Application guide Next Wave: Higher Education Programme

Next Wave is a national project promoting and supporting talented students in higher education, delivered in partnership between Sound and Music and NMC Recordings as a pilot project in 2014. The only programme of its kind in the country, it addresses the identified gap in support for talented young composers about to embark on a professional career.

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The projectSound and Music is partnering with NMC Recordings and Sage Gateshead to offer an opportunity for up to 6 composers studying in higher education to develop 10’ new works for chamber-sized groups of musicians from Royal Northern Sinfonia and a solo artist.

Two workshops will take place at the Sage in April and July 2017, following which the composers’ new works will be recorded at dedicated recording sessions in autumn 2017 and released internationally on

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NMC as a digital download album. This will be launched at a live showcase event at the Sage in January 2018.

Each composer will work with a small group of instrumental musicians from within Royal Northern Sinfonia to develop a 10’ new work. Working with each group will be one of three highly acclaimed solo artists offering a diverse range of styles and collaborative approaches:

Luke Carver GossLuke Carver Goss is a multi-instrumentalist and performer-composer. He has performed and composed for a wide variety of ensembles, in classical to folk, jazz and world genres. Over the last few years he has focussed on how musicians from different backgrounds can communicate with composers with and without musical notation. He likes to engage with composers with improvised and written music, how it can be structured, notated and explored in an open and discursive environment. He has also worked with poets, singers and performance artists in an exploration of the meeting point of words and music.  https://youtu.be/4IgKgx59WmEhttps://youtu.be/bO1AnPLP4IQ

Loré LixenbergLoré is a mezzo soprano but has a wide range and a flexible, varied vocal palette. She works with composers on the practicalities and notation of extended vocal technique, which she uses regularly, and on the practical and theoretical issues regarding text setting. She also works with composers on developing an awareness of the physicality and space a singer uses during a performance (choreography/dramaturgy), on how to notate movement, how to shape a vocal piece, and how to address issues of 'vocal liveness' in a more mediatised performance context. Additionally, she works with composers on directorial issues arising from their pieces (e.g. movement of instrumental players and the possibilities and limitations thereof).https://youtu.be/-KCsz7toa-4https://youtu.be/RvXyT81fevU

QuintaQuinta is an experimental music-maker and multi-instrumentalist, with particular interests in improvisation, non-conventional scoring, electronic interfacing and new instruments. She explores extended techniques (mainly for strings) and graphic notation, and for this project can work with composers on violin, viola, saw and electronics. She works with improvisation as a compositional tool as well as in the live expression of musical material. She recognises that recorded and live music are virtually different art forms, but enjoys the bridge between the two that electronics provide (synthesis, field recording, musique concrète, trigger technologies etc). She works to present musical material in visually imaginative ways, using movement, homemade instruments and sample sets. https://youtu.be/10ziXwN7rEwhttps://vimeo.com/170776368

Please see end of document for full artist biographies.

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We are particularly looking to give opportunities to composers who are interested in collaboratively exploring and pushing the boundaries of both their work and the possibilities of sound offered by the musicians and artists. Working with musicians in small groups will require a flexible approach, and composers will need to communicate ideas through notated material but will also be able to draw on the skills of the solo artists who are experienced in more improvisatory practices.

Composers applying to the programme will be able to express a preference for which artist they would like to work with, however final decisions will be made by the panel.

Next Wave offers an opportunity to enhance the selected composers’ experience in working with professional artists and to complement their HE studies. However you are advised to look closely at the schedule for the programme (below) before applying to make sure you will be able to commit fully to the project – both in terms of activity dates and also when you will need to commit time to writing.

We would also suggest that you discuss your application with your tutor so that they are aware that you’re applying for the project. From the start of the project we will be in touch with selected composers’ tutors and will facilitate conversations between composers, tutors and project mentors in order to create a joined-up support framework.

As part of the Next Wave programme you will:

● Receive financial supporto a bursary of £500 o travel and accommodation expenses

● Receive mentoring support to help with the development of the workTwo experienced composer mentors will support the composers across the project.

● Have your music released on the award-winning record label NMC RecordingsThe download album will be available internationally through all e-stores and on NMC’s webshop and will be a permanent addition to the catalogue (NMC maintains a non-deletion policy) with a dedicated composer page on the NMC website.

● Be invited to contribute to The British Music Collection as curator, writer or profiled composer!

● Join the 2017 New Voices cohort, featuring on the British Music Collection Each year all the residents on the Embedded, Portfolio and Next Wave programmes become our annual ‘New Voices’. As part of the scheme you will be provided with support in building a full British Music Collection profile.

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Timeframe:

2017Thurs 16 February Call closes at 10 a.m.

By Weds 1 March Notification of shortlisted composers

Mon 6 & Tues 7 March Interviews, composers selected

Mon 24 & Tues 25 April Workshop 1, Sage GatesheadComposers will be asked to bring initial sketches to this workshop, which will be an opportunity to get to know the musicians. All composers will be required at both workshop days.

Late June/early July Deadline for materials for Workshop 2

Week of 24 July Workshop 2 (2 days), Sage GatesheadThis workshop will be an opportunity to go through more complete versions of the new works. All composers will be required at both workshop days

October/November Recording sessions (2 days), Sage GatesheadEach composer will have their work recorded in a dedicated session with NMC’s producer/engineer David Lefeber.

2018Fri 26 January Next Wave 2 album release on NMC Recordings

Sat 27 & Sun 28 January Live performances of new works, Sage Gateshead

Selection processA selection panel will shortlist individuals for interview after the call closes on Thursday 16 February 2017. The panel will consist of representatives from Sound and Music, NMC Recordings, and an independent panellist.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview, taking place in London. Travel grants of up to £75 can be provided on application to shortlisted candidates. The selected composers will be chosen following the interviews.

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Eligibility

● You must be resident in the UK at the time of application and for the duration of the scheme● You must be 18 years old or over● You must be studying in higher education (undergraduate or postgraduate) during the

academic year 2016-17● You must be able to commit fully to the required schedule of the project● You are welcome to apply for more than one Sound and Music professional development

scheme at a time but will only be able to participate in one. If you choose to apply to multiple Sound and Music professional development schemes, please submit separate applications for each call.

● You are not eligible for this call if you have previously taken part in a project as part of Embedded, Portfolio or Next Wave.

● This programme is funded by the Leverhulme Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Arts Council England and PRS for Music Foundation and as such you will not be able to apply to them for additional funding to support this work.

Sound and Music actively seeks to encourage a diversity of applicants to its programmes. If you are selected, we will do our best to accommodate any particular needs you may have. A copy of our Equality Policy is available on our website here:www.soundandmusic.org/knowledge-hub/evidence-hub

How to apply:

Applications are submitted online here:https://soundandmusic.typeform.com/to/MqHgpG?firstn=xxxxx&lastn=xxxxx&email=xxxxx

You will receive confirmation of your application once it has been submitted; please contact chloe.richardson@soundandmusic.org if you don’t receive a confirmation. Please note that late submissions will not be accepted.

There are four questions in the application form:

Q1: Please tell us about why you are interested in this project

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Tell us a bit about the work that you create and why you create it? What would make the biggest difference in moving forward with your work? How would taking part in Next Wave help with this?

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Q2: What initial thoughts would you have for approaches to communication and collaboration with the players in this context? The workshops will be an opportunity to work closely with a small group of musicians and a solo artist, requiring a flexible and collaborative approach. We would be interested to learn more about how you might set about communicating your ideas, and how you would plan to use the workshop time available.

Q3: What might your artistic starting points be for developing work on the Next Wave programme? Please note that we appreciate that your ideas will develop throughout the project. This section does not need to read as a fully-fledged commission proposal, we just want to know what your initial points of departure would be, should you be successful in your application. You may also indicate if you have a preference for the solo artist to work with.

Q4: What are your other commitments for 2017/18?

You will also be asked to include:

1. Your music CV including a list of key works/collaborations. Please submit as a .docx (Word) file for accessibility reasons, with a maximum word count of 350 words

2. Your biography (no more than 100 words) in .docx format only. See this guide from the Australian Music Centre for help with writing a concise biography.

3. Scores (or other notated material) and streamed audio/visual recordings (if available) of two examples of your work. These should best represent the type of approach you wish to take when developing work on this residency. For supporting audio/visual material please do not send files or Dropbox links. We are asking composers/music creators to provide links to their work on Soundcloud for its accessibility and privacy features. For information about uploading files with privacy settings please click here.

4. A completed equal opportunities form – which will follow on from the online application form linked to above

NB: Please include your full name at the beginning of the title of every attachment you send. Please also include your name and the opportunity you’re applying for in the header of each document.

Deadline for applications: Thursday 16 February 2017, 10 a.m.

For any queries regarding this residency please contact Chloë Richardson at Sound and Music on chloe.richardson@soundandmusic.org or 020 7759 1802.

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About the Partners:NMC Recordings is a registered charity record label devoted to the promotion of contemporary classical music from the British Isles. The first organisation to be heralded with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Leslie Boosey Award for “its outstanding contribution to the furthering of contemporary music in Britain”. NMC is a member of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio and has catalogue of over 250 albums encompassing established composers and emerging talent. www.nmcrec.co.uk

Sound and Music’s vision is to create a world where new music and sound prospers, transforming lives, challenging expectations and celebrating the work of its creators. Our work includes composer and artist support and development, partnerships with a range of organisations, live events and audience development, touring, information and advice, network building, and education. We champion new music and the work of British composers and artists, and seek to ensure that they are at the heart of cultural life and enjoyed by many. www.soundandmusic.org

About the Artists:Luke Carver GossLuke Carver Goss is a composer & performer who writes for and performs with unusual and regular instrumental combinations.

He writes and performs regularly with poet and broadcaster Ian McMillan. Their group The Ian McMillan Orchestra toured the length and breadth of the UK, and featured on The South Bank Show. Together, they co-curated Sage Gateshead's first Words & Music Festival. The centre-piece of this was Homing In, a work for gigantic instrumental and vocal forces. Their most recent piece together is a new carol, ‘A Single Snowflake’: a commission for Chester Cathedral. They are also currently working on a children’s opera for Mahogany opera group.

He has also worked with several touring bands, including The Angel Brothers, The Devil’s Violin Company, Tea Hodzic Trio and Szapora.

His music includes commissions for Black Dyke Brass Band, Tredegar Town Band, Sage Gateshead, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Symphony Orchestra and London Sinfonietta. He was a composer for the Cultural Olympiad and his piece Pure Gold: a 4X4 Relay was broadcast on Radio 2 and 3.

Loré LixenbergMezzo-soprano Loré Lixenberg has performed as soloist with many distinguished orchestras and ensembles including BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Hallé Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra

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and Ensemble Intercontemporain. Her rich experience in music theatre includes performing the lead role in Bent Sørensen’s opera Under Himlen at the Royal Opera House in Copenhagen as well as participating in many projects with Théâtre de Complicité. She has featured in numerous television programmes, including the Channel 4 documentary What made Mozart tick and Kombat Opera Presents…, a set of six comedy operas on BBC2. Loré Lixenberg sang the roles of Peaches and Baby Jane in Richard Thomas’ award-winning Jerry Springer - The Opera at the Edinburgh Festival, the National Theatre and in London’s West End, as well as on the subsequently released CD. In 2011 and again in 2014, she sang the role of Shelley in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s opera Anna Nicole at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. She made the première recording of John Cage’s Songbooks for Subrosa and has worked with many composers and artists including Aperghis, Birtwistle, Stockhausen, McLean, Stelarc, Toop, Sørensen and Oehring.

QuintaQuinta is a London-based multi-instrumentalist performer, improviser and experimental composer. As well as her solo project, she has collaborated with a range of critically-acclaimed and innovative artists, including Bat for Lashes, Patrick Wolf, Scanner, Lou Rhodes, Penguin Café, Marques Toliver, pioneering ‘paperteers’, The Paper Cinema, award-winning acrobatic troupes Ockham’s Razor and Mimbre, and flagship contemporary dance company, Rambert, where she was 2015/16 composer-in-residence. She is one of the three 2016/17 British Council/PRS China musicians-in-residence, alongside Emmy the Great and David Lyttle. Since 2010, Quinta has worked with Radiohead’s Philip Selway, collaborating on the musical score for Rambert’s highly-acclaimed Merce Cunningham Event in 2014 and co-producing and performing on Selway’s 2015 release, Weatherhouse. She is one quarter of all-female experimental arts collective, Collectress, who released their first album, Mondegreen, in 2014. Classically trained rather than classically moulded, Quinta meets free play and experimentation with musical substance in her work, and brings a mischievous theatricality to her performances. She plays a variety of instruments including violin, piano, and musical saw. With a background in third sector activism, Quinta is co-founder of Music in Detention and spent formative years working with Music in Prisons and participatory film-makers, Living Lens. 

Royal Northern SinfoniaLars Vogt Music DirectorJulian Rachlin Principal Guest ConductorThomas Zehetmair Conductor Laureate

Royal Northern Sinfonia, Orchestra of Sage Gateshead, is the UK’s only full-time chamber orchestra. Founded in 1958, RNS has built a reputation for the North East through the quality of its music-making and the immediacy of the connections the musicians make with audiences. The orchestra regularly flies the flag for the region at the BBC Proms, Edinburgh Festival and further afield, last year touring to Brazil and in Europe.

In recent seasons RNS has worked with conductors and soloists Christian Tetzlaff, Christian Lindberg, Olli Mustonen, Paul McCreesh, Robert Levin; a host of world-class singers including Sally Matthews, Karen Cargill and Elizabeth Watts, and also collaborated with leading popular voices such as Sting, Ben Folds and John Grant. It has commissioned new music, recently by Benedict Mason, David Lang,

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John Casken and Kathryn Tickell, and in the 2015/16 season launched a new Young Composers Competition.

RNS has always been actively involved in local communities and in education. This season the orchestra will perform across the region in Kendal, Middlesbrough, Carlisle, Berwick, Barnard Castle and Sunderland, as well as in Gateshead. Musicians support young people learning musical instruments through Sage Gateshead’s Centre for Advanced Training and through In Harmony, a long-term programme in Hawthorn Primary School in which every child in the school learns a musical instrument and plays in an orchestra.

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