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Composition

Performance roundup

A few more items from the last month in performance: We were really chuffed to read this wonderful blog post from London Sinfonietta violinist extraordinaire David Alberman, who joined Southampton staff and students for the world premiere of Michael Finnissy's new work, Remembrance Day. This year jazz and pop students from the department of Music and MuSoc - the student music society - are putting on a series of nights at our partner live music venue, Talking Heads. Continue reading →

Places of Remembrance

Among the activities during last month's Remembrance Day premiere weekend was a composition workshop with guests from the world-leading new music vocal ensemble, EXAUDI.  Mate Szigeti describes the pieces he and fellow postgraduate composers created: The rite of remembrance is always connected with a place. We remember at festive dinner tables, we remember in churches, as we do in public spaces designated for this purpose. Continue reading →

Experiencing music therapy

Sarah Hodkinson, our Lecturer in Music Therapy, describes a workshop that allowed students to gain valuable hands-on experience to complement their year 3 music therapy lectures: Music students Alice Charlton, Esme Phillips, and Panos Mathicolonis assisted me in a music therapy workshop at the University of Southampton Auditory Implant Service. The students are well aware of the significance of music. Music is not only something they study, it is central in their lives. Continue reading →

Extending theorbo players from the inside

Head of Early Music Liz Kenny has been getting out of her comfort zone, playing very new music for a very old instrument:  I use my instrument the theorbo – the largest of the lute family with an extra long neck – for many things: annoying people on crowded tube trains, confusing airlines, accompanying students, demonstrating continuo harmonies, playing with singers and baroque ensembles . . . and so on. Continue reading →

Remembering the Great War

On 16th November, we are mounting the world premiere of a new work by Michael Finnissy, concerned with themes of war and remembrance in commemoration of the onset of WWI.  Lecturer in Composition Ben Oliver will conduct:  As the conductor of new music group Workers Union Ensemble I am fortunate to conduct around five to ten world premiere performances each year. I absolutely love learning and rehearsing new repertoire; it is such a joy to explore a new score with fellow musicians. Continue reading →

Summer in the Theatre

Continuing our 'What I did over the summer vacation' series, Catherine Underhill (year 3) tells us about her fantastic introduction to the music theatre business:  Back in May, I received an email from Youth Music Theatre (YMT) about a position of Assistant Music Director (AMD) for their shows over the summer. I knew a little bit about the company, so applied online and to my surprise I received an interview. Continue reading →

Coming Soon – Ben’s Fresh Klang!

Postgraduate composer Ben Jameson tells us about his upcoming performance in an exciting new music series:  Kammer Klang is a concert series that was founded by cellist and curator Lucy Railton in 2008, and is currently directed by percussionist and composer Serge Vuille. The series presents thematically linked programmes of new contemporary classical, experimental, improvised and electronic music. Continue reading →

Where’s the Composer in “Making Music with Open Data”

  Jack Webster (BA Hons Music 2014) has now embarked on the MSc/PhD programme in Web Science at Southampton. Here he tells us about a recent event on music and technology:  On Friday 10th October, the Open Data Institute hosted a lunchtime lecture on the topic of “Making Music with Open Data,” which, for research purposes, I headed up to London to attend. The lecture consisted of a presentation by Nicholas Tollervey and Simon Davy about their project, “Oompah. Continue reading →

Written in Water: Portrait of a Town

Final year PhD composer Ben Mawson tells us about his project 'Written in Water: Portrait of a Town', which allows listeners to explore Gosport in a new and exciting way: After receiving the first prize at the SXSC3 Dragons' Den competition (November 2013) to develop 3DBARE (software to allow listeners to walk inside a piece of music), I have just completed a commission from New Dimensions, portraying the maritime history and contemporary character of the town of Gosport - using virtual... Continue reading →

Excellence in Teaching Awards

Congratulations to our colleague Andy Fisher, Senior Lecturer in Music and Head of Commercial Composition, who was the winner for the Faculty of Humanities for 'Best Feedback' in this year's  Excellence in Teaching Awards.  These awards are sponsored by the Students' Union, and Andy was nominated by the SUSU Faculty Officer, Academic Presidents and Course Reps from the Faculty of Humanities. Continue reading →

Composing new music for early instruments

Postgraduate composer Alex Glyde-Bates talks about the process of writing his new work 'Objet d’Art' for Trio Aporia, which was premiered at the Turner Sims Concert Hall during our 'MUSIC @1PM' concert series: Last summer I was approached by flautist Stephen Preston to write a new ten-minute work for his new trio, Trio Aporia, to go in a concert of other new works to mark the 250th anniversary of the death of French composer and influential music theorist Jean-Philippe Rameau. Continue reading →