A concert and reception at Bristol University’s Victoria Rooms today celebrated John Pickard’s 30 years in the Music Dept.
A programme of contrasts included the tragic and moving The Gardener of Aleppo, the playful 3 Chicken Studies and the riveting Verlaine Songs – brilliantly realised by soprano Emma Tring and the Bristol Ensemble.
John is one of the UK’s finest composers and we’re delighted to have him as one of Sound World’s patrons.
The first of this year’s composing workshops will take place at Bristol Grammar School on Sunday 19th March.
Our workshops are an opportunity for the next generation of musicians to have their work performed and recorded by professional musicians with guidance from leading composers. These inspiring events provide provide invaluable, high-level guidance to the region’s brightest young musical talents.
We are delighted to have players from the Bristol Ensemble with us on the day and our own Sadie Harrison leading..
We are currently auditioning some of the region’s most talented young musicians for our new, contemporary music ensemble. A big thank you goes to all those who played for us and to composer Michael Ellison who joined fellow composers Sadie Harrison (Chair of the Sound World trustees) and Julian Leeks (Sound World Director) for the auditions.
Thanks also to Bristol University Music Dept. for hosting.
A second round of auditions will take place in the spring, with an announcement coming shortly after.
More good funding news comes courtesy of the Hinrichsen Foundation who will be supporting our 2023 programme. Many thanks to the Hinrichsen trustees for their faith and generosity!
We are delighted to announce that the Vaughan Williams Foundation (formerly RVW Trust) will be supporting our 2023 programme. We are hugely grateful for this and their ongoing funding of Sound World/NMSW over the past decade. Thank you!
Sound World is now taking applications for our spring 2023 composition workshop series. The workshops provide participants (aged from 14 to 18) with the chance to have their music performed/recorded by professional musicians under guidance from a leading composer.
There are usually 5 or 6 performers and a typical line up would be flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin and cello. Each participating pupil will get ½hr during which their piece will be performed “as presented”, discussed with the performers and w/s leader and then performed/recorded incorporating any developments that arose during the discussion.
The best pieces will be considered for inclusion in the Sound World Group’s 2023 concert tour, alongside new commissions and contemporary classics.
Applications should generally be made through school music depts. to info@sound-world.org.
We are very disappointed to announce that the workshop series planned for this spring along with the associated concerts has been cancelled. Unfortunately some of the participating schools still have concerns in relation to COVID and having external visitors to the school sites.
Because the two sides of the project (the workshops and the concerts) are mutually dependent it’s an all or nothing situation and we have had to cancel everything.
Huge apologies go to all the young composers who had been working towards these workshops, to the performers and to the audience members.