THE Mourne Mountains have been inspiration to many artists and living at their foothills has certainly had an impact on Alex Patterson.
Born and raised on a farm at the Trassey Road outside Bryansford, Alex is now living in Nottingham where he works as a composer and conductor.
Composer in residence at St. Barnabas Cathedral, and soon to be its Musical Director, he is considered a major creative talent in the city, where he has also worked for Arts Council England, UK Young Artists and Music for Everyone.
He recently recorded a CD of his music, which was mostly inspired by the beauty of the Mourne Mountains, with the Schola Cantorum choir at St. Barnabas and this month he will be bringing them to Northern Ireland for a series of concerts.
The former Down High School pupil will be putting on his showcase concert at Down Cathedral on Friday, June 29 at 7.30pm, before going on to perform in Armagh and Belfast.
Currently completing his postgraduate composition studies at Birmingham Conservatoire, Alex’s first compositions came in the form of short anthems for his parish church choir in Bryansford, where he was the local amateur organist, and also three Christmas carols premiered at Down Cathedral by the Down High School Chamber Choir.
His interest in choral singing led him to later sing with the acclaimed Ulster Youth Choir and in 2006 Alex began studying at the University of Nottingham. During his time there he was the musical director for the university’s Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and also the first musical director for the university’s multi-award winning opera society, OpSoc.
He has recorded several CDs including ‘I lift up my eyes’, the music of which will feature in his forthcoming concerts.
‘Lift up my eyes’ is in memory of my grandmother Eveline Patterson,” Alex explained. “For me it was the first death of a relative and the music a way of piecing together what happened.
“The words are those of Psalm 21 — that idea of looking up to the hills for inspiration, set to music with the whole environment of the Mournes in mind.”
When the young composer moved to Nottingham in 2006, he said he realised every time he was on holiday back home he became more creative.
“I think it was a mixture of it being a secluded area and the natural beauty,” he said. “Very definitely it is quite a change.”
Alex believes his music reflects the modern choral style of composers such as Eric Whittaker and hopes it will be well received locally.
“It is not hard to listen to, all the reviews say it is beautiful music to listen to and relax,” he added.
Alex will move from being Composer in Residence at St. Barnabas at the end of June to being its Assistant Director of Music. And with choirs being very much in vogue at the moment, he looks likely to be kept busy for the foreseeable future.
“I want to continue to do what I am doing,” he said. “One of the choirs I particularly enjoy working with is basically just a village choir. They are not as musically trained as the people I have worked with in the cathedral but they just love the whole experience.”
Music by Alex Patterson will be performed on Friday, June 29 at Down Cathedral at 7.30pm. Admission is £5 at the door.
Other performances will take place on Saturday, June 30 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, at 7pm and on Sunday July 1 at 11am at St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. Short performances will also take place at Titanic Belfast at 2pm and 4.30pm on the Sunday.