One of the country’s most popular and successful contemporary composers, Patrick Hawes, returned to Portsmouth High School on Monday 5 November, to work with pupils.  This time he was joined by Janet Coxwelll, a professional solo and choral singer who has been performing with the Tallis Scholars since 1991.

The pair worked with GCSE students in the morning, listening to their composition pieces and providing invaluable feedback and advice. Portsmouth High School pupils were also joined by pupils from Cams Hill School in Fareham. During the afternoon there was a question and answer session and an opportunity for pupils to hear both Patrick and Janet perform.

Patrick Hawes visited the School earlier this year and delivered a workshop entitled ‘Writing for the Piano” it was during this session that Patrick picked a composition written by, then Upper Sixth student, Fiona Mickel, to go through to the final of the Classic Fm Young Composer of the Year Competition.

Angela Blackwell, Director of Music , said; “It is great to be welcoming Patrick back to the school so soon. The workshop earlier in the year was a great success and for pupils to be able to work with both Patrick and Janet this time is a wonderful experience and so valuable for their Music GCSE coursework”.

“I very much hope that they will be able to work with our pupils each year, becoming the Portsmouth High School Performer and Composer in Residence – and not just Classic FMs!”

It is a musical week for the school as girls from both the Junior and Senior School will also be performing at Hinton Ampner, near Winchester.  The reunion recital is being performed especially for former pupils who were evacuated to Hinton Ampner (now a National Trust property) during World War Two to mark the schools 125th Birthday.