The Royal Scottish National Orchestra has launched the fourth annual initiative to develop the talents of emerging UK-based composers, RSNO Composers’ Hub. Aimed at composers in the early stages of their career, the bespoke scheme is an opportunity for a group of composers to write for orchestra in a range of different contexts, develop skills and creative relationships, as well as acquire an understanding of the business of a major arts organisation.
Up to five emerging composers will be chosen to join RSNO Composers’ Hub and spend the 2018:19 Season with the Orchestra. Each composer will write a seven to ten-minute work for full symphony orchestra and a two to three-minute piece for small orchestra. The scheme will culminate in a public workshop at the RSNO Centre in Glasgow, April 2019, from which one work will be chosen to be performed by the RSNO during its 2019:20 Season.
RSNO Composers’ Hub also provides opportunities to develop meaningful collaborations with the RSNO and the other hub members over a sustained period and to get to know the Orchestra, staff and its audience, receiving guidance from different artistic and business areas.
Award-winning composer and RSNO Composers’ Hub mentor Stuart MacRae: As an emerging composer it can be a very big challenge to get your music played by a professional orchestra; but in order to develop approaches to orchestral music, composers need time to collaborate with an orchestra and the support to try out ideas. As well as writing a new, short piece for the orchestral workshop there are opportunities to engage with the RSNO’s Learning and Engagement team, and to learn more about the running of the organisation. We are looking for talented and enthusiastic emerging composers of any age, based in the UK, to take part in this exciting scheme.”
RSNO Composers’ Hub aims to give support to Scottish and UK-wide composers, and to provide the creative space for them to explore and develop. The breadth of the scheme will also mean it is an opportunity for our audiences to extend their knowledge of contemporary music and the compositional process.
Previous RSNO Composers’ Hub participant Michael Cryne, whose work Open the Eastern Windows has been selected to be premiered at the RSNO’s 2018:19 concerts on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 November: “I’m really looking forward to hearing my piece Open the Eastern Windows come to life in the RSNO’s 2018:19 Season. It was a fantastic experience to work with the RSNO and conductor Holly Mathieson, who did a great job of workshopping five wonderfully unique, brand new pieces. Opportunities like these are vital for composers starting their careers, and I’m glad that the RSNO is continuing the scheme.”
Composers must submit a CV, one-page letter explaining how they will benefit from the scheme, and two examples of their own compositions (preferably at least one for full orchestra), with scores and sound samples to Emma Hunter at [email protected]. The closing date for applications is Friday 7 September at 5pm. Only applications submitted by email will be accepted. More information on the RSNO Composers' Hub can be found at www.rsno.org.uk/hub.
From October 2018 the RSNO presents the inaugural Season of Thomas Søndergård’s tenure as Music Director, opening with the Scottish première of Lotta Wennäkoski’s Flounce, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No2 with soloist Francesco Piemontesi and Mahler’s Symphony No5.
For more information on RSNO concerts and events, visit www.rsno.org.uk.