Music at Pallant House Gallery

Find out more about our current music programme and the history of music at Pallant.

Experience the vibrant connection between art and music at Pallant House Gallery. From the visionary Hussey Bequest to the contemporary Pallant Proms, our gallery resonates with harmonies. Join us for upcoming live music events, celebrating the dynamic fusion of creativity and sound in the heart of our art collection.

Pallant Proms

Relaunched in 2024, Pallant Proms was first launched in 2009. Thanks to the generous loan of Dr John Birch’s Bosendorfer grand piano, these events have become a highlight of our calendar. With three Piano Proms annually from February to April, each starting at 12pm and lasting around 50 minutes, we showcase talented young pianists from the Royal College of Music. Join us for these unforgettable performance surrounded by art in our art store, where music and modern art seamlessly converge.

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Photograph of a woman in a long red dress with long dark hair to right leaning on a grand piano

23 February | Rieko Makita

Photograph in greyscale of a man in a wool coat and patterned scarf standing in a street with blurred buildings behind him

29 March | Parvis Hejazi

Photograph of a young man in a white shirt with short light hair playing a piano(out of shot)

19 April | Paul Mnatsakanov

Art in Symphony: RAM Students' Inspired Compositions

Embark on an artistic journey as our collection comes alive with an innovative soundtrack featuring live performances of original compositions by emerging talents from the Royal Academy of Music, London. In a thrilling collaboration between Pallant House Gallery and the Royal Academy of Music, six short pieces have been crafted in response to works from our collection.

Immerse yourself in this unique experience as musicians from the Royal Academy of Music bring these compositions to life in our art store, harmonising with the artworks that inspired them. Join us for this extraordinary musical encounter on 20 April at 3pm.

A large dollhouse sized art gallery, designed to imitate the exterior of an 18th century townhouse. The left hand side is painted with a brightly coloured geometric mural. The right side shows a cross section of four rooms (one in the attic, two on the first floor, and one on the ground floor), each filled with works of modern art.

Eric Davis

The Model Gallery 2021 including miniature works by Glenn Brown, Dexter Dalwood, Tacita Dean and George Shaw

Photograph of a painting in a black from on a white wall. The painting is of a portrait of a girl with bare shoulders and shoulder length light brown hair.

Ben Hoppe

Lucian Freud, Portrait of a Girl

A decorative German stein lager jug with the outline of a white wall and gabled roof behind it, against a teal coloured background.

Archie John

Patrick Caulfield, Kellerbar

Painting in creams and browns with circles and triangles in different shades

Zhichang Lin

Richard Hamilton, Respective

Painting by Gino Severini in cubist style with geometric shapes and patterns. Depicts a full length view of a dancer performing the Can-Can, wearing yellow hose and white petticoats.

George Parris

Gino Severini, Danseuse

Painting by David Bomberg depicting an expressionistic view of bridge crossing deep gorge. White buildings on cliffs either side.

Adam Zolty

David Bomberg, Tajo and Rocks and Ronda

History of Music at Pallant

Music has always played a pivotal role at Pallant House Gallery, intricately woven into the fabric of our collection by dedicated art enthusiasts. Our founding collection, the Hussey Bequest, was a visionary gift from Dean Walter Hussey. As the Dean of Chichester Cathedral, he not only commissioned modern artists for its ancient walls but also supported young musicians, commissioning notable works from luminaries like Benjamin Britten (1943) and Leonard Bernstein (1965).

Upon Hussey’s death, his considerable personal art collection was bequeathed to the City of Chichester, contingent upon the transformation of the esteemed Pallant House into an art gallery. This fine Queen Anne building now showcases these remarkable paintings.

In 2004, the former Cathedral Organist, Dr John Birch, generously lent his Bosendorfer grand piano to the Gallery for live music events on long term loan, leading to the creation of the Pallant Proms. This initiative invited emerging talents from the Royal College of Music to perform, further enriching the gallery’s vibrant atmosphere.

Adding to our musical tapestry is the George and Ann Dannatt Gift. George Dannatt, initially a musician, composer and music critic, transitioned to abstract art, and his musical background left an indelible mark on his paintings and the collection he and Ann amassed over the years.

In 2022, we received the Bob Lockyer Bequest, a testament to the intersection of dance, performance, and music. Former Director of Dance for BBC Television, Lockyer’s collection, featuring works by Christopher Wood on the Ballets Russes, embodies his profound love for these art forms. Lockyer was the founder of the Drummond Fund with the Royal Philharmonic Society. The fund gives composers and choreographers the funding to create new stage works and was named in honour of Lockyer’s partner, Sir John Drummond.

Pallant House Gallery’s enduring connection to music remains a resonant theme in our history and collection. Join us in celebrating this vibrant fusion of creativity and sound, a legacy that thrives through our year-round music events.

Music at Pallant