Since 2001 Passacaglia has taken an active interest in promoting and performing new works for period instrument ensemble. In 2002, the group launched its ground-breaking New Music Project, which prompted a large number of entries from UK- based composers. Peter McGarr’s atmospheric piece The Buried Dreams of Our Lives (listen) was chosen by the group for performance at The International Exhibition of Early Music in October 2002, and the ensemble premiered a second work by McGarr, Lacuna, on 20th June 2003 at the Wigmore Hall.

Timothy Coker’s entertaining work Suite (listen) was written for Passacaglia and Dan Laurin in 2001, and has been recently published by Peacock Press (P102). For further information tel 01422 882751.

Passacaglia also looks forward to a unique collaboaration with US composer Geoffrey Gordon. The ensemble will be premiering a new work by Geoffrey in the United States in March 2004: Stanza della Segnatura is inspired by Raphael’s frescoes in the Vatican.

Peter McGarr has had performances and commissions from many leading orchestras and ensembles: London Sinfonietta, BBC Philharmonic, Ensemble Bash, Brodsky Quartet, Black Dyke Band, City of London Sinfonia, Northern Sinfonia, Opus 20, and the Huddersfield, Bath and Spitalfields festivals. In 2000 he received a BBC Proms commission to feature Joanna McGregor, Ensemble Bash and the New Century Strings for a piece to be performed at the Royal Albert Hall.

Peter was born in Manchester, and studied Music and Dance at Mather College. He is self-taught in composition, and has had a varied career (including library assistant, carer, tourist information assistant, junior and secondary school teacher). For several years he taught steel pan, achieving the outstanding performance award from Music for Youth for his steel band Orchestral Steel. He was nominated as Music Teacher of the Year, and was also presented with the George Butterworth Award for Contemporary Music by the Society for the Promotion of New Music.

His piece The Buried Dreams of Our Lives was chosen by Passacaglia for performance at the Greenwich International Exhibition of Early Music in 2002, as part of their New Music Project.

Timothy Coker was born in Walsall in 1970. He graduated from the Birmingham Conservatoire in 1992 with a first class honours degree and the Diploma in Musical Compositon; during his time at the conservatoire he was also a choral scholar at Birmingham Cathedral. Tim undertook further study at Manchester University (supported by Scolarships from The Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust, Emmie Watts Memorial Fund and a Prince’s Trust Grant), and later at Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (studying under John Woolrich and Simon Hunt), graduating with an MPhil in Composition.

Tim has twice been shortlisted for a SPNM award, and was finalist in the 1998 Yorkshire & Humberside Young Composers’ Award. He has had works performed by the Duke String Quartet, the BBC Singers, the Orkest de Volharding (at the 1998 Huddersfield Festival of Contemporary Music), the Academic Scholars’ Chamber Choir, the Lindsay String Quartet, the BBC Philharmonic (under Sir Peter Maxwell Davies) and the Cambridge New Music Players. Current commissions include a new work for Finchley Chamber Choir.

Tim is also an experienced drama coach and is currently head of Performing Arts at Bradfield College, Reading.

Suite by Timothy Coker is a collection of five miniatures specially written for Passacaglia and Dan Laurin.