Hannan, Michael (Francis)

Hannan, Michael (Francis), Australian composer, pianist, teacher, and writer on music; b. Newcastle, New South Wales, Nov. 19, 1949. He was educated at the Univ. of Sydney (B.A., 1972; Ph.D., 1979; Graduate Diploma in Musical Composition, 1982). In 1983-84 he was a postdoctoral scholar at the Univ. of Calif, at Los Angeles. He taught at the univs. of New South Wales (1975–76) and Sydney (1977–83). In 1985-86 he was a lecturer in composition at the Queensland State Conservatorium in Brisbane. In 1986 he joined the faculty of the School of Arts at the Northern Rivers Coll. of Advanced Education in Lismore, New South Wales, where he became head of the Performing Arts and Music Divisions in 1987. Exceptionally gifted for the exploration of tonal, polytonal, and atonal techniques of composition, Hannan also possesses a saving grace of humor, as revealed in such works, recorded on electronic tape, as Alphabeat [sic] and Slonimsky Variations. In his purely scholarly pursuits, he compiled the section on musical terms to the Macquarie Dictionary (1981). He also contributed essays on Australian music to various publications and compiled the critical biography Peter Sculthorpe: His Music and Ideas, 1929-79 (1982).

Works

CHAMBER: Eliza Survivor for Speaker, Piano, Flute, and Live Electronics (1978); Garland Piece for Large Ensemble (1979); Occasional Medley for String Quartet (1981); Island Song for Large Recorder Ensemble, Percussion, and Organ (1983); Interaction I for Ensemble (1987). piano:Piano Collage I (1978) and II (1979) for Piano and Tapes; 7 Studies for Single Hands (1981); Riff Madness for Jazz Pianist (1981); 3 Improvisatory Mobiles (1981); Zen Variations (1982); 3 Meditations for Dane Rudhyar (1983–84); Resonances I (1986–87), II (1989), III (1992), and IV (1994–95); Beethoven Deranged (1987); Mysterious Flowers (1990); Minimal Study I (1990); Homage to Chopin (1990–91); Mood Variations (1991); Terrains for Piano Interior (1999). OTHER: BracefelVs Story for Voice and Piano (1990); Haka I for Vocal Ensemble (1992); numerous works with dancers.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire