Composer, violinist, and poet Patricia Van Ness (1951) draws upon elements of medieval and Renaissance music to create a signature voice that has been hailed by musicians, audiences, and critics. She is Composer in Residence at First Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts (Peter Sykes, Music Director), and has been an invited lecturer on her music at the Harvard University Department of Music and at Boston University's Core Curriculum Program.

Ms. Van Ness's music has been commissioned, premiered and performed by numerous musicians and organizations, including the Heidelberg New Music Festival Ensemble, Mannerquartett Schnittpunktvokal in Austria, the Celebrity Series in Boston, the Spoleto Festival Orchestra, Peter Sykes, Tapestry, the Boston Athenaeum, Julie Ince Thompson, Sanford Sylvan, Chanticleer, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Ellen Hargis, Coro Allegro, Boston Ballet, the Choirs of Harvard University, Carson Cooman, and Ensemble Project Ars Nova.  Her work has been presented at the Vatican and the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy; the Musica Sacra Festival in Maastricht, Holland; and in halls and cathedrals throughout Italy, Austria, Germany, Hong Kong, Sweden, Latin America, Canada, Russia and the United States.  

In addition to her position as Composer in Residence at First Church in Cambridge. which she has served since 1996, Ms. Van Ness has been awarded residencies at the Boston Athenaeum (2002-2003); with Boston Landmarks Orchestra (2003); and with Coro Allegro (1998).

Ms. Van Ness has recently been commissioned by The King's Singers (UK) to compose a new arrangement and extension for her work Cor meum est templum sacrum / My Heart is a Holy Place for their use in programming.

Ms. Van Ness has been commissioned by organist and composer Carson Cooman to write an extended concert work for solo concert organ, to premiere in the 2008-2009 season.

Ms. Van Ness has received numerous awards and grants.  In addition, Europe's prestigious 2005 Echo Klassik Prize was awarded to the ensemble Tapestry (Laurie Monahan, Director) for their recording "Sapphire Night," which features music by Hildegard von Bingen and Patricia Van Ness. 

Ms. Van Ness's music may be found on iTunes, Chanticleer's CD Sound in Spirit recorded on Warner Classics; on Telarc International Recordings (Angeli and The Fourth River); on MDG Classics (Sapphire Night); on all Coro Allegro's releases; on Advent and Other Music of the Liturgical Year, released by the composer, and on the newly-released CD by the ensemble Cappella Clausura (Amelia LeClair, Artistic Director), Passionately Unconventional: Madrigals and Motets by Nuns of Bologna, Moderna, and Ferrara (and Van Ness).  In addition, Carson Cooman will be releasing a CD with her Pastoral Suite / Seven Prayers in 2008.

Ms. Van Ness is a member of American Composers Forum, ASCAP, and the American Music Center.  She lives on the coast of Maine with her husband, Peter Marks.