Composition
The Purcell School is able to offer exceptional opportunities for young composers aged between nine and eighteen.
First study composers receive two hours’ individual tuition in composition per week, alongside an agreed programme of instrumental study appropriate to their individual needs. Regular seminars, group discussions and meetings with professional composers enable them to learn more about new music, the contemporary scene and how to create opportunities for their work to be heard and appreciated.
They are encouraged to submit their work for consideration in national festivals and competitions. During the past few years many Purcell composers have achieved outstanding success annually in the BBC/Guardian/Proms, the SPNM Composers’ Shortlist and the EPTA Composers’ Competition.
All first-study composers are expected to participate in a wide range of composers’ projects and concerts in school and in collaboration with professional organisations. In recent times these have included the South Bank Centre, Wigmore Hall, the Nash Ensemble, the London Sinfonietta, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, all the UK’s Music Conservatoires and many of the country’s leading composers.
First-study composers are selected by audition, for which they will be expected to submit a folio of scores and recordings of their music in advance. They will also be asked to demonstrate the following:
· a high level of motivation and commitment to the study of composition
· an interest in contemporary music and living composers
· the ability to write music by hand (as well as with a computer programme such as Sibelius)
· the ability to read, analyse and follow a musical score
· to be able to respond to a compositional challenge at short notice
An increasing number of pupils at The Purcell School opt to study composition as a second or third study as well as - or sometimes as an alternative to - a second instrument.
Composition is an ideal complement to any programme of instrumental tuition, enabling pupils to write pieces for themselves to play in concerts, festivals or competitions (which increasingly ask candidates to include at least one contemporary piece of music in their repertoire).
Normally second study composition pupils follow a course designed specifically for them by their individual teacher, bearing in mind their first-study commitments and academic programme within the school.
All pupils from Years 7–10 receive regular class tuition in composition as a core component of the academic music curriculum. Composers are taught the technique of developing ideas in a coherent way and are exposed to a variety of methods and styles.
Students’ works are featured regularly in new music concerts, and occasionally in workshops given by visiting ensembles. Senior pupils have the opportunity to audition for the chance to compose a piece for the annual symphony orchestra concert in the spring term.
Alison Cox – Head of Composition
a.cox@purcell-school.org
First study composers receive two hours’ individual tuition in composition per week, alongside an agreed programme of instrumental study appropriate to their individual needs. Regular seminars, group discussions and meetings with professional composers enable them to learn more about new music, the contemporary scene and how to create opportunities for their work to be heard and appreciated.
They are encouraged to submit their work for consideration in national festivals and competitions. During the past few years many Purcell composers have achieved outstanding success annually in the BBC/Guardian/Proms, the SPNM Composers’ Shortlist and the EPTA Composers’ Competition.
All first-study composers are expected to participate in a wide range of composers’ projects and concerts in school and in collaboration with professional organisations. In recent times these have included the South Bank Centre, Wigmore Hall, the Nash Ensemble, the London Sinfonietta, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, all the UK’s Music Conservatoires and many of the country’s leading composers.
First-study composers are selected by audition, for which they will be expected to submit a folio of scores and recordings of their music in advance. They will also be asked to demonstrate the following:
· a high level of motivation and commitment to the study of composition
· an interest in contemporary music and living composers
· the ability to write music by hand (as well as with a computer programme such as Sibelius)
· the ability to read, analyse and follow a musical score
· to be able to respond to a compositional challenge at short notice
An increasing number of pupils at The Purcell School opt to study composition as a second or third study as well as - or sometimes as an alternative to - a second instrument.
Composition is an ideal complement to any programme of instrumental tuition, enabling pupils to write pieces for themselves to play in concerts, festivals or competitions (which increasingly ask candidates to include at least one contemporary piece of music in their repertoire).
Normally second study composition pupils follow a course designed specifically for them by their individual teacher, bearing in mind their first-study commitments and academic programme within the school.
All pupils from Years 7–10 receive regular class tuition in composition as a core component of the academic music curriculum. Composers are taught the technique of developing ideas in a coherent way and are exposed to a variety of methods and styles.
Students’ works are featured regularly in new music concerts, and occasionally in workshops given by visiting ensembles. Senior pupils have the opportunity to audition for the chance to compose a piece for the annual symphony orchestra concert in the spring term.
Alison Cox – Head of Composition
a.cox@purcell-school.org
|
Teachers:
Haris Kitos Joseph Phibbs Karim Said Simon Speare |
Audio extract
New Year by Purcell pupil, Kristina Arakelyan
Winner of the 2011 BBC Proms Young Composer competition Performed by the BBC Singers |
