Professional music organisations seem more likely to network amongst themselves and to talk to a similar musical ensemble, music education centre or concert venue in a different city, than they are to take note of the musical activity on their own doorstep.
All of them are likely to work for or with under-18s. But non-professional adult musicians are merely seen as audiences, never as a full part of the music ecology.
Following the busy weeks and months that led up to the premiere of my work Continuum by the Glasgow School of Art Choir, I can start to gather my thoughts and reflect on my time spent as their adopted composer – an experience that has been incredibly beneficial for me and, I hope, for them too.
Since being paired with Croydon Bach Choir in September 2016, I have worked with the choir on numerous occasions, gradually feeding material from my new choral work. Homo Sum was conceived as a celebration of multiculturalism, reflecting both the diversity of Croydon and the Croydon Bach Choir for whom the piece was commissioned, in addition to reflecting the cosmopolitan city of London and the UK in general.
Now that the dust has settled on our Fifth Anniversary Gala Concert – and the world premiere of ‘Continuum’, by Shona Mackay – it is a chance to reflect on the work and our ensemble’s experience with the Adopt a Composer scheme.
In September of last year I found that I was to be paired up with the KEMS Concert Band as part of the 2016-17 'Adopt A Composer' programme. When I first met the band, I was pleased to see that they were a friendly bunch, a competent set of musicians of all ages that loved to play and were excited at the prospect of a piece being written especially for them!
You’ve probably had your fill of campaigning already, but let me enthuse – or alarm – you by briefly looking at the parties’ manifestos from the perspective of leisure-time music groups.
The Certificate is a new one-year programme developed by Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, in partnership with the Open University. It gives you the opportunity to develop your practical music making and performance skills, so that you’ll feel more confident, skilled and well-rounded as a performer.
Fresh off our society’s 60th Jubilee concert at The Royal Northern College of Music, our return from Easter break brought us an unexpected gift: some music from our composer, Christopher Schlechte-Bond, with the intriguing title 'Curiosity Rover Finds An Alien Saloon Bar Hidden Deep Beneath The Martian Soil'.
Making Music took no stance on Brexit prior to the referendum, nor afterwards. Our members, and their members, come from all areas of the UK, from all walks of life, from all kinds of professional and social backgrounds, and therefore will have voted, most likely, in line with the overall UK result.
It is not Making Music’s business to take a political view, but it is our business to make sure that the outcome of this vote does not have a negative impact on the leisure-time music sector, and that it continues to have the best possible environment to flourish.
One more month to contribute to a fantastic research project currently underway: the Live Music Census. In six cities across the UK, researchers were out and about on 9 and 10 March, finding out about live music events over 24 hours.
But most likely that didn’t capture you – so you can take part online instead: there are four different surveys, for audiences, performers, venues and promoters, and you could win an iPad.
For all our updates and opportunities
