Born in Örebro on the 3rd March, 1958. He studied piano with Sixten Eckerberg in Gothenburg and later on also studied composition with Pavol Simai. In the late 80s he studied composition privately in Berlin with Zoltán Jeney.

Between 1989 and 1985 he taught analysis, counterpoint and composition at the Gothenburg College of Music, and he is currently active as composer and organist.

Hansen mainly composes chamber music which at times brings to mind the so-called “New York school“ of composers, such as Morton Feldman, for example. Magnus Haglund has mentioned Hansen’s reduction of the musical material: “There is something there, but it does not make itself known, the music defies qualification and eludes measuring-rods. /.../ Peter Hansen’s music is scentless, yet very human. It is repetitive but never minimalistically formal, every moment is different from the previous ones. /.../ It is a question of a belief in the organic element of composing. Music is not fixed, every sound has to be explored, monitored, respected.“

Foto: Lars Torndahl

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