Drake Music Scotland: Talent Development Partner 2020
Drake Music Scotland has a specific focus on commissioning and developing the careers of disabled composers and musicians in Scotland, a natural progression from our work supporting disabled people to learn, play and perform music to their desired level. Developing creativity is integral to all our work.
We support those aspiring to become music creators/composers as well as emerging artists with some experience who want to move in new directions. This might involve developing new projects including commissions to write pieces for our Digital Orchestra or iPad Ensemble. The Digital Orchestra comprises musicians who play using specialised music technologies and its members also develop their own solo or small ensemble works featuring these digital instruments. We have partnerships with a range of organisations in order to create access and opportunities including mentoring from more experienced composers through the new Disabled Artists Network.
‘In December 2019 we were celebrating ‘Diversions’, a concert at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh curated and artistically led by autistic composer Ben Lunn featuring work by him and 8 other disabled composers, performed by the renowned Hebrides Ensemble and our Digital Orchestra. The project won acclaim in the New Music Scotland awards in 2020. The Covid pandemic affected the timing of our plans to develop a new event following on from this, but it is rescheduled for 2021. We are currently working on a conference for autistic composers in partnership with Sound Scotland and Ben Lunn on Sunday 31st January.’