For my performance setup, I created a ChucK patch controller class -- it received all incoming MIDI events and forwarded them to the current patch.  Not surprisingly, it intercepted patch control events, and did a Machine.add() to launch a patch and make it current.  It worked reliably for me.  

Is that what you were looking for?

If you want more details, let me know -- I can dig up the code from the archives.

- Rob