Scottish Opera is looking for twenty 10 – 14 year olds to create their very own live show, with help from the experts.

Weekly classes led by highly skilled professionals from Scotland’s national opera company will introduce children to all the skills needed to take an opera all the way from the drawing board to the stage. As well as working on singing, dancing and acting skills, children will also create the scenery, sets and costumes for their very own show, all set to their own original words and music written by them.

Children will also get behind-the-scenes access to the people who write operas, design the sets, make the costumes and sell the tickets for Scottish Opera, getting hints and tips from the professionals on how to make their performance a great success.

All the hard work will come together for a special performance to friends and families where everyone will have a role to play, whether it’s stepping into the limelight or keeping the performance running smoothly from behind-the-scenes.

These classes allow participants to be as creative as their imaginations allow them to be as well as developing singing, movement and language skills.

Classes take place at Scottish Opera’s Production Studios, Edington Street on Sundays from 2.30pm to 5.30pm starting on Sunday 25 January 2009.

Snape Maltings Concert Hall
Anna Meredith music
Philip Ridley text
Bijan Sheibani director
Alex Eales designer
Jessica Cottis conductor
World premiere of a modern opera for teenagers.

Street gangs, loners, violence, love: Aldeburgh’s thrilling new opera is a contemporary urban story, both dark and magical, about a group of young people connected by a web of stories, and the giant blue spider that might save them all.

With music by Aldeburgh Alumna and star of 2008 Last Night of the Proms Anna Meredith, and text by award-winning playwright and novelist Philip Ridley, this is a seriously contemporary tale – ideal for everyone aged 13 and over.

Calling all singers and instrumentalists! Working with composer Jackie Walduck, Wigmore Hall's resident education ensemble and a DJ; experience Bach as you've never heard him before. Spend the day discovering, de-constructing and reshaping some of the most inspiring music ever written, creating a live remix to perform on stage at the end of this workshop.

Supported by Mayfield Valley Arts Trust and the Robert Mayer Trust for Youth and Music.

Age 11 - 16 years.

Outline

Young composers from across the UK are invited to compose a new a cappella (unaccompanied) piece for Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass which utilises the extraordinary acoustics of York Minster and the remarkable singing skills of The Tallis Scholars.

A shortlist of entries will be performed and recorded at a public event at the National Centre for Early Music [NCEM] in York on Thursday 14 May in the presence of the young composers selected.

At 7.30pm, also on Thursday 14 May, the York based Ebor Singers will present each of the pieces in front of a panel of judges including Peter Phillips, the Director of The Tallis Scholars; Chris Wines, Senior Music Producer, BBC Radio 3 and Delma Tomlin, Director of the National Centre for Early Music.

The chosen work(s) will then be performed by The Tallis Scholars during their concert in York Minster on Friday 10 July - the opening night of the 2009 York Early Music Festival. BBC Radio 3 will record this concert.

Competition Rules

• There are two categories for the awards as follows:
18 years and under (born after 03/04/90)
19 – 25 years (born between 03/04/84 and 03/04/90)
• The piece should be scored for SATB or SSATB
• The piece should be between 3 and 4 minutes’ duration
• The lyrics should be of a text that is suitable to be presented in York Minster; should be in Latin/English (written after Shakespeare’s time ie not medieval English); and should be clear of copyright.
• The composition should be entirely your own work and not previously published/performed. Proof of identity will be required by all those shortlisted. Only one piece per entrant is permitted.
• Closing date for entries is Friday 3 April 2009.
• The NCEM Composers’ Award is not open to employees or family members of the National Centre for Early Music, The Tallis Scholars or the BBC.
• The NCEM Composers’ Award is intended as an educational project and preference will be given to those who have not yet embarked on a professional career.

General Information
• Composers interested in entering this competition should email the Music Administrator of the NCEM on ailsa.reid@ncem.co.uk; phone the NCEM on York [01904] 632220 or write to the NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL to register their interest by 5.00pm Friday 27 March 2009.

• Following registration, two copies of the score should be sent by post along with a completed application form to the NCEM to arrive no later than 5.00pm Friday 3 April. Applications should be addressed to: Ailsa Reid, Music Administrator, National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL.

• All entrants will be informed whether or not their pieces have been shortlisted for performance at the NCEM by 5.00pm on Friday 1 May.

• All shortlisted candidates will be expected to attend a full day workshop and evening performance at the NCEM on Thursday 14 May. The workshop will be led by composer Christopher Fox and the York based Ebor Singers. Pieces will be presented as ‘work in progress’ and recorded by students from the University of York. All the recorded works will be available through the NCEM website.

• At 7.30pm on Thursday 14 May, the short-listed pieces will be performed in front of a panel of judges and an invited audience. The winning piece(s) will be announced that evening. This will be a ticketed event but free of charge.

• The winning piece(s) will be performed by The Tallis Scholars at their concert in York Minster on Friday 10 July. BBC Radio 3 will record the concert. Each finalist will be awarded two pairs of top-price tickets to the concert and their names and educational institutions (if appropriate) will be listed in the York Early Music Festival programme.

• The finalists must be prepared to work with the NCEM and its partners to raise the profile for this Award. This will include consent to be photographed and filmed during the process and to supply information for press materials and conduct radio and television interviews if requested. The publicity materials gathered will be used by the NCEM and its partners on their websites and in general publicity material. It is understood that the NCEM and its partners – ie The Tallis Scholars and BBC Radio 3 - have the right to perform, record and broadcast the winning piece(s) subject to the usual Performing Rights contractual arrangements.

The concept behind these Awards was generated by The Tallis Scholars. It is recommended that all interested candidates visit a local Cathedral or large Parish church to explore the acoustics of the building – ideally attending a concert/service to hear how voices sound in the building - and listen to recordings of The Tallis Scholars singing Renaissance music. Application forms can be accessed via the National Centre for Early Music web site www.ncem.co.uk or via the BBC Radio 3 web site www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/earlymusicshow

These terms and conditions have been drawn up with reference to the BBC’s code of conduct.
The Organisers reserve the right to alter or amend any of these rules or cancel the awards if necessary.

Your one-stop shop for music support during the Spring break. The course includes workshops in performance practise, composition, ensemble, listening & history, as well as giving you an insight into higher education - RCM style! Run by professional workshop leaders and supported by current RCM students this will be an exciting and engaging course for any teenage music-lover. Accommodation available on request at an extra cost.

For only £5 participants of the Sunday 19 April RCM Sparks Sunday Session can be part of this unique and exciting cinematic experience live at the Royal Albert Hall including a special opportunity to meet the musicians.

The Royal Albert Hall and London Philharmonic Orchestra are delighted to present the UK premiere of The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring with Howard Shore’s Academy award-winning score performed live on stage by the original soundtrack orchestra and choirs.

If you like the The Simpsons theme tune or the film music from Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings why not have a go at creating some of your own music for screen?

Don't miss the connected event on Wednesday 15 April! Please see separate listing.

For more information see our website.