Composers' Academy

Philharmonia Orchestra, London, UK

The Composers‘ Academy is the Philharmonia’s highly successful composer training programme which, for many years, has seen three composers at the start of their careers engage in a season-long composition-writing, workshop and tutorial programme under the mentorship of celebrated composer Unsuk Chin, who is also the Artistic Director of the Philharmonia‘s contemporary music series Music of Today. The Academy is supported by the EvS Music Foundation. The Composers‘ Academy comprises the following, annually:

1. Commission: Each composer is commissioned to write a 10-minute work to be performed by an ensemble of Philharmonia musicians at Royal Festival Hall as part of the Orchestra‘s flagship 23 year-old Music of Today contemporary music series. From 2016 the performance will be recorded.
2. Workshop: A valuable opportunity for the composers to hear their works in progress, enabling the development of new ideas under the guidance of Unsuk Chin.
3. Instrumental Masterclasses: 3 section Principal players give in-depth guidance on contemporary writing styles and writing for their instruments.
4. Meetings, Mentoring and Training: Philharmonia players provide ongoing guidance, and the Director of Education facilitates training sessions with the Orchestra’s leadership team in order to develop their understanding of the broader business behind orchestral music-making.
5. Tutorials: Unsuk Chin delivers one-to-one and group tutorials to steer the composers technically and musically, and also to facilitate learning from each other.
6. Professional networking: Networking with Music of Today composers, attending a welcome lunch and series finale reception, and attending Music of Today and main subscription series rehearsals and concerts.

October 2016–June 2017
June, 22, 2017
Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall, London

Further Information:
www.philharmonia.co.uk