A Classic Case

Attracting audiences to contemporary classical music performances is no easy task. The difficulties posed by dwindling audiences for the genre feed down to the composers themselves, complicating their attempts to identify and successfully apply for appropriate sources of funding, and also, to get their work commissioned. The British Academy of Composers and Songwriters recently launched a regional composers network, which aims to provide greater communication and resources to composers, in the hope of raising the music’s profile. However, Julian Lancaster, the Academy’s Head of Classical Relations, believes the media’s coverage of contemporary classical music, or lack of, isn’t helping.

‘Contemporary classical music does not have a great media profile,’ he says. ‘There is a perception it is a very specialist area, so it gets very little coverage.’

One of the regional organisation’s associated with the new network, the North West England group, Lakeland Composers, also addresses the issue of contemporary classical music’s ‘highbrow’ perception, on their webpage.

‘We wish to promote freedom of expression and redress the balance somewhat, since attitudes prevailing during the last forty years have driven audiences away from new [classical] music because of its perceived difficulty and elitism,’ the organisation states.

Interestingly, the annual Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival – currently underway in the northern city until December 1 – has garnered very little coverage in the national papers this year in comparison to 2001, much of which appeared to be driven by the appointment of the new, young and female festival director, Susanna Eastburn.

Even more interestingly, while the Guardian and Independent newspapers covered Eastburn’s appointment in 2001, they failed to acknowledge her first full programme for this year’s event – as the 2001 programme was largely inherited from her predecessor and festival founder, Richard Steinitz.

In a recent interview with Arts Hub prior to the Festival, Eastburn commented that although a strong local audience for contemporary classical music has emerged in Huddersfield during the event’s 25-year history, support for British composers is minimal in comparison to our neighbours to the north of the continent.

‘It’s very difficult to find commissioning funds these days – the sources have virtually dried up,’ Eastburn observed, adding that generous funding systems in Scandinavian countries have allowed a vibrant and larger community of composers and new music to emerge.

Lancaster hopes the new regional composers network will assist composers in identifying funding sources and in getting commissioned, by providing opportunities to share information.

According to Lancaster, the idea to establish the network emerged after a composer writing in a music publication suggested having an organisation like the British Academy behind such a project would be beneficial.

‘We felt the Academy, being the umbrella organisation, if you like, for composers in the UK, could play a more significant role in this area,’ Lancaster explains.

Nine organisations have expressed interest in the network, including; New Music Brighton, Central Composers’ Alliance, Portsmouth District Composers’ Alliance, Forum London Composers’ Group, The Devon Composers’ Group, Composers of Wales, Scottish Music Information Centre, Lakeland Composers and Anglia Contemporary & Experimental Music Society.

Following a meeting of six or seven of these regional organisations earlier this year, two proposals for the network were brought forward. The first was the creation of a webpage devoted to the regional composers network on the British Academy website, including a profile of each participating organisation and a calendar of events. Lancaster, who is also Website Manager for the Academy, anticipates the site will be up and running by the end of this year. The second proposal was to hold a twice-yearly gathering on a rotational basis with the regional associations.

The first of these events was held last week, hosted by Composers of Wales in Swansea. According to Lancaster and Composers of Wales’ Secretary, Enid Luff, the seminar was a success.

Lancaster hopes in future to incorporate live performances into the gatherings, but adds each conference will differ depending on the region hosting it. The first seminar, for example, was entitled ‘Spotlight on Wales.’

Established composer Peter Reynolds – who is also Artistic Director of the PM Music Ensemble and Administrative Director of the Vale of Glamorgan Festival – discussed the composition and performance of Welsh music since 1945, while Mervyn Burtch provided an account of his opera commissions and experiences coordinating professional performers, schools and community groups.

‘There is a great wealth of activity, considering the large geographical area of the UK,’ Lancaster comments. ‘The advantage of the Regional Composers Network is that is provides a way to keep composers informed – through seminars, discussions and workshops – on the work of other regional organisations and composers.’

For more information on the Regional Composers Network, contact Julian Lancaster at the British Academy on 020 7636 2929 or email julian@britishacademy.com