Talent Development Partner 2017: Sound Festival

For:

Sound Festival Talent Development Programme

Being an innovative new music creator is an ongoing challenge. Adventurous audiences are small, funding is rare and a limited number of musicians perform this type of work, making it difficult for composers to find commissions and have work performed. As one of Scotland’s principal new music promoters, Sound Festival have a responsibility to support UK and Scottish creators – nurturing their talent and facilitating opportunities to have their music heard nationally and internationally.

The PRS Foundation is supporting Sound Festivals’ soundcreators initiative, which brings a number of development opportunities together in a structured programme, focusing clearly on their aim of nurturing talent and growing it within sound’s overall programme. It will support those creating cutting-edge new music from across the “new” music spectrum (classical, opera, electroacoustic, folk, jazz…) in the UK. This will include emerging, mid-career and established composers as well as creative performers who work closely with composers and/or are creative through improvisation. Through the programme we hope to work directly with around 37 composers and 30 creative performers.

There are seven strands to the soundcreators project:
i) a composer-in-residence scheme with Glasgow-based John de Simone offering a tailor-made programme of activities;
ii) commissioning of new works;
iii) mentored commissioning for emerging and mid-career composers with extra support;
iv) skills development for composers through workshops and individual support;
v) supporting creative performers to work more closely with composers and develop their own creativity;
vi) researching the professional barriers to creators with Additional Support Needs & developing a support programme;
vii) providing national/international opportunities for creators where possible.