Manchester Jazz Festival: Talent Development Partner 2018
Manchester Jazz Festival (mjf) is a 9 day celebration of fresh and innovative contemporary music spread across the city at the end of July each year. The festival is positioned at the hub of jazz talent development in the North, and from the outset, mjf’s priority has been to encourage new music.
Through support from the PRS Foundation as a Talent Development Partner, mjf will continue to deliver mjf originals, a flagship scheme for the commissioning of new jazz works, the first and still the only open jazz commission in the UK. Our 2018 commission is awarded to harpist and composer Esther Swift, who will create ‘Light Gatherer’ – a work inspired by the sound and spirit of the poetry of Carol Ann Duffy.
We’ll also be delivering mjf hothouse: a year-round talent and new work development scheme that targets diverse musicians across the north, supporting the creation of new music and sustainable music careers. The programme targets artists who demonstrate original artistic potential and are working to achieve a career in the region mixing performance, composition and project leadership. The scheme includes workshops, CPD, 1 to 1 mentoring and a work-in-progress showcase, providing a unique space where musicians can experiment with artistic risk without fear of failure or the pressure to deliver a finished piece.