Getting past performance sticking points
The British choral scene has considered it has to play safe when devising concert programmes. Whilst selecting music from several hundred years of historic music alongside modern works by John Rutter, Carl Jenkins and Bob Chilcott, music by those composers living within their own locality are bypassed and overlooked. The reason given for this is often financial. 'If we programmed music by our local living (unknown) composers, audiences would be depleted'. This need not be the case. I have sung in concerts where youth and junior choirs have taken part. Parents come to the concerts, and there is standing room only for some audience members. Audiences love children, and will love adult choirs who share a platform with them. Has any choir ever thought of entitling a concert 'Music by your close neighbours'? That would get them thinking wouldn't it.
Music is about creative art and not just money
British choirs and orchestras who perform classical music have been hooked into finance as the centre of their thinking instead of thinking of their activities as the creation of art. The Arts Council, which these days is known as Arts Council England [or Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland], whilst wildly political these days, does fund creative groups across the country, thus making new work and work of considerable value financially viable. Choral societies and chamber choirs have always placed themselves outside of Arts funding because they only perform standard repertoire. If only they would engage with their local composers as creative artists, they could just put themselves in the loop for funding, and therefore programming new work by local composers would not be a financial risk.
A Change in the Climate [Cantata in 6 movements]
A Change in the Climate is a cantata scored for chorus, four soloists [SATB], strings and harp, and is awaiting a first performance by a willing choir. The string ensemble can be as small as one desk per part, and one double bass. The four soloists can be drawn from the choir, although they should be well trained, with a firm tone and a good range. The poem by Edward Storey tells of a time when the Fen country of East Anglia will return to its original watery state. People once lived from fishing the waters that lapped around the edges of the Fenland islands. During the civil war between England and Scotland, Scottish prisoners of war were brought to East Anglia to dig trenches that would become dykes, draining the water and creating a newly built peat surface. Successive generations of Scottish immigrants have come to work the land, and each has moved on to other occupations. One day, each immigrant will return to the place they came from, and the area will have come full circle. The returning waters will once again provide a source of income, and the islands will regain their original purpose, some of them having housed monastic communities. The Isle of Ely is particularly known for monasticism. The cathedral there is a potent reminder of those days when Christianity first reached the shores of Britain. I have added words from the Office of Compline to create an extra spiritual dimension. The final 'Glory be to the Father..' submits to the supernatural forces of nature that will see those waters returning.
Promoting Young Choral Conductors
The British choral world is the least imaginative and least willing to step outside its comfort zone regarding repertoire. Anything risky is quickly steered away from and avoided. I have found the same with choral conductors in certain quarters where it is considered 'safe' to let older men run choral workshops rather than younger women. I have come across an exciting and busy young conductor called Sarah Latto. She studied music at Sydney Sussex College, Cambridge, and has conducted rehearsals, workshops and concerts with any number of choral groups. She is imaginative, vibrant and exciting, conducting and promoting new choral music by unknown living composers. Any serious choral group would want to engage with her energy and vibrancy. She should be booked at least for a workshop. I will be reaching out to her to discuss a workshop based on living composers from Gloucestershire, Bristol, Worcestershire and Wiltshire. That will be an original and rare occasion in opening out the work of our living composers in the Severnside region.
Working with Musical Directors, not just conductors
I was once invited to conduct a small chamber choir that met in a village church the other side of Swindon. I was handed some music when two people came to my house. Once I got started with them, I was given an access code to an online conversation wall where we exchanged messages. I found a comment from the woman who claimed she ran the choir. She wrote that the conductor is not a Musical Director, just a conductor. An event soon came up and I was told what the programme was. I looked at it, juggled the order of programme, and was promptly told the programme order had nothing to do with me - that was decided by the woman and her friend. I was just the conductor! I promptly withdrew from that choir and never returned. The person who conducts a choir is the Musical Director, which means they use their expertise and knowledge to programme concerts, weddings, services etc, and decide the order.