News

Post date: Thursday, 24 January 2019 - 2:50pm

Congratulations to our seven groups and composers whose brand new Adopt a Composer pieces were recently broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

The culmination of a year of work between groups and composers has produced a fantastic array of pieces that are all very different and unique in character, with sounds ranging from mandolins and voices to handbells and wind turbines.

Post date: Tuesday, 22 January 2019 - 4:30pm

Nominate someone working in music libraries or information services for the 2019 Excellence Awards: Personal Achievement Award. 

Post date: Tuesday, 22 January 2019 - 3:53pm

Applications are now open for the Amateo Award, which is given for an outstanding participatory arts project that adds value for the community.

Post date: Monday, 21 January 2019 - 1:16pm

Tutti is the AirBnB of affordable rehearsal space, uniting musicians with the owners of vacant space, from front rooms to churches and more.

Having been immersed in professional music from an early age, founder Gabriel Isserlis has seen many musicians struggling to find somewhere to rehearse while so much space stood brazenly empty. Starting in London, it’s his dream to fill front rooms, halls, churches, community centres and more with music.

Post date: Friday, 18 January 2019 - 5:02pm

Cardiff Arms Park Male Choir has been on tour in the UK and abroad many times but their tour to Tuscany - and their first tour with coprorate member Club Europe - was their best yet.

“It was a wonderful place to go to,” says the choir’s chairman David James. “We had very good food, visited some beautiful places and sang in churches with absolutely stunning acoustics.

Post date: Thursday, 17 January 2019 - 5:20pm

Southampton Concert Wind Band (SCWB) wrap up Christmas and look towards a puzzling 2019 with composer, Robert Laidlow, for the Adopt a Composer project.

It is tradition for SCWB to go in to winter hibernation once the Christmas concert and carols are done, but not this year… this year we had another festive activity before we had earned the turkey! 

Post date: Thursday, 17 January 2019 - 4:53pm

Assistant conductor of Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra and conductor of the Training Orchestra, Dan Shilladay, talks final rehearsals and stage blackouts as they prepare for the Adopt a Composer finale performance with composer Ben See.

So this was it - a whole term of preparation behind us, it was the big day: not one but two new pieces from our adopted composer, Ben See, would feature in the Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra Christmas concert, one each for the training and main orchestras. 

Post date: Friday, 4 January 2019 - 12:16pm

Southampton Concert Wind Band (SCWB) were paired with Robert Laidlow on the Adopt a Composer project, and much has happened in just a few months.

Post date: Sunday, 30 December 2018 - 11:44am

Nicholas Olsen on the first few meetings with Da Capo Alba for the Adopt a Composer project.

The Adopt a Composer scheme is a one of a kind opportunity for composers to be paired with amateur ensembles from across the UK. I am excited to be one of this year’s composers, and I am delighted to be hitting the ground running with Da Capo Alba, a Guitar and Mandolin Orchestra based in East Kilbride. 

Post date: Saturday, 29 December 2018 - 11:05am

Two members of the Two Rivers Concert Band offer up their thoughts and reflections on working alongside James Banner as part of the Adopt a Composer project.

The impressions of Leah Hannay, Two Rivers Concert Band's youngest member, aged 16.

I really enjoyed trying something that was new, and also a little bit different from the kind of thing I've experienced before.