The Music of John Hawkes

 

Biography

I was born in 1942 in Nantwich, Cheshire and at the age of 6 moved to Shelf, near Bradford. After attending Bradford Grammar School, I read Physics at Magdalen College Oxford, and remained at Oxford after graduation to work for a D.Phil. I was subsequently appointed as a Postgraduate Researcher at the University of Sheffield and then moved to Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic (later to become the University of Northumbria) to become a lecturer in Physics. I took early retirement in 1997 and was made an Honorary Research Fellow. I married Carolyn in 1968 and we have two children Rachel (b 1972) and Nicholas (b 1976).

A basic knowledge of musical notation was picked up whilst I was a member of a church choir, but it was not until a lunchtime concert given by the Halle orchestra, when I was 14, that I heard an orchestra live for the first time. For some unknown reason this event triggered off a strong desire to write music, a desire I have been unable to shake off ever since. I had been given a recorder by my aunt at the age of 12 or so and this remained my only 'instrument' for some time until I taught myself to play first the flute and then later on the oboe.

Although initially self taught as far as composition is concerned, between 1994 to 2005 I attended composition classes at COMA (Contemporary Music for All) summer schools given by Michael Parsons, Diana Burrell, Daryl Runswick, Michael Finnissy, Stephen Montague, Deirdre Gribbin and John Woolrich. In December 2001 after two years part time study at the University of Newcastle I was awarded the degree of MMus (composition). My composition tutors during this time were Agustin Fernandez and Deirdre Gribbin.

My early association with the recorder playing fraternity has lead to a significant proportion of my compositions involving this instrument. I am currently on the panel of visiting conductors for the Society of Recorder Players.

When living in the North East of England I played the oboe with the Tynedale Orchestra the Northumberland Orchestra Society the The Cobweb Orchestra and the Darlington Orchestra
I was also the Musical Director of  the North East Recorder Orchestra.

At present I play the oboe with  the Abingdon Community Orchestra and play recorder in the Windrush Recorder Orchestra.