Michael Betteridge: The Open Fund for Music Creators

‘The Goodwin Sands’ is a new 40 minute work for three upper voices and harp exploring the history of the sandbank off the coast of Kent, and is imagined as an archival, environmental, and geo-mythological encounter. With words by Rebecca Hurst this new work will be undertake a period of research and development, including the creation of music videos, before premiering at the Deal Music & Arts Festival in Summer 2022.

Described as ‘inventive’ (The Financial Times) and ‘bold’ and ‘colourful’ (The Times) Michael is a composer who creates work that challenges and inspires audiences and performers alike. A keen collaborator with an eclectic output, his music has been performed across the world by some of the world’s leading performers and ensembles as well as featured on BBC Radio 3 and 4. 2019 saw the premiere of Across the Sky – a community opera performed as the finale of the 75th year of Cheltenham Music Festival which was shortlisted in the Impact category of the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards in 2020. During the 2020 global pandemic he has been working on a digital opera entitled Walk out of yourself with the Voicings Collective and Opera Harmony that premiered on Opera Vision – and was a finalist amongst the twenty entries – and a new digital opera with Second Movement collaborating with people living with Tourette’s Syndrome.