Piers Hellawell

Piers Hellawell’s work has been performed around the world by artists such as LSO, Håkan Hardenberger, Evelyn Glennie, Philharmonia Orchestra and the Hilliard Ensemble. The 2012 CD ‘Airs, Waters’ was hailed as “gorgeously impassioned work….. a rich kaleidoscope of inspired creativity”. 2014 saw the improvisation-collaboration Sound Carvings, Strange Tryst, premiered in the New Music Biennial; in 2016 came Wild Flow at the BBC Proms, Up By The Roots,  a collaboration with poet Sinéad Morrissey and a feature at Detroit’s Great Lakes Festival. 
For many years, Hellawell was Professor of Composition at Queen’s University of Belfast. Since retiring from that post in 2024, Hellawell has been Visiting Professor of Composition at St Andrews University.

Music
Hellawell’s works are represented on CD on the ECM New Series, NMC and Metier labels, as well as on three critically acclaimed discs from the Metronome label; May 2012 saw the issue of ‘Airs, Waters’, on the Delphian label; its main work Agricolas was hailed by ‘The Independent’ as ".... a large-scale palette applied with the most delicate of brushwork", and by ‘The Scotsman’ as "gorgeously impassioned work..... a rich kaleidoscope of inspired creativity". A PRS Foundation ‘Beyond Borders’ award led to the 2016 collaboration Up By The Roots with Irish poet Sinéad Morrissey and Fidelio Piano Trio, with whom Hellawell has a long association; this chamber work with live poetry was premiered during a U.K. tour in 2016. Piers Hellawell’s 60th birthday year also featured a new orchestral work Wild Flow at the BBC Proms - a commission for the 50th season of the Ulster Orchestra. Hellawell has had performances in the US along with performances in Sweden, Finland and Germany as well as around the U.K.; more recent orchestral work includes Symphonies in Chains, premiered by the Ulster Orchestra in 2020, and Rapprochement, a piano concerto for Clare Hammond. 

Live 
The Rising of Sirius NEW WORK 2025
To be premiered at the Corbridge Chamber Music Festival, 2025
St Andrews Church,  Market Place Corbridge, England, NE45 5AA;  26th July 2025
The Corbridge Chamber Music Festival has commissioned a major new work from Hellawell, The Rising of Sirius,  for the Gould Piano Trio and clarinettist Robert Plane. The premiere will take place during the festival (24-27 July 2025) and marks the 1350th anniversary of the founding of St. Andrew's Church, Corbridge! This commission will be a centrepiece of the festival, which will also feature a "Meet the Creatives" event with the composer.