Manchester Composers’ Workshop

Earlier in the season, a call was put out for composers studying at the RNCM, Manchester University and Chetham’s to submit new arrangements of folksongs.  Monday 31 January 2011 sees the Manchester Composers’ Workshop at the RNCM in Manchester where ten songs will be reviewed and played as part of the process.

The Composers’ Workshop starts at 2.30 in the RNCM Concert Hall. Everyone is welcome to attend, but please book tickets for the event through the RNCM Box Office on 0161 907 5555 or in person at 124 Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9RD.  You can also book online by clicking HERE.

Manchester Camerata’s Head of Artistic Planning, Manus Carey talks about the project, and where we are in the process.

The ten songs selected for the workshop will be reviewed by a panel including British composer Howard Skempton, who will give feedback to each composer. A number will be selected for performance at Band on the Wall on Thursday 17 March. The songs will be sung by up-and-coming folk singer Bella Hardy. Howard Skempton was born in Chester in 1947, and has worked as a composer, accordionist, and music publisher. He studied in London with Cornelius Cardew from 1967 and Cardew discovering a musical language of great simplicity. Since then he has produced a body of more than 300 works – many pieces being miniatures for solo piano or accordion. Skempton calls these pieces ‘the central nervous system’ of his work.