New Notes composition scheme for young Welsh composers

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Departmental Lecturer Dr Luke Lewis is working with Music Theatre Wales and Sinfonia Cymru to run the 'New Notes' scheme for composers between 14-18 from South Wales, as part of New College's commitment to schools. Six selected music makers will receive 1-1 and group composition support from Luke to write a piece for players from Sinfonia Cymru, Wales's pioneering under-30s professional ensemble. The pieces will be workshopped in May and then premiered at a concert at the Parc and Dare Theatre, Treorchy on 11 September. 

The impetus for the project comes from Luke's London Sinfonietta commission from 2022 The Echoes Return Slow which took archive recordings of Welsh miners and their wives from the 1950s and 60s. The speech and singing in these recordings were transcribed into a detailed musical notation which forms the basic material for the work. What's more, the original recordings were knitted together live with the Sinfonietta players to creative what the Evening Standard described as 'no sentimental evocation of the past, but a hard-hitting account of tough work, harsh conditions and resilient people.' The piece will be performed at the Treorchy concert alongside a new chamber work by Luke, a new digital opera work by Music Theatre Wales, and the six new compositions by the young Welsh music makers.

Find out more at musictheatre.wales/rct/