Hannah Mary Peel (born 27 August 1985) is a Northern Irish Ivor Novello award winning composer, producer and broadcaster. Her solo music is primarily electronic, synthesiser-based and often includes classical scoring and sound design, with references to the links between science, nature and music. She has scored music for television, film, theatre and dance. Including her Emmy nominated score to Game of Thrones: The Last Watch (a special documentary) [1] and the British science fiction TV series on Sky Max The Midwich Cuckoos which won Peel an Ivor Novello award [2] in 2023. 

Hannah Peel
Peel in 2013
Peel in 2013
Background information
Birth nameHannah Mary Peel
Born (1985-08-27) 27 August 1985 (age 38)
Craigavon, Northern Ireland
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • composer
  • arranger
  • instrumentalist
Instrument(s)
Labels
Websitehannahpeel.com

Peel releases her solo records on her own imprint label, My Own Pleasure Records. This includes her 2021 Mercury Music Prize nominated Fir Wave[3], Awake But Always Dreaming[4] and Mary Casio: Journey to Cassiopeia.[5]

Hannah Peel has been a regular weekly broadcaster on BBC Radio 3's Night Tracks [6]since 2019. 

Aside from her solo work, Peel has worked with collaborators on projects including orchestrations and conducting for Paul Weller, an album written for the British Paraorchestra[7], an album with the poet Will Burns, and as a member of the psychogeography indie rock group The Magnetic North and the electronic music group John Foxx and the Maths.

Early life

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Peel was born in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, on 27 August 1985.[8] When she was eight years old, her family moved to Barnsley in South Yorkshire.[9] Her father was an amateur folk musician, and she joined him in musical gatherings, including holidays in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland.[5] She enrolled in the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts at age 18. There, she studied violin, trombone and piano.[8]

Music career

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Performer/orchestral arranger/session musician

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In 2018, Peel arranged strings and woodwind for Paul Weller's 2018 album True Meanings. Following the release, Peel orchestrated and conducted a small orchestra for his 2019 live album Other Aspects: Live at the Royal Festival Hall which featured songs from True Meanings, The Jam, Style Council and Weller's solo material. She has also orchestrated his record, On Sunset and the album Fat Pop.[citation needed]

TV and film scores

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In 2013, Peel won a Royal Television Society Award for Best Title Music for "Chloe", which had been featured in the British television series Dates. The track was individually adapted and rescored for each episode of the series. In February 2014, Peel released the EP Fabricstate which includes "Chloe". The artwork for the EP was created by Karborn and designed by Jonathan Barnbrook.

In 2016, Peel composed the music for Alzheimers Research UK's television and online Christmas campaign, entitled Santa Forgot, and made in collaboration with Aardman Animations.[citation needed]

In 2018, Peel composed the title music to the BBC drama The A List produced by Kindle Entertainment. She also wrote the title music and composed additional scores for the Channel 4/Netflix series Kiss Me First.

In 2019, Peel scored her first feature-length film score to the documentary Game of Thrones: The Last Watch in which she was nominated for a Television Academy Emmy Award.

In 2020, Peel scored the soundtrack to the BAFTA-nominated BBC 2 documentary Lee Miller: A Life on the Frontline.

In 2020, Peel scored the soundtrack for the Channel 5 drama The Deceived written by Lisa McGee.[10]

In 2023, Peel won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Television Soundtrack. [11]

Theatre and dance

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In 2012, Peel co-composed the music for the Sadler's Wells Theatre production Compass, working alongside filmmaker and visual artist Tal Rosner and collaborating with choreographers from the Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui Company, the Pina Bausch Company, and Jasmin Vardimon.[citation needed] In 2018, Peel was featured on BBC Radio 4 as part of their portrait series.[12]

In 2018, Peel composed a score featuring synths, live percussion and drums for a new, theatrical adaptation of Brighton Rock by the Pilot Theatre Company. The production toured the UK between February and May 2018. Also in that year, working primarily on music box, Peel created several hand-punched pieces of music for the score to TeZukA about the life of manga artist Osamu Tezuka by the choreographer and dancer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.

Radio presenter

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Since 2019, Peel has been a weekly presenter on the BBC Radio 3 show Night Tracks.[9] In 2018, she was a featured guest Radio presenter for five weeks on BBC 6 Music, filling in for Elbow's Guy Garvey, she has also presented specialist music series for BBC Radio Ulster.[citation needed]

Discography

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Albums

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Solo

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  • 2011: The Broken Wave[13] (Static Caravan)
  • 2016: Awake but Always Dreaming (My Own Pleasure)
  • 2017: Mary Casio: Journey to Cassiopeia (My Own Pleasure)
  • 2018: Particles in Space (My Own Pleasure)
  • 2019: Chalk Hill Blue (Rivertones)
  • 2019: Game Of Thrones: The Last Watch (HBO)
  • 2020: The Deceived (Silva Screen Records)
  • 2021: Fir Wave (My Own Pleasure)
  • 2022: The Midwich Cuckoos[14] (Invada Records)
  • 2012: Orkney: Symphony of The Magnetic North (Full Time Hobby)
  • 2016: Prospect of Skelmersdale (Full Time Hobby)

With Philippe Cohen Solal and Mike Lindsay (Tunng)

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  • 2021: Outsider (Ya Basta! Records)

Solo EPs

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YearTitleDetails
2010Rebox
  • Released: 8 February 2010
  • Label: Static Caravan
  • Format: CD, digital, vinyl
2013Nailhouse
  • Released: 22 April 2013
  • Label: Mitcham Submarine
  • Format: digital, white 7" vinyl
2014Fabricstate
  • Released: 24 February 2014
  • Label: My Own Pleasure
  • Format: digital, red 10" vinyl
2015Rebox 2
  • Released: 20 July 2015
  • Label: My Own Pleasure
  • Format: digital, CD

with Philippe Cohen Solal and Mike Lindsay (Tunng)

  • 2015: Henry J. Darger (Ya! Basta Records)

Performance / writing credits

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YrRelease titleArtist(s)Notes, role
2004The Fake Death Experience28 CostumesBrass
2006Smile... It Confuses PeopleSandi ThomTrombone, violin
2010Let the Hard Times RollDavid FordTrombone, Violin
History of ModernOrchestral Manoeuvres in the DarkOrgan, vocals (background)
Fire Like ThisBlood Red ShoesViolin
In Modern HistoryJim MorayVocals on "Jenny of the Moor"
2011Last Days of MeaningNitin SawhneyVocals and the remix (rebox)
2013ChargeDavid FordViolin
2014Closing TimeErland and the CarnivalWriter
MorningRhodesTrombone, violin
Home
2015Wishes
Culture of VolumeEast India YouthViolin, string arrangements
2016"Diagram Girl"Beyond the Wizards SleeveVocals
"Creation"Vocals
"The Soft Bounce"Vocals
2018LUMPLUMPTrombone
2017A Kind Revolution (deluxe edition)Paul WellerStrings on Remix "Wo See Mama"
2018True MeaningsString Arrangements/Conducting/Performer
2019Other Aspects: Live at The Royal Festival HallOrchestral Arrangements/Conducting/Performer [15]
2020On SunsetOrchestral Arrangements/Conducting
2021Fat PopOrchestral Arrangements/Conducting

Scores

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  • 2011: TeZukA by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui – several tracks using hand-punched music
  • 2012: Compass (Sadler's Wells Theatre) – Full score
  • 2012: Anna Karenina soundtrack – several tracks
  • 2013: Dates – title music
  • 2016: Santa ForgotAlzheimer's Research UK and Aardman Animations – Full score
  • 2018: Brighton Rock - Pilot Theatre - Full live theatre score
  • 2018: Ice Alive - National Geographic - Full score
  • 2018: Kiss Me First – Channel 4 / Netflix – title music and additional scoring
  • 2018: The A List – BBC – title music
  • 2019: Game of Thrones: The Last Watch (TV Special Documentary) – Full score
  • 2019: Cold War Letters - London Calling – BBC 4 - Full score
  • 2020: Close - Irish National Opera - Score
  • 2020: The Deceived – Channel 5 - Full score
  • 2020: Lee Miller: Life On The Frontline – BBC 2 - Full score

References

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  1. ^ "Hannah Peel Awards & Nominations". The Emmy Awards. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Winners of The Ivors 2023 announced". 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  3. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (22 July 2021). "Mercury prize 2021: first-time nominees dominate shortlist". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  4. ^ Carroll, Jim (29 September 2016). "Hannah Peel: Awake But Always Dreaming – Rich, detailed and beguiling". The Irish Times. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b Scott, Sarah (5 August 2018). "Meet the NI musician who has ditched London for Bangor". BelfastLive.
  6. ^ "Night Tracks". BBC Radio 3 Night Tracks. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  7. ^ Hedderman, Zara (13 April 2022). "Hannah Peel & Paraorchestra - The Unfolding". The Quietus. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Hannah Peel: Biography & History". AllMusic.
  9. ^ a b "Neuroscience, the cosmos and trees: going deep with composer Hannah Peel". The Guardian. 20 March 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  10. ^ Sawle, Chris (6 August 2020). "News: Hannah Peel Releasing Soundtrack For 'The Deceived'". Backseat Mafia. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  11. ^ Ophelia, Maya (18 May 2023). "Winners of The Ivors 2023 announced". The Ivors Academy. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  12. ^ "The Voices of... Hannah Peel". BBC Radio 4. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Hannah Peel". The Spectator. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  14. ^ Ewing, Jerry (6 June 2022). "Composer Hannah Peel shares Cuckoo from Midwich Cuckoos soundtrack". loudersound. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  15. ^ Mead, Matt (19 January 2019). "Paul Weller Other Aspects news". louderthanwar.com.
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