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American-born, Scottish resident Steve Forman has won a British Composer Award 2014 with his composition for Making Music member the Dunbartonshire Concert Band.
The annual British Composer Awards, presented by BASCA (the British Association of Songwriters Composers and Authors), include a Making Music Award for a work composed for an amateur music group. Steve won the award in this category with his Loch Awe, written for the Glasgow-based community wind ensemble the Dunbartonshire Concert Band to commemorate its 40th anniversary. The work stretched the musicians well beyond their comfort zone, creating a soundscape beautifully evoking an early morning on the loch, gently shimmering with light and wind.
This win is a double coup for Steve, who is fighting a decision by the home office to revoke his work visa due to a salary technicality. Steve, who has lived in Scotland for seven years and teaches at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, was informed in October that as he earns below the required limit he was not eligible to continue employment in the UK.
A subsequent campaign of support for Steve has gained momentum, collecting 3,829 (as at December 2014) signatures on change.org as well as support in the Scottish Parliament. Member of the Scottish National Party Linda Fabiani lodged a motion which “considers that Dr Forman has made an outstanding contribution to the music industry, having played with bands and musicians including Pink Floyd, John Lennon and Fleetwood Mac, and is now sharing his skills and experience with a new generation of artists and musicians in Scotland through his post at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland”. This win at the British Composer Awards further supports claims that Steve Foster is an exceptional talent, whose knowledge and expertise benefits both professional and amateur music communities in Scotland.
Steve collected his award on Tuesday 2nd December during a ceremony at Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenters Sara Mohr-Pietsch and Andrew McGregor.
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Making Music, The National Federation of Music Societies
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Notes to editors:
Steve Forman
Steve Forman started his career as an orchestral percussionist and quickly became established as a creative and innovative musician. His musical credits include playing on countless film and television soundtracks and he has recorded with many of today’s popular music artists. Steve moved to Scotland in 2007 and gained a PhD in Composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where he currently teaches.
Making Music
Since 1935, Making Music has been the membership organisation for voluntary music in the UK, bringing together musicians and music groups of all genres and abilities.
We support, connect and champion everyone who makes, performs and presents music on a voluntary basis. The services we provide allow our members – ranging from symphony orchestras to samba bands – to cross the boring things off their ‘to-do’ lists and get on with making music.
As the voice of voluntary music among policy makers and stakeholders at a national and regional level, we aim to transform lives and enrich communities across the UK through music making.
