soprano) performed in Wesley’s Chapel, London.

March 2020 “Aralara” moved over from cancelled London concert series with Larisa Trio (piano, violin and ‘cello) to the Octagon Chapel Norwich

2020 “Two 20-second pandemic miniatures” for David Bohn – melodica (Covid 19 ‘Washy Birthday’) and 2021 clavietta (20 secs of 2020 ‘Rainbow Daze’)

2020 Semi-Finalist for Anima Vox project “O Blissful Loss of Self” (flute and soprano with percussion)

Please email me at hanchetpat@gmail.com if you would like to view/hear specimen clips of any particular items, discuss suitability for purpose, make orders, or commissions.

There are many more works, both small and large scale, for both beginners and professionals.

For a VERY FULL OR PARTIAL CATALOGUE OF COMPOSITIONS, or to make enquiries or to commission new work, contact the composer at hanchetpat@gmail.com

These include sophisticated instrumental, vocal and electronic pieces, from solo through to orchestral with choir, to educational pieces for beginner strings, recorders and classroom instruments.

Please note that there are also numerous arrangements for less experienced performers.

Recordings and publications

A 22 track CD with a range of Pat Hanchet’s styles is available for £10 including postage and packing.

“Shimmering and Sparks” for piano (one or two hands), is available on Moves Classical Music label, Australia, “70 more variations on ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’, performed by Michael Kierean Harvey”. It is available online from iTunes, Buywell Just Classical and the Australian Music Centre, or from Thomas and Readings music retailers. The printed album is now published by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Press as More Variations on the Theme of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star from Composers around the World.

Very easy pieces for beginner string ensemble are available from Phoenix Music on line, and negotiations are underway with a publisher in the USA specialising in music for strings at all levels.