Composers' Digest - Summer 2013

Composers’ Digest Summer 2013

www.scottishmusiccentre.com

#CompDigest

Welcome Page 3

Composition Marathon goes for gold Page 4

SMC played host to major European music conference Page 6

Members hit the headlines Page 9

St Andrews New Music Ensemble Page 9

2013 Made in Scotland programme unveiled Page 10

RPS Music Awards Page 12

Cottier Chamber Project Page 14

Musical Bites Page 16

Opportunities Page 19

See you Jimmy Page 22

Restaurant vouchers Page 23

CONTENTS

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WELCOME After an extended break, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the summer edition of our Composers’ Digest, packed full of exciting news and coverage of our latest endeavours and achievements alongside valuable opportunities and forthcoming events. To date 2013 stands as our busiest year yet, having produced the second Scottish Music Centre Composition Marathon to great critical acclaim, programmed an innovative three-day residency in the Apple store and, hosted the third European Forum on Music in Glasgow’s iconic Grand Central Hotel; all the while successfully maintaining and delivering our key services and projects and, most importantly, keeping up to date with our membership and partners. Many thanks to those of you who responded so positively and constructively to our full membership review which was conducted between January and March. We are still consolidating our research, results and findings, but I would like to take this opportunity to gratefully acknowledge the impeccable efforts of the University of Glasgow’s Janika Fuchs who worked extensively throughout the process. As always, I hope you find this an informative and beneficial read and look forward to receiving news of all your latest activities and accomplishments in due course.

Christopher Glasgow Communications Officer

In a surprise special announcement, the show closed with Gabriel Prokofiev and Peter Gregson’s innovative suite for nine multitracked cellos, Cello Multitracks, fresh from the duo’s Scottish première in Edinburgh the previous evening. This has further developed an already valued relationship with both artists and the Nonclassical label, with discussions now focused on future collaborations and initiatives for the direct benefit of Scottish Music Centre members.

Additionally, throughout this process, the centre continued to work closely with Live Music Now, Enterprise Music Scotland and Music News Scotland whilst also establishing new partnerships with the University of St Andrews New Music Ensemble for their international Call for Scores in association with Sally Beamish, and technological power-house, Apple, who hosted a three-day in-store residency profiling the latest creations of Tim Cooper, Marc Yeats and John Harris. The experience introduced me to a wider world of contemporary classical music and compositional theory… I left the process with a brain full of ideas and creativity, and

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COMPOSITION MARATHON GOES FOR GOLD Following six months of intensive promotion and planning, which resulted in generating increased applications, participants and partners, the 2012/13 Scottish Music Centre Composition Marathon began on Saturday 23rd March, culminating in a substantial final performance, featuring no less than ten world premières at The Arches, Glasgow on Sunday 24th. The project featured new works from: Alexander Horowitz, Amble Skuse, Jason Staddon, Jay Capperauld, Jessica Aslan, Luci Holland, Nichola Scrutton, Sarah Lianne Lewis, Scott Twynholm and Thom Norman, with performances from: Daniel’s Beard, Ensemble Thing, Live Music Now’s Flercussion and Knox & Ion and, Tim Cooper with Enterprise Music Scotland’s Bede Williams.

with a hunger to learn more about the music I had experienced. Luci Holland. The intense period, in which we were able to collaborate with the musicians and workshop our ideas and even tiny fragments of music, created a space which released me from previous practices, and enabled me to compose more freely than before. Sarah Lianne Lewis. It introduced me to new ways of scoring and communication between composer and musician… since the marathon I’ve used similar techniques in composing sound for Caryl Churchill’s Far Away. Scott Twynholm.

If you missed the final performance of the 2012/13 Scottish Music Centre Composition Marathon, the exhausting long-distance has been reduced to an

invigorating sprint courtesy of Louise Mather’s fantastic video, available on the project media page:

http://compositionmarathon.com

SCOTTISH MUSIC CENTRE PLAYED HOST TO MAJOR EUROPEAN MUSIC CONFERENCE Composers, musicians, educators and cultural representatives from all over Europe assembled in Glasgow last month for the third European Forum on Music, hosted by the Scottish Music

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Centre and European Music Council; a welcome opportunity to discuss cultural policy such as EU music funding, and the role of youth music education, as well as the chance to showcase some of Scotland’s best young talent, and of course, highlight Glasgow as a vibrant hub of musical activity. Speaking on the conference theme, Regenerating Europe Through Music, keynote speakers Pete Wishart MP and Professor Simon Frith opened the proceedings with their views on the cultural and economic value of music, followed by Kerr Robertson (until recently, lead architect at Glasgow City Council) who highlighted why Glasgow is regarded as a prime example of regeneration through public investment, explaining the development agenda since receiving the City of Culture award in 1990.

Delegates were treated to a series of informative exchange sessions throughout the event at the Grand Central Hotel, while enjoying traditional Scottish hospitality at a Welcome Ceilidh and a busy programme of concerts, showcases and

We’ll be working towards developing European partnerships and project collaborations, with a view to bringing further benefits to our music sector in the longer term. Gill Maxwell.

http://www.emc-imc.org MEMBERS HIT THE HEADLINES Throughout 2012 the Scottish Music Centre ran a daily social networking campaign profiling each of our individual, group / small business and corporate members. This has since been expanded, with Music News Scotland now including a different profile in each of their weekly editions, on top of all the other articles and press releases we regularly submit.

If you haven’t already subscribed or would like to contribute to their publication and blog please visit:

http://musicnewsscotland.wordpress.com

ST ANDREWS NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE

The St Andrews New Music Ensemble in collaboration with Sally Beamish and the Scottish Music Centre recently completed a Call for Scores, which saw composers from around the world, submit their music for performance

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networking receptions at the City Chambers, City Halls, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Old Fruitmarket and the Scottish Music Centre. The live music showcases covered all genres and featured Peter Gregson, Fèis Rois, Gorbals Youth Brass Band, Brass Jaw, the National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music, John Carmichael Band, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Tim Cooper and Julian Wagstaff. The UNESCO Five Cities Music Days initiative presented a series of concerts featuring participants from the partner cities of Gent, Bologna, Seville and Glasgow and, the Scottish Music Centre’s Christopher Glasgow was elected to the European Music Council Youth Committee along with Jamie Munn of Live Music Now Scotland.

It is one of our key objectives to champion Scotland’s music internationally, so hosting the Forum this year has been a great opportunity to welcome colleagues old and new from all over Europe.

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Now in its fifth year, the showcase celebrates the wealth and diversity of work that is currently being made and produced in Scotland - from established companies like Cryptic, Fire Exit, Scottish Dance Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland and The Arches to the current wave of emerging artists - Junction 25, Keiran Hurley, AJ Taudevin and Adura Onashile. This year’s programme has added music to the mix, covering all genres, with 20 shows and concerts selected by a panel of experts facilitated by the Scottish Music Centre. A diverse and vibrant flavour of what’s in store includes: Karine Polwart and Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (part of the Queen’s Hall programme), Live Music Now’s Astrid String Quartet, The One Ensemble, Amy Duncan, Digi-Bhang Live by Tigerstyle & Guests and Blueflint, who recently supported The Proclaimers. Since its inception in 2009, Made in Scotland has funded 57 Scottish companies to showcase their work as well as enabling them to take up national and international touring opportunities. Catherine Wheels and Puppet State’s acclaimed children’s shows, White and The Man Who Planted Trees, continue to delight young audiences worldwide. Onward touring opportunities have seen Scottish companies taking shows to venues across the UK including performances at London’s Barbican and Southbank Centres, whilst European tours have included Germany, Belgium, Poland, Italy, The Netherlands, France and Denmark. Made in Scotland has also enabled companies to perform at the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne’s Arts Centre, New Victory Theatre in New York as well as tours to the USA, China, New Zealand, Tasmania, Brazil, Bahrain and the Ukraine, with appearances at some of the best world festivals - Dublin, Belfast, Naples, Adelaide and the New Zealand International Arts Festival.

in a concert on the 27th of April in St Andrews. Initially Sally chose three works from the 27 submissions to be workshopped, these were The Tide by Edward Ayre, Pitcowdens by Petra Vergunst and An Cala by Stuart Murray. Sally chose An Cala to be performed by the St Andrews New Music Ensemble in the concert which also featured her octet Into the Furnace and Britten's Sinfonietta. Stuart Murray's An Cala (meaning haven or cove) was described by the composer as a soundtrack for a film that never existed. The music is an artistic representation of Calgary bay on the west coast of Mull. From the Call for Scores Sally also chose Raganok by Shai Cohen (Chariman of the Israeli Composers' League) to be performed by the St Andrews New Music Ensemble in an forthcoming concert of her work in November 2013.

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/music 2013 MADE IN SCOTLAND PROGRAMME UNVEILED Earlier this month, Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, unveiled the 2013 Made in Scotland programme. A partnership between the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the Federation of Scottish Theatre and Creative Scotland.

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UK’s imaginative arts organisations with some of the most exciting composers to create world-class pieces across a range of genres. In total, live performances took place at 75 different venues nationwide. Described by Judith Weir as a lesson in successful commissioning, New Music 20x12 pieces ranged from Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Beyond This with Music in Prisons, The Irene Taylor Trust and inmates at HMP Lowden Grange, to Emily Howard’s opera Zatopek! with the Royal Philharmonic and Ensemble 10:10, Gavin Higgins’ What Wild Ecstasy for Rambert Dance Company, Sally Beamish’s Spinal Chords with text by journalist Melanie Reid and narrated by actress Juliet Stevenson. PRS for Music Foundation’s Executive Director Vanessa Reed and New Music 20x12 founder Jillian Barker accepted the award on behalf of all the commissioning organisations, composers and partners – London 2012, BBC Radio 3, NMC Recordings and Southbank Centre.

This award is testament to the exceptional talent of those creating new music in the UK. From the twenty composers, commissioning organisations and performance groups who presented their commissions across the UK to Southbank Centre’s hosting of an extraordinary festival across one weekend last summer, we are extremely proud of everyone who’s made New Music 20x12 a success and feel honoured to have been given this prestigious RPS award. Vanessa Reed.

As well as a strong line up in the theatre and dance programme, Òran Mór’s groundbreaking A Play, A Pie and A Pint will host a series of debates and discussions on its successful model and Playwrights’ Studio Scotland returns to explore what stimulates the artists behind this year’s Made in Scotland. Made in Scotland’s strong reach and appeal has been proven by the international success of many of the acts showcased over the last four years. It’s fantastic that this year, musicians will now also benefit from this partnership. The Edinburgh festivals contribute more than £250m in additional tourism revenue to Scotland’s economy. Investing in Initiatives such as ‘Made in Scotland’ not only makes economic sense but gives Scottish performers the opportunity to promote our country’s rich culture, heritage and distinct identity on a world stage. Fiona Hyslop.

http://www.madeinscotlandshowcase.com

RPS MUSIC AWARDS We are thrilled to announce that PRS for Music Foundation’s New Music 20x12, which featured Scottish Music Centre members Sally Beamish, Anna Meredith and Oliver Searle picked up the Concert Series and Festivals RPS Music Award at the London ceremony on 14th May. New Music 20x12 placed contemporary classical music centre stage at the Cultural Olympiad, pairing twenty of the

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programming also includes a few composers from days-gone-by, so Concerto Caledonia will have a fair Scottish input in their programme, even if the composer is simply known as Anonymous! The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's Jatssuk Ensemble is made up of a combination of Hungarians and Scots, who were keen to include Frank Spedding's Piano Quartet in their programme, alongisde works by Rosza and Suk. Red Note will, as usual, be right at the cutting edge of new music with their pieces being written in front of your very eyes! The players and cast will be taking suggestions from the audience to create a set of mini-West-End-style musicals in an hour of improvisation under the watchful eye of Brian Irvine. As well as utilising Cottier’s main auditiorium, a number of events will also take place in their restaurant, most notably, an In Conversation session with James MacMillan and Professor Robert Davis. They will be discussing the role of music in education, which will kick off with a Pecha-Kucha inspired presentation of musical extracts. The Kapten Trio are another ensemble who were keen to present works from their home countries, so will be performing Rory Boyle's The Dancing Master as part of their intriguing programme. The later concerts in the second week all feature either jazz or world music of some description, much of it written or arranged by members of the groups. Brass Jaw are first, followed by Martin Kershaw's Quartet - both will be playing original music as part of their programmes. Jamie MacDougall and Friends have an intercontinental programme, including Eddie McGuire's arrangements of several songs by the National Bard, Rabbie Burns. The lunchtime series at the University of Glasgow forms a chronological sweep through music history, so the final concert, given by the Da Vinci Trio, is a snapshot of work

I am immensely proud of the tremendous success of New Music 20x12. What began as an idea to commission new music for the Olympics became a UK-wide celebration that was enjoyed by more than 70,000 people. Thank you RPS for this award and thanks to everyone who has joined us as supporters of this programme. Jillian Barker.

http://www.prsformusicfoundation.com/ COTTIER CHAMBER PROJECT Over the last few years, The Cottier Chamber Project, has featured countless Scottish composers, and even more Scottish-based ensembles! This year is no different, though the team have made a few changes to the way that the programme has been structured. With so many things happening for composers over the last few months, it was decided to shake up the Composition Competition this year... noticeable by its absence. It cannot be revealed exactly why just yet, but needless to say, they have something exciting planned for next year, which will involve yet another pioneering event... watch this space!

Scottish composers who do feature though... Ryan Quigley is the first up, in a piece which was commissioned a year or so back by Alba Brass. The

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I see my association as being an opportunity to experiment, research and develop new work with the Cartel that explores non-synchronized performance of my especially composed music, often bringing together many independent lines of sound into complex and surprising combinations. This is an area of composition that I’m passionate about and holds many innovative possibilities for composition and performance practice. It is a wonderful opportunity to be able to create works that will then be realized in performance with passion, vision and expertise. I’m one lucky composer! Marc Yeats.

http://marc-yeats.co.uk http://chambercartel.wordpress.com

by composers associated with the University's music department. There will be music by William Sweeney, Thomas Wilson, Drew Hammond, Hugh Wood and a première by Jane Stanley. This concert is on the last day of the series, which draws to a close that evening with the genre-defying Moishe's Bagel. Outwith the Scottish composers, the programme includes music by Stockhausen, Sayers, the incredible Czech group Clarinet Factory, Rosza, Parker, Ligeti, Tulve, Plog, Schnittke, Ponce, Martinez, Stringer and Kirchner, so have a look through the programme and make the most of the musical feast taking place during the West End Festival! The Cottier Chamber project runs in various venues throughout Glasgow’s West End until 14th June 2013.

www.cottierchamberproject.com MUSICAL BITES Marc Yeats appointed Composer-in-Association The Scottish Music Centre are thrilled to announce that Marc Yeats has recently assumed a new Composer-In-Association role with US-based Chamber Cartel. This affords both parties an extended relationship over the next few years to really dig down deep and fashion a sizeable and weighty body of work. Their first foray is a piece called The Shape Distance, which will be premièred in September 2013 and will be the subject of the ensembles’ first recording. I’m thrilled to be working so closely with such a highly talented, motivated and imaginative band of musicians as Chamber Cartel and very excited to be working in this way in Atlanta and the US!

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OPPORTUNITIES Sounding Out – Voices Now Sounding Out - Voices Now is part of Sound and Music’s professional development series for emerging composers, which focuses on writing for choirs and vocal ensembles. Taking place on Sunday 23rd June, from 11 - 5pm at the Roundhouse, Camden, this free event will be an opportunity for composers, artists, music directors and singers to hear directly from leading figures such as Gabriel Jackson (BBC Singers) and Erika Jenkins (Boosey and Hawkes). DEADLINE: 23rd June 2013

http://bit.ly/171MGjU

Beyond Borders - PRSF Following the success of three previous editions, PRS for Music Foundation have re-launched Beyond Borders, a nationwide co-commissioning and touring programme run in partnership with Creative Scotland, Arts Council of Wales, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Colwinston Trust. Funding of up to £15,000 is available for both new commissions and repeat performances of music written in the past five years. This opportunity stimulates collaboration between organisations in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, enabling creators to produce exceptional new music to be performed in at least two UK countries. DEADLINE: 26th June 2013

http://bit.ly/rPNm47

Recognition for Edward McGuire Congratulations to Edward McGuire on his most recent award! What an unexpected and intriguing accolade…

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Call for Commissions – Mr McFall’s Chamber Mr McFall's Chamber in collaboration with Hands Up For Trad’s Distil are delighted to announce an exciting new commissioning project for emerging composers and writers produced by Ambleskramble. They are looking for works that will present a contemporary response to Scotland’s rich traditional linguistic and musical heritage, drawing inspiration from the amazing archive at The School of Scottish Studies, Edinburgh. Remembered / Imagined is a collaborative opportunity for composers and writers to work together to create a new piece for public touring by Mr McFall's Chamber (string quintet), singer Maeve Mackinnon, actor/writer Angus Peter Campbell and optional electronics. The artists will be supported throughout the creative process by a team of mentors and various workshopping opportunities. DEADLINE: 30th June 2013

http://www.mcfalls.co.uk/ Call for Scores - Ensemble Mise-en Ensemble Mise-en are curating a contemporary music festival in New York for June 2014 and are inviting composers to contribute their music for consideration as part of the final programming. The guidelines for submissions are as follows: 1. Applicants may be of any age or nationality. 2. Selected composers must be present at the festival. 3. There is no fee required. 4. You may only send one piece per category: for mixed ensemble (1-14 players), works for fixed media (stereo), for

Hebrides Ensemble Chamber Music Project Aberdeen International Youth Festival’s Chamber Music Project, led by the Hebrides Ensemble and its Artistic Director, William Conway, is recruiting young ensembles and musicians with a passion for chamber music. Having focused on performance for the past three years, 2013 offers an additional course for young composers, led by Stuart MacRae. This is designed to enable each composer to develop his or her own technique in a focused and supportive environment addressing specific technical issues, writing and performance. It is not expected that participants will necessarily complete a new work during the course, more that they will leave having learned from the process. There will also be an opportunity to analyse existing music and to actively engage in rehearsal and performance.

The project includes: 1. Tickets to attend other AIYF 2013 events. 2. Full board and transport, as well as 4 nights’ accommodation. The total participation fee is £150. DEADLINE: 28th June 2013

http://www.aiyf.org/Summer-Courses

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TREAT YOURSELF Have you sampled the many delights of our delicious sponsors yet? Why not pop into the Scottish Music Centre for a visit and receive 10% off Glasgow’s renowned Indian restaurants, The Dhabba and Dakhin?!

mixed ensemble with fixed media, performance proposal (1 page maximum). DEADLINE: 1st August 2013

http://www.mise-en.org/festival

SEE YOU JIMMY Our international delegates left with the ‘finest’ selection of Scottish souvenirs from the European Forum on Music…

You may be expected to participate in similar fun at our next members’ event!