Overlapping with the St. Magnus Festival, the 10-day Composers' Course (15th to 25th June 2008) provides an opportunity for approximately eight composers to share in an intensive period of study in a stimulating and supportive environment.
The course will be directed by composers Alasdair Nicolson and Sally Beamish . There will be practical sessions led by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and opportunities to hear, meet and work with professional musicians performing at the Festival. A hand-picked resident professional ensemble will enable students' pieces to be developed and rehearsed during the course and to be performed during the Festival .
The course will run concurrently with Orkney Conducting Course and will provide a unique opportunity for the composers to collaborate with eight emerging professional conductors.
Individual tuition will give each composer the chance to present scores to one of the resident composers, allowing for critical comment and feedback on a one-to-one basis.
Prior to attending the course, each composer will have started work on a new piece of music (5–7 minutes) for instrumental ensemble plus voice. The work will then be developed and rehearsed by the ensemble and performed at a St Magnus Festival Composers' Concert on 25th June. The work will be conducted in rehearsal and performance by an Orkney Conducting Course participant and a recording of the Composers' Concert will be available to the students on completion of the course. |
