Bio
Will Drew-Batty
I have been composing from about the age of 13. At that stage everything I produced contained a mix of awful basic music theory, snippets of things I thought sounded like Byrd or Palestrina, and techniques that impressed me hugely; bold fifths and fourths, reminiscent of Mathias and Rutter. I crammed all this into two pages of A4 manuscript paper and thought I was doing well. I soon realised that I had much to learn.
Tutelage from kind and encouraging musicians guided me and I soon began to think carefully about the structure and content of my work. Music and I parted for a little while when I entered employment but it was always there in the shadows, whispering for me to come back and play. I’ve since studied with Peter Aston, Denis Smalley, Alan Bullard and have benefited from conversations with numerous conductors, performers and collaborative artistes.
Much of my output has been collaborative and I have been fortunate to be involved with numerous interesting projects. For me composing is about trying to capture the moment, the exact gut reaction to a musical idea formed, perhaps, whilst washing-up, polishing shoes, walking down the street. I hear the music in my head and produce it quickly.
My view to revision of a piece is, if ever, a boring and tedious journey. I do more of it now that I’m older and should know better, thinking, “I can’t get away with that”. But generally I try to present the initial inspiration for a piece the best way I can without fussiness and too much instruction. Music is there to give life to and that giving is handed to the interpreter who will, hopefully, have an emotional, artistic and technical intelligence enough to make things work.
Chronologically from 1994
Love
Unaccompanied solo voice
Text: Rupert Brooke
Duration: 2 mins.
Rites of Departure
Song Cycle for Tenor
Text: Drew-Batty
Duration: 16 mins
The Anniversay of Life
Secular Cantata
Choral SATB, Synthesiser, Percussion
Libretto: Drew-Batty
Duration: 30 mins
Fools Gold
A Musical Play for Children
Unison singing, acting roles, simple percussion, guitar, keyboard
Libretto: Drew-Batty after Geoffrey Chaucer
Duration: 20 mins.
I Sing of a Maiden
Soprano/Piano
Text: Anon 15 th Century
Duration: 3 mins.
All Shall Be Well
Song Cycle for Mezzo Soprano and Piano
Text: Julian of Norwich
Duration: 23 mins.
The Black Dog
Opera
Chorus, Sop, Mezzo Sop, Tenor, Baritone, Bass Soloists, Orchestra of fourteen players;
fl. ob. clar. bsn. tmpt. trmb. piano, vi, vii, vla, cello, bass, perc. (2 players)
Libretto: Drew-Batty
Duration: 1 hour 10 mins
Songs of Solitude
Commissioning Body: Norfolk Adult Education, Norfolk England
Choral Meditation
SATB, Double Chorus, Orchestra, Percussion (7 players), Saxophone Quartet, Solo Flute, Organ,
Piano, Mezzo Sop. Solo, Sop. Solo, Narrator
Libretto: Terry Waite
Duration: 1hour 30 mins.
Beat, Beat, Drums!
Orchestral/choral
SATB, Bar. Soloist, Standard orchestra but with harmonium.
Text: Walt Whitman
Duration: 22 mins.
Around the Ragged Rocks
String orchestra
Duration: 5 mins.
Crusade!
A musical play for children
Piano, childrens chorus, soli
Libretto: Drew-Batty
Duration: 60 mins.
Generations of Air
Choral, SATB, Brass ensemble
Text: Kevin Crossley Holland
Duration: 15 mins.
When David Heard
Choral SATB, String Quartet, Organ,Countertenor and Tenor Soloist.
Text: II Samuel / Rupert Brooke
Duration: 8 mins.
A New Work Is Come On Hand
Choral, SATB, org./piano
Text: 15 th Century Anon.
Duration: 3 mins.
Flannan Isle
Chamber Opera
Ten. bar. bar. soloists, piano, cello, perc. (1 player)
Libretto: Drew-Batty
Duration: 50 min
The Journey
Commissioning Body: The Black Shuck Festival (Arts Council England)
Secular Cantata
SAB/SATB, Synthesiser, Piano, Electric Guitar, Electric Bass, Alto Sax doubling Flute, Drum Kit,
Mezzo Soprano Solo, Bass Soloist, Narrator.
Libretto: Drew-Batty
Duration: 1hour 15 mins.
Time to Stop and Stare
Baritone/Piano
Text: Peter Smith
Duration: 4 mins.
Fire! Fire!
Commissioning Body: The Black Shuck Festival
Secular Cantata
SAB, Synthesiser, Piano, Cello, Drums, Soprano Solo (taken from chorus), Bass Soloist (taken from
chorus), Narrator
Libretto: Drew-Batty
Duration: 1 hour
Out of the Night Harvest
Choral Song Cycle
SATB, Piano
Alto Solo
Libretto: Drew-Batty
Duration: 30 mins.
Piano Doodles
3 short contrasting pieces for piano approx. grade 4-5
Duration: 10 mins.
Late Closing
Narrative poem with musical underscore
Male actor, small group of actors (non-speaking), Synthesiser, projected slides
Libretto: Drew-Batty
Duration: 18 mins.
Blenheim Summer
Narrative/Musical underscore
Libretto: Victoria Panton Bacon
Duration: 30 mins.
Across the Water
Choral, SSA, Piano
Text: Kevin Crossley Holland
Duration: 3 mins.
Beneath the Silence
Choral,SSA, Piano
Text: Drew-Batty
Duration: 3 mins.
Harvest is Home
Choral SATB Org./Piano
Text: Drew-Batty
Duration: 3 mins.
Christmas Song
Choral SATB
Text: Peter Smith
Duration: 4 mins.
Weekend Trilogy
Piano
3 short contrasting pieces in a jazz style approx grade 5-8
Just Another Hour, ii Recline, iii Home at Last
Duration: 12 mins.
After the Rain
Piano fantasia
Private commission
Duration: 6 mins.
Piano Sonata No. 1 (‘These Things I’ve Seen’)
Duration: 12 mins.
Incidental Theatre Music
1993 – Arturus Rex for The Seventh Seal Theatre Company
2010 – Henry V for James Holloway’s Theatre Company
2020 – Dr Hill’s Casebook – The Restoration Trust/Upshoot Theatre Company
2021 – Women of Troy – Open Space Theatre Company
2023 – The Deep Blue Sea – Open Space Theatre Company
2024 – Journey’s End – RoughCast Theatre Company
2025 – Romeo and Juliet – RoughCast Theatre Company
An Irish Blessing
Choral SATB unacc.
Text: Irish Trad.
Duration: 2.5 mins.
Agnus Dei
Choral SAB unacc.
Text: The Ordinary of the Mass
Duration: 2 mins.
Hedenham Preces and Responses
SATB unacc.
Text: The Book of Common Prayer