Patrick Andrew Thompson

Winner in the 2022 John Eaton Memorial Competition
Personal website: https://patrickandrewthompson.com

PATRICK ANDREW THOMPSON is a composer of dramatic musical narratives. Described as “a musician bursting with ideas,” (Atlanta Journal Constitution) he strives to carefully craft works of great emotional breadth and immediacy, marked by colorful, poignant harmonies, rich textures, and constant evolution. His works draw on a broad range of disciplines, from poetry and visual art to his background in math and science.

An ardent collaborator, Patrick’s pieces have been performed by a wide range of ensembles including the Sinta Quartet, the Zodiac Trio, Pure Winds, the Beo String Quartet, the Khaos Wind Quintet, and the Peabody Symphony Orchestra. Current projects include a Sinfonietta for the Inscape Chamber Orchestra and a piece for tenor and string quartet for Con Vivo Music. Upcoming performances include the premiere of Moments Sweep Past: three poems of Tracy K. Smith with the Boston New Music Initiative as a winner in its “Literary Elements” call for scores.

Other recent projects include his wind quintet Warm Chromatics, inspired by four paintings of František Kupka, written in collaboration with the Khaos Wind Quintet and selected as the first prize winner in Pure Wind’s inaugural call for scores. Taking inspiration from techniques in visual arts, his string quartet Chiaroscuro was written for the Beo String Quartet’s “Refractions” tour. His orchestra piece Through a Glass, Darkly won Peabody’s Macht Prize alongside honorable mentions from New York Youth Symphony’s First Music, the Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute, and the Riverside Symphony. Additional honors include prizes with the Foundation for Modern Music, American Prize, and Third Millennium Ensemble.

Patrick has a master’s degree in composition from the Peabody Institute, where he studied with Kevin Puts, and a degree in mathematics from Princeton University. He lives in Jersey City, NJ.