Red Note

Sound festival 2020 - lunchtime concert
2020-10-22 12:00 - 13:00 (Europe/London)
Ruth Morley, flute, and Alistair MacDonald, Electronics, present five World Premieres of new works which have been developed by Scottish-based composers with the support of Alastair MacDonald as part of sound’s annual development opportunity.

Rylan Gleave UNSUNG II: Harbinger&Herald
Rūta Vitkauskaitė Gadulio
Georgina MacDonell Finlayson Silent Spring
Fiona Harrison Ocean Uproar for Amplified Flute & Tape
Amit Anand Vamanacharya Felt Presence

How to enjoy this event
This event will be broadcast via YouTube. To view please visit sound’s website or YouTube channel.
Following the performance, there will be a live Q&A with the musicians and composers. To ask the artists a question please register.

Donate
All of sound’s online events are free to watch. We ask you to please consider donating what you feel able to pay for the event. Your contribution will help to ensure they can continue to commission new works from composers and support musicians.
You can make a donation here.

Sound Festival 2020 - Th’first munth is th’wurst iv awl
2020-10-22 20:00 - 21:00
Isolation has a dramatic impact on individuals, but is this the end? Does their spark stop when an individual is taken away from their community?
Drawing upon prison letters from radical voices across the globe, Th’first munth is th’wurst iv awl (the first month is the worst of all) by Ben Lunn is a work for narrator and ensemble drawing individual struggle to the present day, and showing isolation does not weaken a person’s fervour or spirit, but we can continue to strive and fight and inspire those miles away from us.

Ben Lunn is an award winning composer who tries to draw upon his own political, spiritual, personal, and ideological worldview within his works which have been described as ‘evocative’ ‘obsessive’ and ‘otherworldly’.This work is narrated by playwright, producer and performer Tayo Aluko and performed by musicians from Red Note Ensemble.

Commissioned by sound
How to enjoy this event
This event will be broadcast via YouTube. To view please visit sound‘s website or YouTube channel. Following the performance, there will be a live Q&A with the the composer Ben Lunn. To ask Ben a question please register. You will then be able to post your question in the chat facility during the event.

Donate
All of sound festival online events are free to watch. We ask you to please consider donating what you feel able to pay for the event. Your contribution will help to ensure they can continue to commission new works from composers and support musicians.
You can make a donation here.

Call for Scores - Noisy Nights Hybrid (2nd Edition)
2020-11-26 17:00
To wrap up the year, Noisy Nights come back for another hybrid edition to be premiered online on our YouTube channel on Friday 18th December with these outstanding musicians:

Tom Hunter – Percussion,
Jackie Shave – Violin,
Robert Irvine – Cello.

Noisy Nights provide an outlet to hear emerging new musical ideas and voices in our new social distanced reality.
Call for Scores
If you are an emerging, student or amateur composer (age 18+), this call is for you.
We are looking for 5-min long scores for Marimba (4.3 octave)*, Violin and Cello. Submissions could be seasonally informed. Please note the scores should not include electronics or any pre-recorded parts and consider that concerts are rehearsed and performed in a short timeframe.
Full score and parts in pdf format to be submitted to Rocio Leza (admin@rednoteensemble.com) by 5pm (GMT) on Thursday 26 November. Late submissions will not be considered.
*Please see Tom Hunter- Guide to Writing for Marimba for some thoughts and advice.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this call with your friends and contacts.

Red Note is a PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner.

Noisy Nights Hybrid - 2nd Edition
2020-12-18 18:00 - 19:00
To wrap up the year, Noisy Nights come back for another hybrid edition with these outstanding musicians:

Tom Hunter – Marimba,
Greg Lawson – Violin,
Robert Irvine – Cello.

In this second Noisy Nights Hybrid we are showcasing the talent of emerging, amateur and student composers:

Colin Johnson Juxtapositions

Yaz Lancaster Firn
Florence Anna Maunders Khashab Mahtam
Dan Nolan Unstable Cycles
Gabriel Stenborg Persistensia

Tune in to the concert on our YouTube channel on Friday 18th December at 6PM and join us in waving goodbye to 2020 with some of the best new examples of contemporary classical music.

Share and engage on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #NoisyNights

If you enjoy this and are in a position to do so, we hope you will consider making a donation to Help Musicians’ Coronavirus Financial Hardship Fund: https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/support-our-work/make-a-donation Thank you!

Red Note is a PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner.

Living Wage Gift Guide 2020
2020-12-21 08:00 - 17:00
Red Note Ensemble is part of the Living Wage movement, committed to paying our staff a wage that meets the real costs of living.
This Christmas you can support Living Wage accredited employers across the UK. Give your loved ones the gift that keeps on giving this Christmas with the Living Wage Gift Guide!
Red Note offers you a selection of the best contemporary music to enjoy at home:
Eddie McGuire Entangled Fortunes
Kuljit Bhamra Reels to Ragas
John McLeod Moments in Time
The Cellist of Sarajevo: Chamber Music by David Wilde
Lyell Cresswell Music For String Quartet
Each CD £10 plus postage costs – email admin@rednoteensemble.com with the subject “Living Wage Gift CD” detailing your order* and the delivery address (UK only), we will get back to you with PayPal payment details.
*Last orders accepted on the 21st December 5pm (GMT).

Digital Engagement Survey
2020-12-31
Since lockdown began we have embarked in an exciting digital journey, with Digital Noisy Nights and Fridays@3, which has enabled us to stay connected with our new music community at home and abroad, and even welcome new members!
We’d love to know more about your experience and your engagement with our digital content, to help us plan our way forward.
Please send us your feedback by filling in this very short survey – it only takes 5 minutes.
Thank you very much for your time.

We Are Hiring: Creative Music Maker - NOW CLOSED
2021-02-08
Red Note Ensemble is looking for a musician at an early stage of their career to join us for a fixed-term one-year, mentored role. We’re seeking someone who is a little bit obsessed about creating new music themselves, and making music with other people, to work with us on a variety of performance and community projects.
We recognise that many people haven’t been able to take up opportunities to pursue a career in creating music due to financial pressures of coming from a lower socio-economic background. For this reason, this post is designed to support the career progression of someone who has faced barriers because of their socio-economic background.
We are looking for someone who has:

2-5 years’ experience since leaving school. This may have been on e.g. an education/training course, a job, a caring or voluntary role. It doesn’t matter whether this was or wasn’t directly connected to music
Shown sustained commitment to generating their own new music
Some experience of working with music with community groups, but may have had no formal training

Contract type: Fixed term contract, 12 month contract
Hours: Part time, 21 hours per week. flexible working
Holidays: 12 days plus 5 days public holidays per annum (this equals 20 days plus 8 holidays per annum full time equivalent)
Salary: £12,600 (£21,000 per annum full time equivalent) plus 5% pension
Start Date: Monday, 29th March 2021
Location: Office based in Summerhall, Edinburgh (remote working possible) and in Methil and Easterhouse (Glasgow), travel paid
Relocation: A contribution towards relocation up to £250 is available if required
Key Dates:
Deadline for application: Monday 8th February 2021, 12 noon
Notification of interviews: Friday 19th February 2021
Interviews: Thursday 25th February 2021
Selection workshops: Between the 8th and 19th March 2021
Start date: Monday 29th March 2021
How to apply
Download the job pack and the FAQ document for full information on how to apply.
The closing date for applications is Monday 8th February 2021, 12 noon.
Contact Us
Before you make an application there is an opportunity to attend a webinar to learn more about the position, what we are looking for from the successful applicant, and discuss any questions you may have. To sign up please click on the date that suits you best:

Thursday 21st January at 10:30am
Wednesday 27th January at 3pm

If you have any additional questions not covered in the FAQ document, if you have technical difficulties or you have any access requirements that we can support you with in the application process, you can also arrange a time to speak with one of our team – Please fill in this form (CLICK HERE).

This Fellowship is supported by the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries 2020-22.

The Engaged Composer: Open Sessions
2021-04-28 - 2021-05-12
sound and Red Note Ensemble present 3 open zoom sessions for emerging composers interested in learning more about how to inspire and work effectively with community groups. In each session, two experienced composers/animators will talk about a project they have led, highlighting different key relevant skills, and exploring co-creation where relevant.
These will take place from 5-6.30pm on three Wednesdays: 28th April, 5th and 12th May.
These sessions are free and open to anyone who would like to take part.
To register, please click the link(s) below.

28th April: Judith Weir and Pippa Murphy

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApceqrrjIqHdwnYpm3u0ghe9Vt2W52SK9L

5th May: Brian Irvine and Paul Rissmann

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqde-vpjwuGtVpGnKmSchITJ_cUqO_8KPx

12th May: Gareth Williams and Pete Sparkes

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tf-ihqz4uH9P3lOXaSg9pRh_KQU0Lb8-H

This is part of sound’s soundcreators programme supported by PRSF talent development, Creative Scotland, Aberdeen City Council, Idlewild Trust, Hugh Fraser Foundation and Leche Trust.

Revisit Noisy Nights online
2021-04-30
Do you miss Noisy Nights?
While we prepare the next editions, you can still enjoy all 14 concerts on our YouTube channel showcasing over 50 composers of all ages from all over the world!
Discover some of the best examples of brand new music played from scratch from the homes of Red Note musicians and from the stunning Oran Mor:

Digital Noisy Nights – watch here
Noisy Nights Hybrid – watch here

Red Note at PLUG 2021
2021-05-03 - 2021-05-05 | Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom
PLUG is the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s festival of contemporary music, all about showcasing original compositions by the students. As Contemporary Ensemble in Residence, Red Note will be playing and recording new works by five student composers.
Unfortunately this year we are not able to share these with an audience, but we look forward to working with the RCS composers and conductors to bring them to life:
Erin Thomson
Callum Huseyin
Gabriel Stenborg
Evan Bailey
Ellie Cherry

Noisy Nights at sound - Call for Scores - NOW CLOSED
2021-05-21
On this occasion we have partnered with sound, following the success and learnings from the Neurotribes conference, to showcase the talent of neurodiverse composers, supporting greater inclusion in contemporary classical music.
We are hoping to share the selected works live streamed or with a social distanced audience at a concert in Aberdeen on Sunday 13th June.
Call for Scores
Are you an emerging or amateur neurodiverse composer (18+ years old) interested in writing for Red Note?
Then this call is for you.

Maximum length 5 minutes;
Instrumentation is Clarinet, Violin, Viola and Cello;
Only new works composed for this call;
Deadline 21st May (5PM – UK time)

Please note the scores should not include electronics or any pre-recorded parts, and take into account that concerts are rehearsed and performed in a short timeframe.
Full score and parts in PDF format to be submitted online via Google forms (click here) or via email to katja@rednoteensemble.com by 5pm (UK time) on Friday 21st May. Please include full name and contact in your submission email. Late submissions will not be accepted.
A maximum of 5 pieces will be selected by a panel of musicians and composers from Red Note and sound. All submissions will receive feedback from our panel if requested. Selected composers will be notified on the 31stMay and invited to join the rehearsals over zoom on the 9th June.
If you have any questions or access requirements, please contact Katja on katja@rednoteensemble.com. She will be your point of contact if you need help or advice.
Happy composing!
Red Note and sound are PRS Foundation Talent Development Partners.

Arts Administration Trainee - Easterhouse - NOW CLOSED
2021-05-23
We are looking for an Arts Administration trainee to support the administration and management of Red Note’s music-and-drama project A Child’s Guide to Anarchy (working title).
This is a part-time, 12-month trainee position for a member of the Easterhouse community to work with Red Note Ensemble to assist in the delivery of the project for the period June 2021 – May 2022.
Supported by the Red Note production team and using the appointee’s knowledge of their own community to support the project, this position will focus on the successful candidate working with Red Note Ensemble to deliver this community-based music-and-drama project, whilst receiving training and gaining valuable skills and experience in administering youth music activities.
Hours of work: 8 hours a week
Salary: £4,343 p.a. (£19,000 per year full time equivalent)
Period of contract: 12 months, starting between 22nd and 28th June 2021 depending on availability
Key Dates:

DEADLINE EXTENDED for application: Sunday 23rd May 2021, 12 noon
Notification of interviews: Friday 28th May 2021
Interviews: Wednesday 2nd June and Thursday 3rd June 2021

How to apply
Download the JOB PACK and the FAQ document for full information on how to apply.
Access to the online form link for your application can be found HERE.
Please CLICK HERE to download the monitoring form. Once completed, please send it by email to admin@rednoteensemble.com
Support with making your application
Before you make an application there is also an opportunity to attend a webinar with John Harris (Chief Executive) and Louise Martin (Director of Access, Engagement and Participation) to learn more about the position, what we are looking for from the successful applicant, and discuss any questions you may have.
To sign up please click on the date that suits you best:

Wednesday 5th May 2021 from 15.30-16.30pm
Thursday 13th May 2021 from 10.30-11.30pm

If you have any additional questions not covered in the FAQ document, if you have technical difficulties or you have any access requirements that we can support you with in the application process, you can arrange a time to speak with one of our team who is not involved in the recruitment process. Please fill in this form (CLICK HERE) with your name, email, phone number, indicate what you would like to talk about and select a suitable time on the days indicated.

Leverhulme Conducting Workshops - May 2021
2021-05-24 - 2021-05-28 | Maryhill Burgh Halls, 10-24 Gairbraid Avenue, Glasgow, G20 8YE
Red Note players will be working with students and Leverhulme Fellows from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as part of our work as Contemporary Ensemble-in-Residence.
Arnold Schönberg, Pierrot Lunaire
John Adams, Shaker Loops

NOW CLOSED: Administration and Communication Coordinator
2021-05-28
The Arts Administration and Communication Coordinator role sits at the heart of the organisation and requires a positive attitude towards problem-solving and great attention to detail. Red Note is a small, hard-working team and we are looking for someone with a warm and supportive personality who has the initiative to work independently, is well-focused and has the energy to adapt to new situations.
The role offers insight into key areas of a cultural organisation and will give the post holder opportunities to learn and develop skills and gain experience in areas they are not yet familiar with.
Ideally the successful candidate has some experience in one or several of the key responsibilities. Relevant training will be offered alongside the full support and assistance of the Red Note team, although candidates who show initiative and pro-activity will be preferred.
Hours of work: 26 hours a week
Salary: £15,000 p.a. (£20,000 per year full time equivalent)
Period of contract: 12 months, starting between 2nd and 16th July 2021 depending on availability
Key Dates:

Deadline for application: Friday 28th May 2021, 12 noon
Notification of interviews: Thursday 10th June 2021
Interviews: Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th June 2021

How to apply
Download the JOB PACK and the FAQ document for full information on how to apply.

Red Note with Richard Watkins - Sound Festival
2021-06-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Queen’s Cross Church, Albyn Pl, Aberdeen, AB10 1YN, United Kingdom
As part of sound‘s programme showcasing endangered instruments, we are joined by Richard Watkins, former Principal Horn of the Philharmonia Orchestra, for the premiere of a reworking of Philip Cashian’s Scenes from the Life of Viscount Medardo.Viscount Medardo of Terralba is a character in Italo Calvino’s short story The Cloven Viscount. After being split in two by a canon ball in battle with the Turks, the left half and the right half of the Viscount (a good half and a badhalf) each separately return home to Italy, falling in love with the same girl and eventually having a sword fight on horseback to decide who shall marry her.

The programme also features a new work by Rylan Gleave UNSUNG II; even from a loved one, the second work in a collection of works exploring the same material surrounding, on some level, voicelessness.

Aileen Sweeney’s new work Feda explores the symbolic and important role trees played in Irish and Scottish Celtic culture and traditions as “sustainers of life,” offering food, medicine, warmth and housing as well as forming connections to the spiritual worlds.

Click here to book your tickets now! Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance.

Philip Cashian Scenes from the Life of Viscount Medardo (UK Premiere)
Aileen Sweeney Feda* (World Premiere)
Rylan Gleave UNSUNG II; even from a loved one* (World Premiere)

Red Note Ensemble
Richard Watkins Horn
Geoffrey Paterson Conductor

*Co-commissioned by sound and Red Note Ensemble

Noisy Nights at Sound
2021-06-13 16:00 - 17:00 | Queen’s Cross Church, Albyn Pl, Aberdeen, AB10 1YN, United Kingdom
Noisy Nights is back! We are excited to play together again with these outstanding musicians:

Maximiliano Martin – Clarinet,
Tony Moffat – Violin,
Jessica Beeston – Viola,
Robert Irvine – Cello.

On this occasion we have partnered with sound, following the success and learnings from the Neurotribes conference, to showcase the talent of neurodiverse composers, supporting greater inclusion in contemporary classical music.
Click here to book your tickets now! Tickets are limited and must be purchased in advance.
Following our call for scores, we are looking forward to presenting 5 new compositions alongside Hason Hodgson:
Jason Hodgson Dimensional Shift (Rubic Cubes)
Joe Stollery Seely Circles
Siôn Parkinson Phantosmia
Sera Wright Sunflowers
Zoe Cutler ✨🌟 👉The👈 ⚠️Contemporary⚠️ 🐝Music🐝 🍋Lick🍋 🌟✨
Rylan Gleave cold with him

Red Note Ensemble
John Harris Conductor
Red Note and sound are PRS Foundation Talent Development Partners.

Development Opportunity for Scotland-Based Composers
2021-07-18
This development opportunity for Scotland-based composers is organised in partnership with us at Red Note and is part of soundcreators programme, which focuses on nurturing creative talent. soundcreators is funded by Creative Scotland, Help Musicians UK and the PRS for Music Foundation as well as by Idlewild Trust, the Hugh Fraser Foundation, the Leche Trust and Aberdeen City Council.
sound is a new music incubator based in North East Scotland, initially set up to give local audiences access to new music. It is now renowned in and beyond Scotland for producing and promoting high-quality work, for its support to composers of all generations and for attracting new audiences through its varied programming and inclusive nature.
Five composers will have the opportunity to develop works of around 5 minutes for double bass and marimba working alongside Iain Crawford (double bass) and Tom Hunter (marimba) from Red Note and composer mentor (tbc). The new works will be performed during the 2021 soundfestival.

Draft schedule:
Session 1: Introduction to double bass and marimba, 12 August 2021
Where: Zoom
This first session will primarily be an introduction to writing for double bass and marimba, and will be led by Iain Crawford, Tom Hunter and composer mentor (tbc)
Session 2, late-August 2021 tbc
Where: Zoom
1-to-1 mentoring sessions with composer mentor (tbc) and musicians. The composers will submit short (approximately 30 second sketches) in advance.
Following this, the composers will work up full pieces for the third session.
Session 3, 12 September 2021
Where: tbc (Central Belt)
The composers will work alongside two musicians from Red Note Ensemble to develop new works. It is expected that composers will bring work in progress with them. The session will last a whole day.
The composers will then have until mid-October to make any last adjustments.
Rehearsal, mid-October (date tbc)
Where: tbc (Central Belt)
The pieces will be rehearsed with the composers in attendance.
Performance, end of October (date tbc)
Where: Aberdeen
A performance of the new works as part of the 2021 soundfestival. There will also be a rehearsal prior to the performance.

Candidates:
The five successful candidates will be talented composers resident in Scotland. They can be at any stage in their career, however they should be able to demonstrate a number of years of compositional experience, and must be able to articulate their development needs and how the opportunity would benefit them.
Please note that we are committed to working with and supporting composers with additional support needs. Composers from under-represented groups and especially composers with disability are encouraged to apply.

Financial support for the opportunity is limited to related expenses for travel/accommodation. There will also be a small commission fee of £200 per composer for a delivered piece to be performed at soundfestival.

How to apply
To apply for the opportunity please fill out a digital form HERE.
Deadline for applications: 18th July 2021

If further information is required, please contact admin@sound-scotland.co.uk
We will inform you whether you are successful or not by the 28th July 2021.

Selection process
As mentioned above sound is committed to working with and supporting composers from under-represented sections of the population. To enable this, there is a two-stage application process: an initial selection is made, and then this is narrowed down in a second stage selection process. If you are a female, disabled and/or BAME composer, you can self-select to be put forward automatically to the second round if you want. The selection panel will be made up of one of the musicians, composer mentor (tbc), a representative of sound (either a staff member or the Chair) and of Red Note.

Notes to composers applying
Selection for new music opportunities is inherently subjective and the criteria used can differ from project to project. We are frequently over-subscribed and often the quality of applications is extremely high from a wide range of composers, which usually means making difficult decisions.
Reasons for selecting one composer over another are not always to do with skill level or experience. We may, for example, be looking for the right fit for us as an organisation at a particular point in time e.g., we may be looking to develop specific strands or activity or genres of music.
For development opportunities that happen in a group setting, it may be that we need to take into consideration the coherence of that group e.g., we may prefer to have composers of a similar experience-level. We thus sometimes end up turning down composers with more experience or skills, or giving opportunities to composers who we feel would benefit most from a particular opportunity at that stage in their career, and faced with difficult choices we may sometimes turn down composers who may have already benefitted from a number of opportunities in the past.
We would however encourage composers to apply for any opportunities that interest them and for which they fit the specification, and not be discouraged if they are not selected for a particular opportunity, as it does not mean that they are not “good” enough. Please do continue to apply for any opportunity that interests you!

Red Note and sound are PRS Foundation Talent Development Partners.

NOW CLOSED - Arts Project Trainee Admin Assistant - Easterhouse
2021-07-30
We’re looking for a paid, part-time Arts Project Trainee Admin Assistant, to support the organising of Red Note’s community-based music project in Easterhouse, from Autumn 2021-early Summer 2022.
This is a part-time, 10–month trainee position for a member of the Easterhouse community to work with Red Note Ensemble to help with the delivery of a project within Easterhouse for the period September 2021 – June 2022.
Using their knowledge of their own community, admin skills and supported by the Red Note team, this position will focus on the successful candidate working with Red Note Ensemble to help organise a community-based music performance project, whilst receiving training and gaining valuable skills and experience in organising and administering youth music activities.

Hours of work: 8 hours a week (flexible)
Salary: £3,619 (equivalent to £19,000 per year full time)
Period of contract: 10 months, starting between *Monday 30th August and 9th September 2021 depending on availability

Key Dates:
Deadline for application: Friday 30th July 2021, 5pm
Notification of interviews: Tuesday 3rd August 2021
Interviews: Thursday 12th August and Friday 13th August 2021
Start date: early September 2021 depending on availability

How to apply
Download the JOB PACK and the FAQ document for full information on how to apply.
You can send your application in any one of these ways:

use the online form link (CLICK HERE )
email written answers to the questions below to: katja@rednoteensemble.com
email recorded answers (video or audio – this can be a dropbox or wetransfer link, max. 7mins long) to: katja@rednoteensemble.com

We have no preference and will only evaluate the content of each application, not its production.
Please CLICK HERE to download the monitoring form. Once completed it please send it by email to katja@rednoteensemble.com

Support with making your application
If you have any additional questions not covered in the FAQ document, if you have technical difficulties or you have any access requirements that we can support you with in the application process, you can arrange a time to speak with one of our team who is not involved in the recruitment process.
If you’re interested in the post but not sure if it’s for you/whether to apply – we’d love to hear from you! Drop an email katja@rednoteensemble.com with any queries; or ask to chat with one of us informally to find out more about the role, what we are looking for, and ask any questions you may have.

Summer Serenades at Cherry Road Resource Centre
2021-08-06
In a playful musical exploration of the ideas of ‘Near and far’, Red Note musicians will be bringing socially-distanced live solo performances to service users at one of our very favourite places, Cherry Road Resource Centre. They may end up improvising from the car park, playing jigs outside a window, or engaging in musical conversations and responses with their audience in the atrium. Pretty much anything musically beautiful, thoughtful, fun and amazing could happen here – and that’s how we like it!
Our musicians will be performing solo between 10am and 2pm on the 12th, 19th and 28th July and 6th August.
These sessions are for service users at Cherry Road Resource Centre.
12th July: Ruth Morely Flute
19th July: Rachel Spencer Violin
28th July: Jessica Beeston Viola
6th August: Ruth Morely Flute

In partnership with Artlink and Cherry Road Resource Centre.

Call for Applicants - The Engaged Composer Professional Development Opportunity
2021-08-16 08:00 - 2021-08-29 11:00
Following our recent online sessions showcasing examples of composers working in community settings, sound and Red Note are now launching The Engaged Composer Professional Development Opportunity for early career composers to devise, develop and deliver inspiring projects with community groups in a fully supported environment. We are looking for composers who are passionate about making and creating music with people and developing skills to facilitate, collaborate and work in different settings.
This six-month programme will consist of online sessions covering practical and administrative related topics, a practical weekend retreat, shadowing opportunities, delivery of your own project, mentoring and a reflective evaluation process. (See schedule below.) The sessions will be led by composers Brian Irvine, Pippa Murphy and Gareth Williams with members of the sound and Red Note management teams.
This opportunity is suitable for early career composers, or those in the latter stages of higher education specifically seeking to develop practical skills and experience in community settings. Participants must be able to commit to all the sessions up front and be in a position to devise and deliver a project of personal choice in their local community.
This development opportunity is free of charge and no fees will be paid. We can offer small travel bursaries to the in-person sessions. Places are limited with priority given to Scottish-based composers. If you are accepted on the programme from elsewhere in the UK, you may need to top up your travel expenses.
To apply to take part please complete the Application Form by 11pm on Sunday 29 August. Successful applicants will be notified by 3 September.
Please note that sound and Red Note are committed to work with and support composers from under-represented groups and encourage applications from composers from a wide range of backgrounds.
If you would like further information or to speak to someone about the opportunity, please contact Ellen Thomson at sound by email in the first instance: participate@sound-scotland.co.uk
The Engaged Composer structure and schedule
Thursday 16 September 2021, 2.5 hours, time tbc
Zoom session 1: Intro and embedding your own practise and compositional voice within community projects.
Thursday 30 September 2021, 2.5 hours, time tbc
Zoom 2: Planning, purpose, outcomes.
Thursday 7 October 2021, 2.5 hours, time tbc
Zoom 3: Animation.
Thursday 14 October 2021, 2.5 hours, time tbc
Zoom 4: Project management and budgeting.
Thursday 4 November 2021, 2.5 hours, time tbc
Zoom 5: Recording and documentation.
Saturday 20 – Sunday 21 November 2021
Develop your practical skills with fellow participants and our lead composers in a weekend retreat. Course times are to be confirmed along with the venue. It will be in Scotland and timings will work around public transport. (10am-4pm approx.)
December 2021 to March 2022
Personal project preparation and delivery with two mentoring sessions. We would like you to plan and deliver a small project in your local community as part of the opportunity. This can be with any group and in a location and duration of your own choice. These projects can be tailored to fit with personal, work and study commitments. We will ask for a brief indication of your project idea as part of the application process.

March 26 or 27 2022, tbc
Reflective evaluation session. Date, venue and time to be confirmed, but please save the dates.

Shadowing
Throughout the duration of the programme there is a chance to shadow existing sound and Red Note projects in the community led by composers. These include our New Music Makers project and soundfestival 2021 learning & participation events in Aberdeen. Full details will be sent to all successful programme participants to select projects that interest them and work with their existing commitments. Travel expenses will be covered.
Supported by Fenton Arts Trust and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Iconnotations - Made in Scotland Showcase
2021-08-25 18:00 - 2021-08-28 23:59 | Dancebase at ZooTV
Written in 1969 this is one of Peter Maxwell Davies’s classic works of concert-hall music theatre. An extraordinarily dramatic, multi-layered fusion of dance and music, its shape superimposes the 14 stations of the Cross on a series of 16th-century anatomical drawings by Vesalius, with a dancer and a solo cellist as the protagonists.
Scored for the classic Fires of London Sextet line-up this work is filled with unconventional percussion instruments, a honky-tonk piano, allusions to foxtrots, as well as medieval and renaissance music.
Iconnotations will be live-streamed from Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, as part of the Dancebase programme. The livestream is on Wednesday 25th August, 6pm (BST). It will then be available as a recording on demand from Thursday 26th August to Saturday 28th August, 11:59pm (BST). Both livestream and on demand will be streamed on ZOOTV.
Please note, there are two different tickets links for the live stream and on demand recordings. You can purchase tickets for the live stream HERE and for on demand HERE.
Peter Maxwell Davies Vesalii Icones

Red Note Ensemble
Matthew Hawkins Choreographer / Dancer
Soraya Ham Dancer
Lionel Handy Cello
Geoffrey Paterson Conductor

Made in Scotland is a curated showcase of high quality performance from Scotland at the world’s largest arts festival, made possible by support from the Scottish Government’s Expo Fund. It is a partnership between the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the Federation of Scottish Theatre, the Scottish Music Centre and Creative Scotland.
Music courtesy of Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Limited.

Red Note at Lammermuir Festival 2021
2021-09-15 15:00 - 16:45 | The Brunton, The Brunton, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, EH21 6AA, United Kingdom
Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society composition award, Tanz/Haus is a tour de force from Scottish composer James Dillon. Its ravishing, extravagant sound world finds a gentler, quieter companion in Tansy Davies’s Soul Canoe. Red Note’s intrepid and brilliant musicians are, as ever, the ideal guides to this fascinating music.

”James Dillon’s Tanz/Haus is a brilliant piece of music; its construction solid, its expression human, with a breathtaking and shimmering orchestration” The Wire

Tansy Davies Soul Canoe
James Dillon Tanz/Haus: triptych 2017

Red Note Ensemble
Conductor Johnathan Berman

Red Note Sessions in Perth - James Dillon's EMBLEMATA: Carnival
2021-09-24 19:30 - 20:30 | Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, Scotland, PH1 5HZ, United Kingdom
Red Note’s players have spent the past 3 days together recording two commissions by foremost Scottish composer James Dillon for Delphian Records, and we will share with you the latest – EMBLEMATA: Carnival – talking about the music and the inspirations behind it, and the challenges and delights of performing new music of such extraordinary complexity and beauty. Expect insight, virtuosity, and good company as Red Note take you into James Dillon’s astonishing, unique sound world.

James Dillon EMBLEMATA: Carnival

Red Note Ensemble
Ruth Morley, flute
William White, clarinet
Tom Hunter, percussion
Simon Smith, piano
Jackie Shave, violin
Robert Irvine, cello

Conductor Geoffrey Paterson

GO COMPOSE! 2021
2021-10-06
Spend some time developing your skills in composition with the help of professional composers Karen Power and Joe Duddell who will guide you through the process of writing a piece of music from start to finish. You will write a piece for the alto flute, marimba and double bass and it will be played by professional musicians from Red Note.
There are 10 places on the course and priority will be given to young people based in the north east of Scotland where sound is based. To take part you will need a laptop or computer with music writing software and decent internet connection for the Zoom workshops.
*sound have laptops with Sibelius software we can loan participants based locally for the duration of the course. Please indicate on your application if you require this and we will contact you about collection and drop off.
Timetable
This is an approximate course timetable – full details will be given upon registration.
Sun 17 Oct | 2 – 8pm | Station House Media Unit
Mon 18 Oct | 10am – 5pm | Station House Media Unit
Tue 19 Oct | 10am – 5pm | The Anatomy Rooms with sharing session at 5pm
To apply for a place on Go Compose please complete the online registration form here (cost £60).
The deadline for applying is WEDNESDAY 6 OCTOBER.
If you need any further information please contact Ellen by emailing: participate@sound-scotland.co.uk
Supported by Aberdeen Endowments Trust, David and June Gordon Memorial Trust, Gannochy Trust, Hugh Fraser Foundation, The Witherby Publishing Group Charitable Trust and EIS Education Committee.
*Go Compose! is a collaboration between sound and Red Note.

Go Compose! Sharing Session at Soundfestival 2021
2021-10-19 17:00 - 18:00 | Anatomy Rooms, Shoe Lane, Aberdeen, AB10 1AL
Having spent time developing their skills in composition with the help of professional composers Karen Power and Joe Duddell, these young composers have been guided through the process of writing a piece of music from start to finish for the alto flute, percussion and double bass. At the end of this course, Red Note and sound present a showcase of their works.
Red Note Ensemble
Ruth Morley, alto flute
Tom Hunter, percussion
Iain Crawford, double bass
Supported by Aberdeen Endowments Trust, David and June Gordon Memorial Trust, Gannochy Trust, Hugh Fraser Foundation, The Witherby Publishing Group Charitable Trust and EIS Education Committee.
*Go Compose! is a collaboration between sound and Red Note.

Red Note at soundfestival 2021
2021-10-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Queen’s Cross Church, Albyn Pl, Aberdeen, AB10 1YN, United Kingdom
In partnership with sound, Red Note perform 3 premiers at soundfestival 2021.
Ailie Robertson’s Unfurl forms a continuation of her PhD studies into microtonality and the harp, taking inspiration from Erv Wilson’s 1965 organisation of the overtone series as a logarithmic spiral. The piece is anti-narrative and anti-developmental in form, simply housing the tonal material, which consists of the first 80 partials of the overtone series. Expressivity comes from the simple aligning of tones, one to another, as the harmonic space progressively expands towards the fundamental.
In addition to this is Edwin Hillier’s new work 37 Otago Street. The ‘ghost sign’ at 37 Otago Street became a familiar sight on Hillier’s daily lockdown walk through Glasgow. Revisiting this image with routine, almost ritual, he became fascinated by its complexity and changeability: its disparate elements enhanced, recoloured, embroidered by the light, affected by the time of day and year. When captured on camera, zoomed in and examined – a method famously employed on the streets of Chicago by ‘abstract expressionist photographer’ Aaron Siskind in the 1950s – the sign betrays an intricate and heavily textured inner world. Inspired by Hillier’s daily encounters with the street mural, 37 Otago Street offers several perspectives on what becomes a familiar, even nostalgic, timbral palette. Glimpses of ghostly lettering and flecks of crimson-hued paint emerge in the fragile ensemble textures and concrete sonorities of the auxiliary instruments. Shifting from foreground to background, fractured musical images are interwoven and drawn into focus as we pass them by.
Finally, Luke Styles presents his trio Five Phase Sphere. The trio presents 5 phases of music for this specific combination of instruments. The resonance of these 3 instruments together, their low frequencies and their combined musical potentials are all stimuli for each phase. Across each phase are musical links, but together, as five points of music they form a sphere of material, in the composer’s imagination
Ailie Robertson Unfurl (World Premiere)*
Edwin Hillier 37 Otago Street (World Premiere)**
Luke Styles Five Phase Sphere (World Premiere)***
Red Note Ensemble
Ruth Morley, flute
Will White, clarinet
Daniel Pioro, violin
Tom Hankey, viola
Robert Irvine, cello
Iain Crawford, double bass
Ailie Robertson Harp
William Cole Conductor
* Co-commissioned by sound, Red Note Ensemble and hcmf//
** Co-commissioned by sound and Red Note Ensemble
*** Co-commissioned by sound, hcmf//, Red Note Ensemble and Ask Duets

Five Composers Selected for Development Sessions at sound festival 2021
2021-10-23 | Cowdray Hall – Aberdeen Art Gallery, Schoolhill, Aberdeen, AB10 1FQ, United Kingdom
We are delighted to announce that five Scotland-based composers have been selected to participate in a development opportunity where they will work alongside Iain Crawford (double bass) and Tom Hunter (marimba) from Red Note and a composer mentor to develop new works to be performed at this year’s soundfestival!

The composers are Ellie Cherry, Erin Thomson, Finn Patrick McLean, Ollie Hawker and Siobhan Dyson. Find out more about each composer HERE.

soundfestival will take place in Aberdeen between 19-24 October and the programme includes a focus on the double bass as part of sound’s ‘endangered instruments’ series.
This development opportunity is part of the soundcreators programme which focuses on nurturing creative talent, and is organised in partnership with sound and Red Note.

Red Note and sound are PRS Foundation Talent Development Partners.

'New Normal' Workshops with Soundstreams
2021-11-03 - 2021-11-11
Set to premiere in 2022, New Normal is a collaboration between Soundstreams and Red Note Ensemble. A composer from each organization, Northern Irish composer Brian Irvine and Ukrainian-Canadian composer Anna Pidgorna, will work with the other’s ensemble, creating interleaved works which loosely interact with one another through a series of episodes weaved together through shared, but misinterpreted, objects and ideas. It will be a whimsical exploration of social isolation and strange world events which have occurred during the time of global pandemic.
This November, Pidgorna joins Red Note Ensemble in workshops to develop material for New Normal. This work-in-progress imagines a group of highly interdependent and immensely curious aliens exploring the English language and the empty streets of a suburban town under lockdown. Wer hoomun?
Please note, these workshops are not a public performance.
Anna Pidgorna is a Ukrainian-Canadian composer, vocalist and multi-media artist who combines sound, visual arts, writing and carpentry to create works that are dramatic and picturesque. She works extensively with Ukrainian folk singing, draws inspiration from the natural soundscape, and incorporates visual elements into some of her manuscripts. Her work has been commissioned, performed and recorded by soloists and ensembles in Canada, USA, Uruguay, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Greece, Poland, Ukraine and South Korea. She holds a PhD from Princeton University, an MMus from the University of Calgary, and a BA from Mount Allison University. She lives on the traditional and unceded territory of the Qayqayt First Nation in New Westminster, BC.
Soundstreams is one of the world’s leading contemporary music companies, and the largest global presenter of new Canadian music. Founder and Artistic Director Lawrence Cherney is committed to showcasing the work of Canadian and international composers, and has commissioned over 170 new works, and programmed hundreds of unique and compelling concerts including chamber music events, multi-choir spectaculars, operas, music-theatre works, and seven highly successful international festivals.
Red Note Ensemble
Ruth Morley, flute
William White, clarinet
Colin Scobie, violin
Robert Irvine, cello
Tom Hunter, percussion
Jessica Leary Soprano
Emma Morwood Soprano
Laura Margaret Smith Mezzo Soprano
Ian Shaw Répétiteur
New Normal is a co-production with Soundstreams.

sub mari.
2021-11-04 20:00 - 21:00 | Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, Scotland, PH1 5HZ, United Kingdom
As the COP26 summit takes place in Glasgow, Red Note’s latest commission brings together a collaborative multi-media commission by Chilean composer / double-bassist Manuel Figueroa-Bolvarán and Red Note’s Weston-Jerwood Creative Fellow, Scottish-based Martina Corsini, that highlights the contrasting scarcity and abundance of water in Chile and Scotland.
Chile has a very severe water scarcity, exacerbated by land-management practices due to the production of food (including avocados) for export. This, contrasting with a potentially dangerous water abundance here in Scotland, allows the composers to explore the character of water in both places in relation to the environmental crisis, and has inspired them to create a new multi-media artistic work that is both powerful and direct, with a clear message for us all.
Manuel Figueroa-Bolvarán has developed an extensive and multifaceted career focused on performance, composing and arts education. He has been recognized as a cultural ambassador in Chile and abroad, traveling across the Americas and over 20 countries. As composer, Manuel had written music for radio dramas, stage plays, short films and cinema adaptations. He has also premiered music for orchestra, including solo concertos, ballet and opera. Manuel is constantly working across many fields, from digital design to orchestral conducting; from classical to rock music. As a crossover artist, Manuel has performed across the Americas and Europe, recorded for several artists in Latin America and Europe, including Latin Grammys awarded albums and in collaboration with performing arts from different fields.
Martina Corsini joined the team as Creative Music Maker for a year-long Fellowship thanks to the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries. From a young age Martina developed her passion for music, studying piano, singing, playing the guitar and the cajon. In her teenage years, she formed an acoustic duo with the guitarist Joshua De Loa and played in multiple venues such as Auditorium Parco della Musica for the community project ‘Play Music Stop Violence’. In Scotland, Martina studied at UWS, completing a Degree in Commercial Music and Masters in Songwriting. During this time she developed her knowledge in the music industry, working as tour manager for the Eurogig and as director, project manager and tour manager for Keep Music aLive – an experience for young bands across Europe.
Please note, this event is for our Perth concert ONLY. For our Glasgow concert, click here.
Martina Corsini and Manuel Figueroa-Bolvaran sub mari.
Red Note Ensemble
Ruth Morley, flute
Joanna Nicholson, clarinet
Tom Hunter, percussion
Malcolm MacFarlane, electric guitar
Emil Chakalov, violin 1
Tom Hankey, violin 2
Fiona Winning, viola
Robert Irvine, cello
Iain Crawford, double bass
Herminda Quintraleo Voice
Coro Allegro (directed by Francisco Espinoza) Chilean Choir
Levenmouth Academy Choir (directed by Alison Fleming) Scottish Youth Choir
Cristian Andres Tapia Aracena Film Producer

sub mari.
2021-11-08 18:00 - 18:45 | Wellington Church, 77 Southpark Ave, Glasgow, G12 8LE, United Kingdom
As the COP26 summit takes place in Glasgow, Red Note’s latest commission brings together a collaborative multi-media commission by Chilean composer / double-bassist Manuel Figueroa-Bolvarán and Red Note’s Weston-Jerwood Creative Fellow, Scottish-based Martina Corsini, that highlights the contrasting scarcity and abundance of water in Chile and Scotland.
Chile has a very severe water scarcity, exacerbated by land-management practices due to the production of food (including avocados) for export. This, contrasting with a potentially dangerous water abundance here in Scotland, allows the composers to explore the character of water in both places in relation to the environmental crisis, and has inspired them to create a new multi-media artistic work that is both powerful and direct, with a clear message for us all.
Please note, this event is for our Glasgow concert ONLY. For our Perth concert, click here.

Manuel Figueroa-Bolvarán has developed an extensive and multifaceted career focused on performance, composing and arts education. He has been recognized as a cultural ambassador in Chile and abroad, traveling across the Americas and over 20 countries. As composer, Manuel had written music for radio dramas, stage plays, short films and cinema adaptations. He has also premiered music for orchestra, including solo concertos, ballet and opera. Manuel is constantly working across many fields, from digital design to orchestral conducting; from classical to rock music. As a crossover artist, Manuel has performed across the Americas and Europe, recorded for several artists in Latin America and Europe, including Latin Grammys awarded albums and in collaboration with performing arts from different fields.
Martina Corsini joined the team as Creative Music Maker for a year-long Fellowship thanks to the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries. From a young age Martina developed her passion for music, studying piano, singing, playing the guitar and the cajon. In her teenage years, she formed an acoustic duo with the guitarist Joshua De Loa and played in multiple venues such as Auditorium Parco della Musica for the community project ‘Play Music Stop Violence’. In Scotland, Martina studied at UWS, completing a Degree in Commercial Music and Masters in Songwriting. During this time she developed her knowledge in the music industry, working as tour manager for the Eurogig and as director, project manager and tour manager for Keep Music aLive – an experience for young bands across Europe.
Martina Corsini and Manuel Figueroa-Bolvaran sub mari.
Red Note Ensemble
Ruth Morley, flute
Joanna Nicholson, clarinet
Tom Hunter, percussion
Malcolm MacFarlane, electric guitar
Emil Chakalov, violin 1
Tom Hankey, violin 2
Fiona Winning, viola
Robert Irvine, cello
Iain Crawford, double bass
Herminda Quintraleo Voice
Coro Allegro (directed by Francisco Espinoza) Chilean Choir
Levenmouth Academy Choir (directed by Alison Fleming) Scottish Youth Choir
Cristian Andres Tapia Aracena Film Producer
Presented in collaboration with Music in the University and The Dear Green Bothy, a collaborative cultural programme from the University of Glasgow’s College of Arts, showcasing creative and critical responses to climate emergency.
Post concert: We would really appericate your feedback from our concert. As part of The Dear Green Bothy, please fill out this evaluation form here.
