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Postgraduate

Composing, Line upon Line

Postgrad composer Olly Sellwood travelled to Texas last month to workshop his new piece for percussion: This January I took a long ride over to Austin, Texas to take part in Line Upon Line’s winter composer festival and course. Line Upon Line (a percussion trio made up of Matt Teodori, Adam Bedell and Cullen Faulk) has been performing together since 2009 premiering, performing and recording works by composers from Aaron Cassidy to Jessie Marino. Continue reading →

When Harry Met (Some More) Composers – Part 3, Lois V Vierk

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. In this third part he caught up with New York composer Lois V. Vierk whose work Red Shift will feature in Sunday's concert: Harry Matthews (HM): I thought we could start by talking about your approach to structure. 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 →

Getting Together with Southampton Composers

Postgrad composer Andrew Fowler tells us about the composition-fest that rounded off the academic year: On the third and fourth of July, the University of Southampton played host to its annual composer’s ‘Get Together’, which consisted of talks and workshops aimed at sharing the work of composers affiliated with the university and guest musicians with one another. Unsurprisingly, the event was entirely successful in achieving its objective. 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 →

Will Champion from Coldplay visits the Music Department!

Two of our first year Music students, Martina Stramaccioni and James Needs, reflect on a recent visit to the Department by Coldplay drummer Will Champion. Martina: "I found Will Champion’s visit a humbling experience. It was unbelievable that a musician as successful and well respected as him had taken time out of his busy schedule and come talk to us young musicians in person. As students, embarking upon our own musical journeys, the talk was inspiring. Continue reading →

New Turner Sims RUSH tickets

Turner Sims intern and third year student Sabine Russell introduces the new RUSH ticket scheme: Many music students will have noticed that a new Student Newsletter from Turner Sims landed in their inboxes a couple of weeks ago about a new RUSH ticket scheme. The idea for this initiative has come about to raise awareness of the free tickets made available by Turner Sims for their concert series. Continue reading →

Jack Wylie (Portico Quartet) ‘VIP Guest Talk’

On Friday 13th October, Jack Wylie from the group Portico Quartet visited the Southampton Music Department to deliver a ‘VIP Guest Talk' about his career and approach to making music. 3rd-Year Music student Archie Combes tells us more: After performing a short solo set of soprano sax and electronic loop pedals, Jack talked extensively about how he forged a career in music whilst still being able to stay true to his own artist intentions. Continue reading →

Organology of Anglo-Saxon Wind Instruments

First year PhD student Lucy-Anne Taylor reports on her Masters Research: Over the last year I have been studying Anglo-Saxon wind instruments, notably one found at Hungate in York for my music masters. In some ways this was a continuation from my undergraduate dissertation, completed in archaeology, on Anglo-Saxon wind instruments. I am now moving this work through into a PhD in Music and Archaeology. Continue reading →

Recording the Modern Harpsichord – Persichetti’s Sonatas

PhD researcher Christopher D. Lewis has recently submitted his doctoral thesis AND is about to relase a new recording - double congratulations! Here he introduces us to the harpsichord music of Vincent Persichetti, whose sonatas are the focus of his most recent project: Christopher D. Lewis (Harpsichord): Vincent Persichetti: Harpsichord Sonatas Nos. 1, 3, 5, 8, 9 and Serenade. Release worldwide 14 July 2017.  Naxos Records: https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8. Continue reading →

Southampton composers at the Ludomusicology 2017 Conference

Postgraduate  Music student Ben Jameson tells about a recent conference attended by Southampton composers. The Ludomusicology Research Group is an organisation comprised of academics from various universities, dedicated to the study of game music. Founded in 2011, their 6th annual conference took place this April at Bath Spa University, and had a specific focus on the theme of ‘performance’. Continue reading →

A Constant Heart

PhD Student Kate Hawnt tells about recent developments in her research: Last week I had the honour of being invited to attend the book launch of a very special publication that has considerable significance for my research:  A CONSTANT HEART: The War Diaries of Maud Russell 1938-1945, edited by Emily Russell.  The event happened at the National Trust property Mottisfont Abbey, once home to Maud Russell and the rest of the Russell family.  Her youngest son, Raymond, is the focus of my PhD. Continue reading →

Line Upon Line

Jamie Howell, MMus Composition student, tells us about a recent concert and workshop by the group Line Upon Line. Having arrived from their hometown of Austin, Texas the previous day, the contemporary percussion group Line Upon Line gave a brilliant performance of new and recent music in a lunchtime concert on Monday 6th March. Continue reading →