Hugill studied composition under Roger Marsh at the University of Keele between 1976 and 1981. After university he earned a living as a music copyist and as musical assistant at the Opéras de Lyon et Paris. In 1983, he founded the ensemble "George W. Welch". His compositions have been performed and broadcast worldwide. They comprise electronic and electroacoustic music, instrumental and orchestral compositions, installations and digital works. Recent pieces have included the augmented reality opera Secret Garden, the installation Animal Stories and the network collaboration City Soundings.
The links below include many sound clips of complete pieces.
Hugill, A. et al. (2009) Fanfares, Fancies and Fugues (includes 'St. George's Island Chorale'). UHR 020011017.
Hugill, A. (2007) Single-composer CD, ‘Pataphysical Piano: The Sounds and Silences of Andrew Hugill. UHR 02001 1008.
Hugill, A. (2006) Curated CD and booklet, 'Pataphysics (includes 'Nicholas
Through the Mist' and 'To End, Caruso
Sang Fugure I'). London: Sonic Arts Network.
Hugill, A. et al. (2006) Sonic Voyages (includes 'Clinamen'). UHR 02001 1006.
Hugill, A. et al (2006) Bouquet of Sounds (includes Movement 3 of 'Island Symphony'). MTI.
Hugill, A. et al. (2001) Music Without Walls? (includes 'Catalogue de Grenouilles'). Pink Dot Records 001.
Hugill, A. et al. (2000) Piano2000 (includes score and recording of 'Sonneries Parfumées'). Tokyo: Zen-On Music.
Hugill, A. (1996) Single-composer CD, Island Symphony. Rubble Records. RUBB001.
City Soundings Broadcast on Radio France Culture, 2011.
Les Origines humaines Broadcast on Radio France Culture, 'Les Passagers de la nuit', 2010.
Catalogue de Grenouilles Broadcast on BBC Radio 3 'Late Junction', 2008/2010.
Nicholas through the Mist Broadcast on BBC Radio 3 'Late Junction', 2008
Clinamen Broadcast with interview on ResonanceFM, 2002.
Symphony for Cornwall Interview and excerpts, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 'Music Matters', 1999.
Nocturne Simon Allen (perc), Andrew Ball & Suzanne Cheetham (pnos). Commissioned and broadcast by BBC Radio 3, 1997.
Island Symphony Broadcast on BBC Radio 3 'Hear and Now' (with interview), 1996.
Brisset Rhymes Sara Stowe (sop) and Matthew Spring (early instruments), broadcast on BBC Radio 3's 'Midnight Oil', 1993.
Doublemain Ed Pilllinger (cl) and Suzanne Cheetham (pno) on BBC Radio 3 'Midnight Oil', 1993.
Catalogue de Grenouilles Performed by George W. Welch, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 'Tuning Up' and BBC Radio 4 'Pick of the Week', 1991.
Simon and Ennoia Performed by George W. Welch, broadcast on BBC Radio 3 'Debut' series, 1990.
Secret Garden (2012) Augmented Reality Opera. Libretto/media by Martin Rieser, drawing on myths of the Fall and the Sephiroth. There will be a public première of this piece in 2012 at Phoenx Square, Leicester. The musical material processes various songs, delivering them simultaneously through eleven iPads in binaural stereo, triggered by user interactions and mixed with processed gong and crotales. Blog. Documentary. Sample song: Glory
City Soundings (2011) City Soundings was a fun collaborative
composition project made for the Radiophonic Creation Day
organized by Wiska Radkiewicz and Andrea Cohen. Several composers/artists
took field recordings of their home cities, passing back and
forth a pool of sound – sort of like a digital editing game
of telephone – the result was a collective composition that
incorporated many different compositional styles. Contributers: Steven
Brown (UK), Marek Choloniewski (Poland), Andrea Cohen (France), Victoria
Estok (USA), Brad Garton (USA), Janete El Haouli (Brazil), Andrew Hugill
(UK), Malle Maltis (Estonia), Wiska Radkiewicz (USA), Hernan Risso Patron
(Argentina), Franziska Schroeder (UK),Andrei Smirnov (Russia), Marie Wennersten
(Sweden), Lidia Zielinska (Poland). Andrea Cohen presented City Soundings
during a radio programme on France Culture, the public cultural French
radio.
Project website.
Animal Stories (2011) Installation piece in three sections to accompany the Animal
Stories exhibition at Leicester New Walk Museum.
Animal Stories 1: In the Forest by Andrew Hugill
Animal Stories 2: In The Meadow by Andrew Hugill
Animal Stories 3: Under the Sea by Andrew Hugill
The Lion and the Eagle (2011) Ded. Simon Emmerson.
Première: The Dirty Electronics Ensemble (dir. John Richards), Leicester.
Download score
Pianolith (2003) 12'. Piano and grinding rocks. World premiere
by GéNIA. Other notable performances by Barry Truax (Vancouver,
2004), Martin Whalley (Manchester, 2005), Karis Stretton (Leicester, 2012).
Download
score.
Hear interview with
GéNIA.
CD
Recording: UHR
020011008
Pianolith by Andrew Hugill
Nicholas through the mist (2003) 5'. In memoriam Nicholas Zurbrugg. Electroacoustic. World premiere
‘Soundcircus’, Sonic Arts Network Festival, 2004.
Listen
Symphony for Cornwall (1999) 35'. Ded. John and Joyce Southern. Internet composition for orchestra and live electronics, created with schools across Cornwall. World premiere: Bournemouth Sinfonietta (cond. Richard Studt), Hall for Cornwall, Truro, May 27th 1999.
Island Symphony (1995) 76'. Ded. Babs and Evelyn Atkins. Electroacoustic (also exists in orchestral version). World premiere: The Guildhall, Looe, Cornwall, September 23rd, 1995. Broadcast première: BBC Radio 3, May 3rd, 1996.
Here is the
story of the Symphony
CD Recording: Rubble Records.
Modal Spaces (1994) Site-specific installation piece for multiple instrumentalists and digital sound diffusion. Premiere: Queens Building, De Montfort University, Leicester, June 6th, 1994.
Clinamen (1994) 10'. Electronic. Premiere: De Montfort University, Leicester, June 6th, 1994. Broadcast premiere: ResonanceFM, 2002. CD Recording: UHR 020011006
Delay in Glass (1993) 11'. Electroacoustic (glass sounds). Premiere: Phoenix Arts, Leicester, May 1993. Delay in Glass by Andrew Hugill
Catalogue de Grenouilles (1987) c. 15'. Multiple frogs and piano/ensemble. Premiere: George W. Welch. Broadcast premiere: BBC Radio 3, February 2nd, 1991. Many other performances around the world. View
video excerpt of performance by Hildegard Kleeb (piano) and Roland Dahinden (trombone) in Xi'an, China (2010).
Download score.
CD Recording: UHR
020011008
Catalogue de Grenouilles by Andrew Hugill
White Epiphany (1986) 1'. Electronic. Ded. John White.
To End. Caruso Sang Figure 1. (1984) Digital (endless loop). Ded. Mark Thomson. CD Recording: Sonic Arts Network
A Worker Speaks (1981) c. 30'.Ded. Alfred Worker. Mutliple pianos and tapes. Premiere: Keele University, 1981.
Timestretch (2001) 8'. Commissioned by Leicester Space Centre and De Montfort
Hall, Leicester.
Instrumentation: Picc, 2 Fls, 2 Obs, 2 Cls, B. Cl, Cb. Cl,
2 Bsns, CBsn, 4 Hns, 2 Tpts, 2 T. Tbns, 2 B. Tbns, Tba, Timps, Perc (4 players:
snare, tambourine, tam-tam, cymbals, bass drums, field drums, vibraslap,
ratchet, chains, tubells, xylophone, gong, flexatone, chains, glock), Strings
+ digital sounds.
Première: Philharmonia Orchestra/Constantine,
De Montfort Hall, Leicester, 3.8.01 (outdoors, with light show).
Symphony for Cornwall (1999) 35' (in 3 movements). Ded. John Southern, Joyce Southern and Peter Warden. Commissioned by Arts Council England.
Instrumentation: Fl (d. Picc, Alto, Bass), 2 Obs, Cl (d. Bass Cl), 2 Bsns (one d. Contra), 2 Fr. Hns., Perc (d. MIDI marimba) Tape, 5.4.3.2.1 Strings (D.Bass amplified) + digital sounds.
Première: Bournemouth Sinfonietta (cond. Richard Studt), Hall for Cornwall, Truro, May 27th 1999 (also listed under electroacoustic).
Island Symphony (1996) 70' (in 4 movements). Ded. Babs and Evelyn Atkins. Commissioned by South West Arts and Cornwall County Council.
Instrumentation: Picc, 2 Fls (1 d. Alto), 2 Obs, C.A., 3 Cls, B.Cl., 2 Bsns, C-Bsn, 4 Horns, 1 Flgl., 3 Tpts (1 d. D trumpet), 2 Ten. Tbns., 1 B.Tbn (d. digeridoo), 1 Tba, SATB Sax, Perc. (4 players), Timps., Keyboards (piano/synth/sequencer), Harp, Strings.
Première: Philharmonia at UH (cond. Howard Burrell), Hatfield, February 2nd 1999. Originally an electroacoustic composition.
Here is the story of the Symphony.
St. George's Island Chorale (1996) 4'. Ded. Howard Burrell. Exists in versions for orchestra, chamber orchestra and brass band.
One Hundred Thousand Billion Songs (2003) 25', Ded. Stanley Chapman. Mezzo-soprano, piano
Première: Katina Kangaris (voice), Christopher Hobbs (piano), Institut Français, London.
Note: This setting of Stanley Chapman's translation of Raymond Queneau's Cent Mille Milliards de Poèmes presents the ten 'original' sonnets treated in the manner of the Exercices de Style. It was originally composed in 1989, but lay unperformed until its première as part of the Queneau centenary celebrations at the French Institute, London, in 2003.
Les Origines humaines (1995) 40', Ded. Matthew Greenall. Commisioned
by the Elysian Singers of London with funds made available by the Holst Foundation.
SATB (36 Voices). In 9 movements, of which ‘Les Ancetres’, ‘La Nourriture’,
‘Le Grande Loi’, L’Apparition du Sexe’, Le Calembour’ and ‘Révélations et
Diversités’ have been or may be performed as individual concert works.
Première: The Elysian Singers (cond. Matthew Greenall), at St Johns, Smith Square, London, February 24th, 1996
Here are the texts by Jean-Pierre Brisset, translated by Andrew Hugill
Brisset Rhymes (1990) 25', Ded. Sara Stowe and Matthew Spring.
Solo soprano, early instruments (hurdy-gurdy, oud, lute, renaissance
guitar, bells, drums) and tape of frog calls.
Première: Stowe and Spring, Leicester, 1990
Broadcast premiere: BBC Radio 3, October 29th, 1993.
Four Interludes (2009) I: 7' 13"
II: 7' 16" III: 7' 14" IV: 7' 49"
Instrumentation: I - fl, cl, a.sax, t. sax, tpt, kbd, pno, strings. II - xyl,
mar, drum, el. gtr. III - pno duet, bells, vib, drum. IV - fl, cl, a.sax,
t. sax, tpt, kbd, pno, strings.
Interlude2 by Andrew Hugill
Interlude 3 by Andrew Hugill
Another Slight List (2004) 18', Commissioned by Ensemble Décadanse.
Instrumentation: flute, double bass, piano, organ, percussion
Première: ‘Ensemble Décadanse’, Lunel, France, 2004
Nocturne (1995) 23', Commissioned by BBC Radio 3. Ded. Philip Grange.
Instrumentation: 2 pianos and percussion (tuned tam-tams, vibraphone, talking drum, pedal timpani, mbira, balafon, dobachi, hand bells, Burmese gong)
Première: Simon Allen (perc), Andrew Ball & Suzanne Cheetham (pianos), BBC Radio 3, 'Hear and Now', April 18th, 1997
Doublemain (1988) 10'.
This exists in five versions. The first three are scored for vln/gtr, clar/pno
and vln/pno (see 'Instrumental' below).
Version 4: clarinet, viola, cello, piano (made for 'Perihelion' and
first performed by them at the University of Queensland, Brisbane in 1996)
Version 5: clarinet, violin, cello, piano (made for 'Burdocks' and
first performed by them in Vancouver, Canada, 1998).
O Pax Aetherna (1993) 30'. In memoriam Baron Opach.
Instrumentation: multiple pianos.
Première: Philippe Cathé and the Ensemble des Cliques et des Claques, Paris, France, 8th September, 1995.
CD Recording: UHR 020011008.
Uspud (1992) 35'. Erik Satie's composition arranged by Hugill.
Instrumentation: harmonium, piano, clarinet, tuba, string quartet and percussion.
Première: 'George W. Welch', Blackheath Concert Halls.
Broadcast première: BBC2 TV, ‘Erik Satie - Things Seen to the Right and the Left’ (with interview)
'Voyeurism' and 'Coach Ride' from Eugénie de Franval (1990).
13'.
piano, string trio, clarinet/bass clarinet, tuba, marimba, vibes, percussion,
photographic flash (13’)
Two scenes from a work in progress.
Première: George W. Welch, 1990, Purcell
Room, South Bank Centre, London.
Catalogue de Grenouilles (1987) c. 15'. Multiple frog calls and
piano/ensemble. Premiere: George W. Welch. Broadcast premiere: BBC Radio 3,
February 2nd, 1991. Many other performances around the world. View
video excerpt of performance by Hildegard Kleeb (piano) and Roland
Dahinden (trombone) in Xi'an, China (2010).
Download score.
CD Recording: UHR
020011008
Catalogue de Grenouilles by Andrew Hugill
Phoenix Phanphare (1988) 3'. Ded. Nigel Hinds.
Instrumentation: Massed clarinets, tpt, horn, 2 trbs, tuba, snare drum.
Première: Phoenix Arts Centre, Leicester, October 1988 (outdoors)
Broadcast première: BBC Radio Leicester, October 1988
Kodok (1988) 13'.
Instrumentation: Fl, cl (d. Bass cl), tuba, glock, vibes, marimba, piano, perc
Première: ‘George W. Welch’, Purcell Room, London, 1988.
Eastward Oh (1987) 26'. Ded. Hugh McDowell.
Instrumentation: Solo cello (amplified), cl, tuba, vibes, marimba, perc, piano, vln, vla
Première: ‘George W. Welch’, Lauderdale House, London, 1987
Broadcast Première: Hannover Hochshule Ensemble (cond. Ladislav Kupkovic), Hannover Radio, 1991.
Simon and Ennoia (1983, rev. 1987) 12'. Commissioned by the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London.
Instrumentation: Bass cl, vibes, marimba, vln, vla, cello
Première: ICA, 1983 (under title ‘Worker’s Rubble’)
Broadcast première: 'George W. Welch', BBC Radio 3, 1990
A Slight List (1984) 18'.
Instrumentation: Piano duet, guitar, marimba, gong, tuba, vln, vla, cello
Première: ‘George W. Welch’, BMIC London, 1984.
A Slight List by Andrew Hugill
Phaon (1983) 12'.
Version 1: 4 harmoniums (one player sings)
Version 2: 2 pianos 6 hands, marimba 4 hands, electric guitar, gong, vln, vla
Première: 1. Keele University, 1983; 2. ‘George W. Welch’, London, 1983
Perles de l"opéra (1982) 18'.
Version 1: 2 voices, 2 pianos 8 hands, tuba, drum;
Version 2: cl, tuba, piano duet, vibes, marimba, drum, tam-tam, vln, vla, cello, tape
Première: 1. Keele University New Music Group, 1985; 2. ‘George W Welch’, Purcell Room, 1990
A.SC.H (1982) 6'. Ded. John Abram.
Instrumentation: Electric guitar, piano, bongos
Première: Vancouver, Canada, 1986
Clarinette Quintette (1980) 26'. Ded. Roger Marsh.
Instrumentation: clarinet and string quartet (with optional slides or theatrical presentation)
Première: Keele University, 1980.
See Mark Thomson's drawings that illustrated the score and may be shown during
a performance.
Valse des cure-dents (Waltz of the toothpicks) (2007) 2', piano (or flute and piano).
Sonneries Parfumées (2000) 5', piano.
Première: Kayako Matsunaga (piano), Casals Hall, Tokyo, 2000
Published by Zen-On Music, Tokyo
Download score
Fête Donnée... (2000) 3', piano. Ded. Christopher Hobbs.
CD Recording: UHR 020011008
Bachelor Machine (1992) 40' (in 5 movements), percussion solo. Commissioned
by East Midlands Arts. Ded. Matthew Griffiths.
Instrumentation: Percussion (single player), comprising: 5 low metal instruments, 5 mid-range metal, 5 skin, 5 wood, 5 glass, 3 drums, 9 sawn-off gas cylinders, metal sphere, timpani. Optional theatrical elements include: digital sound, water, twine, scissors, rowing-machine, bottle of Benedictine (empty), slide show.
Additional: The following three movements from Bachelor Machine may be performed separately as concert works:
The Bride (5 low metal instruments, 5 mid-range metal, 5 skin, 5 wood, 5 glass; 10')
The Bachelor (3 drums, bottle, and recitation by performer of text by Jarry - rowing machine preferred but not compulsory! 12')
One-(wo)man-gamelan (9 metal objects; 9')
Première: Matthew Griffiths, Phoenix Arts, Leicester, May, 1992
Here are some further
notes about this piece
Doublemain (1988) 10'. Commissioned by Gemini.
Version 1: violin, guitar (premièred at the Old Bull Arts Centre, Barnet by Peter Hanson (violin), Adrian Lee (guitar)
Version 2: clarinet, piano (premièred by Ed PIllinger and Suzanne Cheetham, BBC Radio 3, 9.12.94
Version 3: violin, piano (premièred by Motje Wolf and Sara Wilander, leicester, 2011)
Sabotherm (1984) 10'. Viola duo.
Published by Forward Music.
Bride, teeming with sweet to the Bridegroom (1981) 9', piano.
Download score.
CD Recording: UHR 020011008