Aberdeen’s new music ensemble, Any Enemy in conjunction with sound, are pleased to announce that we will be offering a development opportunity for young and emerging composers based either in the North East or further afield in Scotland. The opportunity will involve working with Any Enemy to write a new work for performance during this year’s soundfestival with an environmental theme.
Any Enemy was formed in 2018 and is comprised of local practitioners and students. Currently the membership comprises the following instruments: violin, cello, flute, oboe, bassoon, trumpet, percussion and piano. The conductor is Pete Stollery.
Remuneration
This opportunity comes with a small commission fee of £250 per composer and travel expenses to attend both the September rehearsal and the October concert.
Schedule:
· Sunday 29th August 4-5.30pm: initial workshop on Zoom (you will be expected to come with some ideas about your piece including, if possible, some initial sketches).
· Sunday 12th September 2-5pm: Rehearsal (Aberdeen in person)
· Saturday 2nd October 10am-1pm (tbc): Rehearsal (digital attendance)
· Sunday 24th October, lunchtime: Performance during soundfestival 2021
To apply
· Please complete an application form: https://forms.gle/PXTASFV5tG9nkfmr8
The deadline for applications is 16th August 2021, and you will hear back by the 19th August.
If you have any questions or need further information please contact admin@sound-scotland.co.uk
Selection
A panel comprised of members of the ensemble and a representative of sound will select three composers who we feel best suited to work with the ensemble. Please note that because we are committed to working with and supporting composers from under-represented sections of the population, there is a two-stage application process: an initial selection is made, and then this is narrowed down in a second stage selection process. If you are a female, disabled and/or BAME composer, you can self-select to be put forward automatically to the second round if you want.
We are very grateful to Aberdeen City Council for providing funding for this opportunity.
The opportunity is also part of the soundcreators programme, which focuses on nurturing creative talent and is also funded by Creative Scotland, the PRS for Music Foundation, the Idlewild Trust, the Hugh Fraser Foundation and the Leche Trust.
Notes to composers applying
Selection for new music opportunities is inherently subjective and the criteria used can differ from project to project. Opportunities are frequently over-subscribed and often the quality of applications is extremely high from a wide range of composers, which usually means making difficult decisions.
Reasons for selecting one composer over another are not always to do with skill level or experience. We may, for example, be looking for the right fit for us as an organisation at a particular point in time e.g., we may be looking to develop specific strands or activity or genres of music.
For development opportunities that happen in a group setting, it may be that we need to take into consideration the coherence of that group e.g., we may prefer to have composers of a similar experience-level. We thus sometimes end up turning down composers with more experience or skills, or giving opportunities to composers who we feel would benefit most from a particular opportunity at that stage in their career, and faced with difficult choices we may sometimes turn down composers who may have already benefitted from a number of opportunities in the past.
We would however encourage composers to apply for any opportunities that interest them and for which they fit the specification, and not be discouraged if they are not selected for a particular opportunity, as it does not mean that they are not “good” enough. Please do continue to apply for any sound or Any Enemy opportunity that interests you.
