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Schubert, Singing and Sexuality

David and the masterclass students with Roderick Williams and Iain Burnside Music’s Dr David Bretherton was the mastermind behind last week’s Schubert concert and masterclass – participants heard fabulous music, explored issues around composers’ sexuality, and watched our students learn from international artists: During LGBT History Month 2019, the Department of Music and Turner Sims Concert Hall held two Schubert events connected to my Arts and Humanities Research... Continue reading →

When Harry Met . . . Part 4 – Drew Crawford

The last in Harry Matthews’s series of composer interviews in the runup to SHIFTS – now time for us all to perform in and listen to the concert tomorrow! Harry Matthews (HM): As a composer you have such a diverse and creative output. For you, is there a separation between the creative process of composing a film score and composing Waves Of… (the piece featured at the upcoming SHIFTS concert)? Drew Crawford (DC): The short answer to that is, no. Continue reading →

When Harry Met (Some More) Composers – Part 2, Ben Oliver

Music’s own Ben Oliver tells about his compositions and other pieces on Sunday’s SHIFTS concert, and what it’s like for students and staff to play new music together: Harry Matthews: Let’s start by talking about the upcoming concert Shifts. What gave you the idea to curate a concert that focuses on aspects of minimalism? BO: We do performance projects quite regularly at Southampton where we bring in people to perform alongside our students. Continue reading →

When Harry Met (Some) Composers: Part 1 – Brona Martin

Ahead of our big SHIFTS performance next week PhD composer Harry Matthews is interviewing 4 of the 5 composers involved in SHIFTS on 27th January at Turner Sims (Steve Reich isn’t reachable on Skype this week!). In this first interview Harry caught up with electroacoustic composer and Southampton Teaching Fellow Dr Brona Martin to talk about her recent work Sowing Seeds (2018), which will be featured in the concert. Continue reading →

Sowing the Seeds of Community Engagement

Composition lecturer Dr Brona Martin tells us about an exciting recent commission and the sounds and connections it has fostered: Earlier this year I was commissioned by Seed Studios in collaboration with the Vonnegut Collective and the MANTIS Festival (Manchester Theatre in Sound), Manchester to facilitate some workshops in soundwalking, field recording and composition. Continue reading →

Celebrating Michael Finnissy

Last week staff, students and friends of the Department gathered for a special concert at Turner Sims to celebrate Michael Finnissy’s twenty years as Professor of Composition at Southampton.  Postgraduate composer Joe Manghan was one of the performers: I’ve been studying at Southampton for almost 7 years now, and I’ve had several opportunities to participate in Finnissy projects. In 2012, I performed timpani in his completion of Mozart’s Requiem. Continue reading →

Theatre Guitar for Shakespeare’s Globe

Guitar tutor Jon Gingell has just finished music directing and performing for Emma Rice’s show for Shakespeare’s Globe, Little Match Girl and Other Happier Tales. Music was by Stephen Warbeck (Shakespeare In Love, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Billy Elliot). The show began its run at Bristol Old Vic before Christmas, took in a tour from Plymouth to Liverpool, and then returned to its home at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London in March. Continue reading →

Music Therapy in Moldova

Lecturer Sarah Hodkinson has just returned from Moldova, where she has been teaching music therapy to professionals from all over the country. Moldova is considered the poorest country in Europe, having only established independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Historically , children with severe and often mild disabilities were typically homed in institutions such as baby homes. Continue reading →