Music Journal July/August 2021

#ISMFuture

July/August 2021 Building for the future digital conference report Meet the ISM’s latest Distinguished Musician, Errollyn Wallen Back to work? The stop-start return of live music

AUTUMN CONFERENCE Sunday 31 October, St Paul’s Girls’ School, London, 10am-5pm

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021

Welcome

Above: Deborah Annetts Photo: Mark Thompson

Front Cover Contributors to Building for the future See feature on page 8 Insert images: Errollyn Wallen Photo: Martin Godwin See feature on pages 14 Musicians at the launch of Edinburgh International festival Photo: Ryan Buchanan

It is hard to believe that the UK has been in some form of lockdown since March of last year. Much of the ISM staff team continues to work from home but we are hopeful that there will soon be a lifting of the remaining restrictions so that we can be more office based. We know that in some parts of the music sector recovery is still not really underway and many of the issues which we have been campaigning on for some time have still not been resolved – such as a government-backed insurance scheme to support the return to live performance and the reduction of financial risk due to cancellation. And, of course, there is uncertainty in England about what a catch-up plan might look like for our schools and what this might mean for music and the rest of the arts. Read more about the performers who have started to return to work on page 22.

Since my last editorial very little progress has been made in connection with resolving the many issues which have arisen because of Brexit. The core challenges remain – how do musicians and their instruments and equipment get across the channel and tour in Europe? At the moment many of the problems are being masked by COVID-19. Musicians simply cannot tour at the present time because of quarantine restrictions. So we have urged the government to take this opportunity to adopt the solutions which have been mapped out by the music sector namely the visa waiver agreement and starting bilateral talks with key member states in respect of work permits.

The whole of the creative industry backs this approach – it is not just music that is affected. See what you can do to play your part in persuading the government to take action on page 4.

This issue of Music Journal also covers the presentation of the Distinguished Musician Award to Errollyn Wallen by our former President, Professor Chris Collins, on 24 May; and you can read more about the presentation on page 14.

Around the same time, the ISM presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Professor Keith Swanwick. This award is not a regular occurrence, and we are delighted to honour the brilliant work of Professor Swanwick in the field of music education; please see our next issue for our feature on Professor Swanwick.

If you did not get a chance to attend Building for the future, catch up with this exciting ISM online conference, which started with Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE in conversation with Toks Dada, and then explored everything from Brexit to making the most of digital, and attracted close on 500 participants.

You can read more about our event on page 8. We were delighted by the very positive feedback for the event and are planning more digital events as we go forward.

Contents 4 8 12 14 18 22 27 28 30 33 34 40

News & campaigns Building for the future Livestreaming performances: Research results ISM Distinguished Musician 2020: Errollyn Wallen BBC Young Musician 2020 Returning performances: Back to work?

Professional development Legal & business News from our members Classified advertising News from our corporate members Ask me a question

Volume 88 / Number 2 Published by: The Incorporated Society of Musicians 4–5 Inverness Mews, London W2 3JQ T: 020 7221 3499 E: membership@ism.org W: ism.org Incorporated Society of Musicians is a limited company registered in England No. 36882. Registered Office as address above.

Editor: Deborah Annetts Sub-editors: Vinota Karunasaagarar Clare Stevens Proofreader: Christine Gwyther-Scott All ISM publications are copyright

Design: cogdesign.com Typography: marcmarazzi.com Advertising: Ruth McPherson, Senior Partnerships & Marketing Manager T. 020 7313 9316 E. Ruth.McPherson@ism.org Editorial and advertising copy date: 28 July 2021 for September/October 2021 issue Price: £7 per copy Subscription: £35 per year ISM membership: almost 11,000 Views expressed in MJ are not necessarily those of the ISM. The publication of any advertisement does not imply endorsement of the advertiser or the product advertised.

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See feature on page 22

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS & CAMPAIGNS

News & campaigns The impact of Brexit on musicians Campaigning to raise awareness of how the Brexit Deal (or Trade and Cooperation Agreement) impacts our members remains a top priority for the ISM. Since the agreement came into force in January 2021, a mountain of costly red tape has prevented musicians from planning tours in Europe as performances return after coronavirus. Our objectives have focused on four core asks from the Government: • a bespoke Visa Waiver Agreement (VWA) with the EU for the creative sector

• bilateral agreements with European Union (EU) Member States on work permit exemptions • a plan for reducing the adverse impact of the new road haulage rules • an emergency compensation package We have gathered a huge amount of evidence to highlight the significant challenges facing the industry.

This includes two surveys, the first evidencing the impact of the new rules on music businesses and the second its impact on individual musicians. They found that 77% of performers expect their earnings in Europe to decrease, as a result of additional paperwork and

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS & CAMPAIGNS

fees, while 94% of businesses say the Brexit Deal has had a negative impact. In addition, we have accumulated numerous heartbreaking personal testimonies from musicians, which we published in our ‘Professionally paralysed’ report in partnership with the Musicians’ Union.

Read our business survey findings: ism.org/ images/files/The-impact-of-the-Brexit-Tradedeal-on-music-businesses.pdf Read our touring survey findings: ism.org/news/ survey-brexit-paperwork-nightmare We have sought to share these worrying findings at every opportunity. On 27 April, an open letter coordinated by the ISM called on the Prime Minister to deliver on the promise he made to the Parliamentary Liaison Committee on 24 March to fix the crisis facing the creative industry in the aftermath of the Brexit Trade Deal. The letter was signed by over 300 organisations from across the whole of the creative industry. Then in May, ISM Chief Executive Deborah Annetts spoke at many sector conferences, including the Independent Theatre Company, BECTU and Carry on Touring. Furthermore, we have continued to work with a broad coalition of parliamentarians, creating opportunities to advocate for solutions. This has led to roundtable meetings with civil servants and private meetings to make our case directly to the highest levels of Government.

For months, the Government has repeatedly told Parliament and the creative sector that a VWA would not be suitable because it would require the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to be renegotiated, as well as for other reasons. However, the ISM has published a detailed rebuttal briefing, based on legal advice from a leading QC, that directly contradicts their objections.

On 13 May, The Independent published an exclusive story based on the legal advice that the ISM received which revealed ‘major flaws’ in the Government’s opposition to visa-free touring after Brexit. While giving evidence, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden was questioned about this by MPs and has promised to write to the DCMS Select Committee with a full response to our points.

Read more: ism.org/news/ government-exposed-brexit-crisis

We are calling for the Prime Minister to implement solutions as an urgent priority before even more performers move to the EU or change career. Musicians are cultural ambassadors for the UK around the world.

They make an enormous contribution to the nation’s health, economy and global reputation, so the Prime Minister must deliver on his promise to fix this crisis.

In early June, Brexit Minister Lord Frost cancelled his appearance before the Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee (DCMS).

Together with the Musicians’ Union, we expressed our disappointment because his absence deprived MPs of a vital opportunity to find out what the UK Government is doing to make sure the music sector is not destroyed by Brexit. Our statement demanded that he schedule a new appearance soon to prevent further harm to the UK’s creative industries.

Read our statement at: ism.org/news/ mu-ism-disappointed-lord-frost

Do you receive our email updates?

We regularly email members with the latest news, advice and guidance that music professionals need to know. If you haven’t been receiving our updates, please let us know, as it may be that we have incorrect contact details for you, or that

you have unsubscribed to our mailing list in the past.

Make sure you are subscribed by contacting our membership team on 020 7221 3499 or membership@ism.org Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS & CAMPAIGNS

COVID-19 campaigning We are very aware of how challenging this period has been for our members, and the ISM’s priority has been to facilitate your safe return to work. We are continually calling on Government for further support measures to ensure the music sector can make a full and safe return. These include removing the obstacles to venues reopening, improving the viability of live performance and helping to ensure the sector continues to attract and retain talent.

As restrictions loosen, the nature of our campaigning has evolved. For example, in England, Scotland and Wales theatres and concert halls are now allowed to open for performances and large events, with restrictions on capacity. Obstacles still remain for venues to reopen and the failure of the commercial insurance market to offer suitable cancellation policies has meant that many live events, including festivals, have not been able to go ahead as planned. The ISM has played a leading role in campaigning for a government-backed insurance scheme, similar to the one created for TV and film. We also have called for the implementation of new tax relief measures to support our sector.

At the same time, the ISM also continues to support efforts to raise awareness about musicians excluded from receiving Government aid. We have worked with others in the sector, such as by signing a joint letter organised by the Excluded UK campaign. Finally, we have continued to fight for musicians’ rights in the face of poor working conditions. For example, in April the ISM wrote to Lamport Hall regarding their advertisement for unpaid opportunities for musicians.

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Read more about our COVID-19 campaigning and our policy asks: ism.org/campaigns/ coronavirus-campaigning As we move out of lockdown, we have promoted the interests of musicians in relation to COVID-19 guidance. Most recently, the ISM joined other leading organisations in responding to Government guidance that restricts the permitted number of amateur choir members rehearsing or performing together indoors in England to a maximum of six people. We are calling for singing to be brought in line with the guidance for other non-professional music activity and indoor organised sports activity, as was the case between August and December 2020.

Read our official response to the latest DCMS guidance: ism.org/news/guidance-wrongnote-singers We sympathise with the frustrations felt by everyone who had planned their return to singing. We are extremely concerned that amateur singing has been singled out by DCMS for such unreasonable and unworkable restrictions. It appears that choirs are being treated as simply a social pastime, rather than an organised activity overseen by a recognised body that is able to put effective safety protocols in place.

Use our template letter to write to your MP to ask them to call on DCMS to publish the scientific basis on which the latest guidance on indoor singing was announced.

Our letter also suggests that it be brought in line with the guidance for other non-professional activity indoors such as sport.

Access our template letter: ism.org/blog/ template-letter-government-guidance

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS & CAMPAIGNS

Championing music education across the four nations For the 2021-22 school year, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has proposed halving funding for ‘high cost’ subjects that are not considered a ‘strategic priority’. The budget for these subjects, including many creative subjects, would be cut from £36m to £19m in higher education establishments like universities and colleges.

It is our view that creative subjects make a huge contribution to the nation’s wealth, health and wellbeing. They are essential for the UK, not ‘low priority’ in education. We believe that the Government has a responsibility to protect the pipeline of future talent for the cultural industries by properly funding music and other creative subjects. After the challenges presented by the pandemic, music must be supported at all levels of education rather than abandoned.

Read a summary of our response to the Government consultation: ism.org/news/ ism-response-funding-education

The ISM can confirm that since our letter was sent, the Northern Ireland guidance has been updated and now says that individual and small group lessons with a minimum of two metres social distancing for brass, flute and saxophone can be ‘held in rooms that can be ventilated well’. It also says that ‘groups may have to be resized to fit into the teaching room and to maintain social distancing. Lessons for more than one pupil should not breach school “bubble” arrangements.

Write to your MP with our template letter calling for a halt to the funding cuts: ism.org/blog/ template-letter-funding-education

With reference to singing, the guidance now states one-to-one singing lessons may resume for all pupils with appropriate mitigations in place, but indoor Ahead of the Northern Ireland Executive formal review singing in groups is not permitted. Please ensure you read the guidance for further information about of the roadmap out of lockdown, ISM Chief Executive ‘appropriate mitigations’.

Deborah Annetts wrote to Education Minister, Peter Weir MLA (14 May) regarding the current rules for Stay up to date with the latest guidance singing and playing wind or brass instruments on for Northern Ireland: ism.org/advice/ school premises. ni-covid-19-measures We have asked for the Minister to clarify why this decision to halve the funding for creative subjects has been made, as a number of our members have expressed their fears about this directive.

Schools have worked incredibly hard to ensure that risk assessments are undertaken, and the appropriate safety measures are put in place throughout the COVID crisis. It is particularly concerning that the current rules will disadvantage or negatively affect pupils undertaking GCSE and GCE examinations where the performance element is worth around a third of the overall marks.

On Tuesday 25 May, the ISM hosted the first meeting for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education of 2021. MPs, peers and sector attendees heard from industry professionals and music education consultants including ISM Research Associate, Dr Jodie Underhill. The meeting was chaired by Lord Black and areas of discussion covered were the continued adverse impact of COVID-19 on music education in the UK, the Model Music Curriculum, music technology and decolonising music education.

Find out more about the meeting: ism.org/news/appg-music-education-meeting

Give the gift of ISM membership Do you know a music student or musician who would benefit from becoming an ISM member? Gift them an ISM membership to ensure they have the advice, protection and support they need throughout their music career.

ISM student membership is just £15, and for recent graduates or those with 10 or fewer years’ experience, ISM early career

membership is just £50. Full membership is £181 a year, or £171 by annual Direct Debit.

To order a gift membership, simply call 020 7221 3499, Monday – Friday, 9.30am – 5.30pm.

Find out more at ism.org/gift-membership

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

Building for the future The ISM community came together on 24 April for our second major digital event – a day of music, learning and discussion. Ruth McPherson feeds back from an informative and inspiring online gathering

Above: Ruth McPherson, ISM Senior Partnerships & Marketing Manager Photo: Emile Holba

See page 4 for more information on the impact of Brexit on musicians

‘Today’s conference was an absolute triumph, hitting the right note in every session…

I’ve been an ISM member for around 50 years and this conference was the best yet.’

Rosalyn Asher, ISM member

Clockwise from top left: Laura Bettinson; James Owen Lewis; Sharon Mark-Teggart; Ed Lyon, Photo: Gerard Collett

‘There’s an old adage that out of adversity comes strength,’ said ISM President Professor Chris Collins, in his opening words at ‘Building for the future’ (BFTF), the ISM’s free virtual conference at the end of April. And after a year dominated by the Wagnerian leitmotifs of COVID-19 and Brexit, our sector has certainly known adversity, possibly more than any other UK industry. This has undoubtably been one of the most challenging years for musicians since the ISM was formed 139 years ago. But we have also seen great examples of adaptability and innovation, and this event, with almost 450 attendees, was a wonderful show of solidarity. It celebrated the resilience of music professionals, while looking to the future to ensure that they are equipped with the skills they need to move forward with confidence.

However, as Collins wisely reminded us, ‘To know where we’re going, we need to know where we’ve been’, and a key focus of the day was reflection on and learnings from the events of the preceding 12 months.

This was particularly evident in the first panel session on ‘Working internationally post-Brexit’, chaired

by ISM CEO Deborah Annetts, which looked at the new complexities faced by artists travelling to and from the UK since our departure from the EU, including visas and work permits, carnets, the transportation of musical instruments, CITES, cabotage and healthcare.

Annetts gave an update on the ISM’s tireless lobbying of the government to fix the crisis facing the creative industries in the aftermath of the Brexit trade deal, and explained the support that the ISM has put in place to help touring musicians navigate the complex regulations more easily, such as our new visa and work permit advice service.

has been able to acquire a visa is tenor Ed Lyon, but it cost him around £1,200 and took seven weeks to get the paperwork. Annetts highlighted the importance of sharing these experiences, saying ‘the ISM needs personal stories from musicians that we can pass on to Government if we are going to make the touring situation for musicians any better’.

The picture from the music education sector was more positive, with our ‘Teaching music in a post-COVID world’ panel discussing how music teachers were initially thrown into uncertainty by the pandemic, but have adapted quickly to the ‘new normal’. Risk expert James Owen Lewis explained how it is much easier to implement controls now that we know more about the virus, and piano teacher Sharon Mark-Teggart said COVID has encouraged teachers to embrace technology, and that those who have been delivering remote lessons have actually developed better listening skills and multi-sensory learning strategies as a result.

The ISM’s Head of Legal John Robinson shared the results of our teaching, examining and accompanying fees survey 2021, which contained the good news that ‘hourly rates of pay fees have stayed the same or even slightly increased, despite the disruption caused by the pandemic’. As Robinson said, ‘the survey’s results show us the value that the public places on music and music teaching. There’s been so much creativity, energy and courage by music teachers over the pandemic, because of the belief they have in music and its power for transformation.’

Collaboration has also been key in a year when we’ve had to learn to adapt to the ‘changing challenges of the teaching and examining environment’ according Music director Ben Papworth described the to examiner Steph Power. She explained that the personal impact that Brexit has had on his work, downside of digital exams has been the lack of explaining that he used to be able to work in Barcelona humanity and interaction, but that they have also with 48 hours’ notice, but now he is unable to obtain a enabled greater social equality by opening them up Spanish visa despite multiple attempts. Soprano Anna and allowing more people to access them.

Patalong told us she is facing additional barriers as a working mother, as the visa costs of travelling with a baby and childcare don’t justify her taking on jobs in Europe any more. One of the rare musicians who Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

‘What a great day of panels and advice from the ISM today; everything to support musicians delete dealing with Brexit and COVID-19, but showing the resilience of the UK’s amazing musicians.’

Vick Bain, ISM member ‘Best thing about the day? Being able to mix (virtually) with our professional music colleagues and the whole team ... we don’t feel so alone. We feel supported.’

Helen Marcus, ISM member ‘Thank you for a brilliant day, I’ve really enjoyed this.’

Katie Beardsworth ‘You could just clock in to the sessions that interested you; the ease of joining was excellent.’

Michael Danes, ISM member

Left: Pauline Black Right: Magnus Mehta

See our next feature for a summary of Julia Haferkorn’s research into livestreaming performances

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Inclusion was a major thread running throughout the event. During his introduction, we heard that one of Collins’s priorities for his presidency had been ‘our important work in making the sector as inclusive as possible … and actively redressing the imbalances that make a musical career so much less feasible for some people than for others’. This was echoed by attendees, who said they were pleased to see that diversity was a key focus, with one commenting that they appreciated the ‘attention to inclusion at every level’.

thoughts on improving representation and celebrating diversity in the music sector. She advocated making the music scene more welcoming, programming more musicians of colour, and improving the auditioning process ‘to make it easier for orchestras to meet Chineke! musicians’. Dada summed up their discussion beautifully, saying ‘Diversity = excellence. We need it to be more fulfilled, to be more enriched. It’s not a “nice to have”, it’s a crucial part of the future.’

Our final future-focused session looked at ‘Incorporating online work into your portfolio career’, and featured a panel of performers, We enjoyed a hugely popular ‘in conversation’ composers and digital experts. We heard how COVID session with double bass player, founder of the had encouraged artists to connect with audiences in Chineke! Foundation, academic and broadcaster Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE, interviewed by the Southbank new and innovative ways, such as Concert Roulette, a jukebox comprised of over 200 high-definition Centre’s Head of Classical Music, Toks Dada. Their wide-ranging conversation explored Nwanoku’s career performance videos, devised by Alternative Classical development from performer to entrepreneur, and her co-founder Hannah Fiddy. Producer and DJ Laura

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

‘The quality and extent of the ISM’s professional activity over many years, and the way this has developed more recently, especially during both Brexit and the pandemic, has brought it into the public arena and made it into a potent force for good. Brilliant. Keep it up.’

Lesley Wilson, ISM member ‘A huge “well done” to all those involved in making such an interesting, informed and smoothrunning event. Great speakers, chairs and panels as well as varied delivery styles which made for a very enjoyable and informative day.’

Jean Carter, ISM member

Bettinson said that performing online at SXSW festival had been ‘a completely different experience to doing it live’, but that it had actually resulted in being exposed to a much bigger, more global audience than it would have done had the gig happened physically.

Several panellists felt that the ‘full stop’ imposed by the pandemic was a ‘great leveller’ and a ‘welcome pause’ from the often competitive and fast-paced nature of the music industry. It encouraged artists to think more creatively, but also highlighted complex issues around recording rights, monetisation and streaming. Even though at times the pandemic had been ‘a real uphill struggle’ for multi-instrumentalist Magnus Mehta, he said that things were finally falling into place: ‘There are all sorts of amazing special experiences that you can create for people online … There’s never been a better time to be an independent musician.’

The day ended with warm words from Collins and from Past-President Dr Jeremy Huw Williams, as the ISM’s Presidential Medal was handed over to our 2021/2022 President, Deborah Keyser, Director of Tŷ Cerdd, the national agency for promoting and celebrating music in Wales. Keyser thanked both her predecessors for their service, and said it was ‘a great honour’ to be leading the ISM ‘as we move into a hopefully brighter future’. She reminded us that ‘The ISM will continue to lobby and to fight for musicians’ rights across a number of areas …

Together we are stronger. The ISM is living proof of the power of the collective.’

‘Thank you to all at ISM Head Office and to our Presidential trio, council and all committees who have helped us sustain our livelihoods this past year.’

Helen

Watch the sessions and access related resources at ism.org/future

Left: Hannah Fiddy

New: Building for the future videos available to watch on demand Following our most recent digital conference for music professionals, Building for the future, you can now watch all the sessions at a time that is convenient to you.

These include panel discussions, speeches from our CEO and

Presidential Trio, and an ‘in conversation’ interview with Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE. You can also discover advice and resources featured in and inspired by the event. ism.org/future

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | LIVESTREAMING PERFORMANCES

Livestreaming performances: Research results As promised in our January/February 2021 issue, Julia Haferkorn summarises the results of her research into the benefits, techniques and drawbacks of livestreaming musical performances, carried out with colleagues from Middlesex University and King’s College, London In autumn last year, having been awarded a grant as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to COVID-19, and in partnership with the ISM, fellow academics Sam Leak and Brian Kavanagh and I embarked on a six-month research project, investigating the practice of livestreaming of concerts.

Above: Julia Haferkorn

See page 27 for more information about our new resource and webinar on Online Real-time Music

Our aim was to find out more about musicians’ and live music fans’ attitudes to and expectations of livestreaming and, ultimately, to equip musicians with knowledge that would enable them to add livestreaming to their income generating activities. The Livestreaming Music in the UK report has now been published and is available from livestreamingmusic.uk Based on a range of interviews and results from a survey filled in by 777 musicians and 707 live music fans, the report serves in part as an overview of current livestreaming practices and in part as a guide to the practical matters of livestreaming, such as monetisation methods, platforms and technical and licensing issues. It also aims to outline the role that livestreaming is playing during the COVID pandemic and its potential role in a post-pandemic world.

Five main themes have emerged from the research project.

1 Livestreaming makes live music accessible A large market has emerged of audiences that are unable or reluctant to visit concerts in physical venues. The lower cost of ‘attending’ a livestreamed performance and the ability to attend without having to travel mean that live music fans can now access live music concerts that they wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise. Individuals benefiting from this include parents with young children or single parents, disabled or elderly people, people with little disposable income, people living far from a city with a music venue, and people

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suffering from claustrophobia or social anxiety.

Crucially, livestreaming gives musicians access to audiences that are not reached by live concerts in physical venues. All survey participants saw this as an advantage, with 90% of musicians and 92% of live music fans agreeing that live streaming will in future be a successful tool to reach audiences unable or unwilling to go to physical venues.

2 Emotional engagement matters Both audiences and musicians highly value the emotional engagement that occurs during live performance, with 95% of live music fans saying that emotional engagement with the artist during livestreamed concerts is important to them. Livestream viewers, who feel connected to the performer and fellow viewers, watch more livestreams, while those who don’t feel connected watch fewer. As it is difficult to replicate the type of communication experienced in physical venues, musicians need to develop their livestreamed performance practice, engaging with attenders in ways the new format allows. Interestingly, 82% of live music fans agreed that performers acknowledging individuals’ presence in the audience during a live stream made them feel connected.

Research also found that online audience communities form around livestreaming musicians across all genres. However, those communities are built over time and musicians need to livestream regularly to allow for a gradual increase in viewers.

3 Audiences are willing to pay Live music fans agreed that livestreams should not be free to access and felt that the cost of accessing livestreams behind paywalls didn’t constitute a barrier to watching livestreams.

There was particular willingness to pay for livestreams of good audio and video quality, for livestreams from locations that would otherwise be out of reach, and for

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | LIVESTREAMING PERFORMANCES

livestreams that made viewers feel more connected with the performer and other viewers. Interestingly, 78% of live music fans would be prepared to pay for a livestreamed concert by an artist who is offering some other livestreamed content for free.

While less value was placed by live music fans on livestreamed performances compared to performances in physical venues, our research has established that attenders are willing to pay for livestreamed performance. A shift in thinking about the value of livestreams and a move away from offering livestreamed concerts without any monetisation (such as donations or ticketing) is required.

4 Musicians are dissatisfied with income Musicians’ biggest concern about livestreaming was not being able to earn enough income from streamed performances to make it worthwhile.

As viewers value good quality in audio and video transmission of livestreamed performances and expect the technical aspects of livestreams to improve over time, musicians are required to invest in technical equipment and knowledge, which involves, at least initially, considerable effort and expense. While musicians with a large following can draw on technical support and are able to monetise livestreamed performances through ticket sales relatively easily, the majority of participating musicians were dissatisfied with the income they generated through livestreaming during the pandemic year.

Livestreaming does have the potential to generate income for musicians; however, as it takes time to

build an online audience, it needs to be seen as an additional rather than the main income source.

5 Livestreaming is here to stay A large percentage of musicians and attenders agreed that once venues are safely open again, livestreaming will be a significant part of the music sector’s landscape. There was also agreement from both groups that livestreaming will be a successful tool for reaching new audiences from geographical locations the artist has not toured to and for reaching new audiences that might be reluctant or unable to visit physical venues.

Livestreaming offers new creative possibilities, particularly in terms of collaboration, presentation, and audience engagement. Rather than attempting to replicate the situation of live concerts in physical venues, musicians would do well to explore the new possibilities. Questions remain about how livestreamed concerts will be used within the music industry’s ecosystem but there is little doubt that the format is here to stay.

This research was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to COVID-19 and carried out in partnership with the ISM, the Musicians’ Union, the Music Venue Trust, Serious Ltd, the Cultural Centre of Value, and the Sheffield Performer and Audience Research Centre (SPARC).

Further details on all aspects of the project can be found in the full report, which is published on livestreamingmusic.uk

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | ISM DISTINGUISHED MUSICIAN 2020

Errollyn Wallen Awards and prestigious commissions have been coming thick and fast in recent years for composer, singer and pianist Errollyn Wallen, CBE. Clare Stevens tells us more about the work of the ISM’s Distinguished Musician 2020

Above: Clare Stevens Photo: Bruce Childs

Left: Errollyn Wallen performing with Tête à Tête opera Photo: Hugo Glendinning

Errollyn Wallen is something of a musical chameleon, equally at home performing her own songs with her band Ensemble X in a late-night cabaret, writing a challenging classical concerto for an instrumental soloist and orchestra, collaborating with singers, players, dancers, directors and sometimes speakers to create new operas or ballets, or working with amateur as well as professional musicians on small and largescale community projects. In 2007 she was made an MBE, in 2013 she was the first woman to receive the Ivor Novello Award for Classical Music, and she was made a CBE in 2020.

the entrance exam, so, of course, my DIY attempts at learning species counterpoint meant that I didn’t get in. I studied at the Dance Theatre of Harlem before beginning a dance and music course at Goldsmiths’ College, but quickly realised it wasn’t right for me and switched to just music.

Wallen herself loved music from an early age, but no one imagined that she might make a career out of it. She vividly remembers a teacher coming up to her when she was still at primary school, playing in the school orchestra, and saying, ‘Little girl, this music is not for you.’ At secondary school, however, her talent was recognised, and she began to make her own discoveries, using her ability on the piano to explore orchestral scores borrowed from the library.

much more to my own devices.’

‘I had to work everything out for myself. My aunt and uncle were wonderful, but they didn’t really encourage me to take my music that seriously. Doing something that takes you out of your family’s realm makes you a pioneer, but I would love to have shared more of my musical path with them, and to have had Born in Belize, Central America, in 1958, Wallen and some advice.’ her siblings moved to England when she was two and Wallen went on to do a Masters at King’s College, were brought up by their aunt and uncle in Tottenham, London with Nicola LeFanu. ‘Nicola had been taught North London. ‘It was an unusual upbringing,’ she

by Egon Wellesz who, in turn had been taught by admits. ‘My aunt was white, from the East End; my Schoenberg, so that was the line of succession, if uncle was a black man from Belize. They were very you like! But I had already discovered modern music strict and protective of us, with very high standards; while I was still at school, via Radio 3, and I loved it. they expected us to work hard. My uncle loved poetry, I was steeped in serialism and 12-tone theory and I and would make us learn reams of it and recite it to knew who all the contemporary classical composers him. He came from that generation in Belize that were. It really suited me to immerse myself in all that believed it was important to know about the arts, with Nicola. Much later I did an MPhil at Cambridge, including Shakespeare and classical music; it was his where my supervisor was Robin Holloway, who has a idea that we should have piano lessons.’ reputation for being very tough, but he left me very

She initially dreamed of being a dancer, and says that an alternative career path might have been as a choreographer. But music became her focus, with her piano teacher, Edith Vogel, and history teacher, Mr Black, encouraging her to consider becoming a composer. Wallen was determined to have the best possible education. ‘At 17 I decided I wanted to go to Oxford, but there was nobody to help me prepare for

After university Wallen found herself working as a keyboard player with bands and running and writing music for a commercial studio. This was a very good training in how to compose to order and with tight deadlines, but she could see that she was in danger of spending her life dashing off lots of small, short, perhaps ephemeral pieces, when really her ambition was to write much more substantial works. A string quartet commission was the first real step on her journey towards becoming established as a classical composer. She admits the early years of her career were not easy in this respect, partly because it was so difficult 30 years ago for a woman of colour to be taken seriously in a world dominated by white men.

Continued overleaf È

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See our next feature to read more about BBC Young Musician 2020

A breakthrough came in 1994 when she was asked to write a percussion concerto for Colin Currie to play with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain (NYOGB), conducted by Paul Daniel, in the Grand Final of BBC Young Musician of the Year. This was the first time there had been a percussion category in the competition, so it attracted a lot of attention. Wallen relished the opportunity to write for such a large orchestra and to show off the huge variety of rhythms and textures that could be produced by such a skillful player as Currie on a vast percussion set-up.

‘I write instrumentally for my own voice, so to write for a whole orchestra was just fantastic,’ Wallen said at the time. ‘I love trains and train sounds, and I worked on the drum sections on journeys up and down to Birmingham, capturing the rhythms. For the second and third movements which include a lot of tuned percussion it felt as though I travelled to a very hot place, maybe a jungle, with filigree passages on the marimba and the orchestral woodwind, and an elephant noise produced by the trumpet.’

Below: Errolyn Wallen Photo: David Lee

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The result was a thrilling piece, full of colour and contrast, which the young orchestra as well as Currie himself clearly loved playing; Natalie Clein won the competition with a ravishing performance of the Elgar cello concerto, but the event launched Currie’s very successful career and put Wallen on the map as a composer. She has since been commissioned by a huge range of performers and organisations, including Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, the Royal Ballet, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, the Royal Opera House, the Orchestra of the Swan, Other Minds festival in San Francisco and the BBC Proms, for which she wrote another large-scale piece for the NYCGB, Mighty River, and reimagined Parry’s ‘Jerusalem’ (‘Jerusalem — our clouded hills’)for the South African soprano Golda Schulz to perform with a

pared down BBC Symphony Orchestra on the last night of the pandemic-hit 2020 season.

Opera features prominently in her very extensive work list; she has now composed 20, sometimes providing her own libretto, sometimes working with other people’s texts, a creative process which she really enjoys. Bill Bankes-Jones, founder and artistic director of Tête à Tête, which specialises in producing new opera, has worked with Wallen for more than two decades. ‘When we set up Tête à Tête, she was one of the many composers we met to discuss possible commissions,’ he recalls. ‘It wasn’t quite the right time for her at that stage, but we worked together a few years later when I directed her opera Another America: Earth for the opening season at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre.

‘Before we started rehearsals Errollyn played the whole piece over to me in a practice room. It was an amazing experience because it’s a really difficult score, and there she was, playing, singing and turning pages – the opera just seemed to spurt out of her in one visceral rush. The complexity of her music is fantastic, and yet it is so spontaneous, I think she imagines pieces almost as Mozart must have done. It’s like Errollyn herself, very clever but in an uncomplicated way. She understands things very deeply and instinctively, she sees things in people and situations that are not obvious, which is a great gift.’

Asked if singers find Wallen’s music easy to perform, Bankes-Jones says it is challenging, ‘but you know, if an artist is not challenging, then they’re not interesting’.

Another long-standing musical friendship is with conductor, keyboard player and musicologist John Butt, who met Wallen when she was studying in Cambridge and he was Director of Studies at King’s College.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | ISM DISTINGUISHED MUSICIAN 2020

Left: Errolyn Wallen receives the ISM Distinguished Musician Award from Professor Chris Collins

Although he wasn’t directly responsible for postgraduate students, Wallen sang in his mixed voice choir, King’s Voices, and the two got to know each other very well.

‘On the face of it Errollyn’s music is very eclectic, and you might think that would not lead to much of a personal stamp, yet somehow, quite miraculously, it does,’ says Butt. ‘She has a remarkable ability to bring a very large range of possible styles into one musical language. It’s not laid out like an alphabet, but the attitude and the intuition behind it are very individual.’

Wallen herself cites The Silent Twins, commissioned by Almeida Opera, as a real turning point in her career. ‘Composing can be laborious, especially with a full-length opera that takes around two years to write,’ she says. ‘I like to make it an adventure for myself too, as it will be for the performers and the audience. With The Silent Twins I think I realised for the first time what music can do dramatically, and how the instruments can also be characters and move the drama along.’

Drawn from the book by Marjorie Wallace, with a libretto by April De Angelis, the opera tells the story of June and Jennifer Gibbons, whose intense relationship with one another excluded their parents and their community and led to their being incarcerated for 11 years in Broadmoor following a bizarre crime spree; Jennifer suddenly and mysteriously died within hours of their release in 1993. Guardian critic George Hall wrote that ‘Wallen's score seizes the opportunity of defining the twins' isolated, self-created world through music that is immediate without being obvious … the alternately florid and frenetic instrumental writing … is perfectly complemented by vocal lines that impress with their sharply etched character.’

Another significant work is the oratorio or choral symphony Carbon 12, commissioned by Welsh National Opera (WNO) as a community project for the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. It traced the impact of the coal industry on the landscape and society of South Wales, and was scored for the full orchestra and chorus of WNO, Parc and Dare Brass Band, six professional soloists, Risca Male Choir, and a female chorus recruited from the former mining villages of the Welsh valleys.

Wallen recalls that when she saw the libretto by John Binias the music ‘just poured from me’, up to the point where the text recorded the horrific disasters that took so many lives in those communities over the years. ‘At that point I had to stop and take stock, because I knew that the litany of names of all the pits and disasters would stir up agonising memories for everyone in the Welsh auditorium. Each line was steeped in resonance and as an outsider I was very nervous about tackling it. But John and I are hugely proud of Carbon 12.’

Photo: ISM / John Blaikie 2021

very northern tip of Scotland, where she finds both the surrounding seascapes and the deep, deep silence inspirational. Always a prolific composer, she has been even more productive since leaving London and all its distractions; as this feature was in preparation she was looking forward to the Barbican premiere on 6 June of Dido’s Ghost, a new partner-piece for Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. Interwoven with a full performance of the Purcell, Wallen’s piece imagines the consequences of the Carthaginian queen’s tragic death for those left behind. It has a libretto by Wesley Stace and will tour to Buxton and Edinburgh in the coming weeks, with John Butt conducting his Dunedin Consort.

Her remote home does not mean that Wallen has cut herself off entirely from the rest of the musical world, however. She was recently appointed as a visiting professor of composition at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, taking on the role ‘with a great sense of responsibility,’ she says, ‘because as a student I was too scared to go up to composers and ask them for advice. I want to be approachable and accessible for the RCS students. But the main piece of advice I will be giving them all is to listen, listen, listen to all sorts of music and develop their ears.

The road towards being a composer may not be easy – it certainly wasn’t for me – but they should never give up.’

Errollyn Wallen’s works are mainly self-published, with some published by Edition Peters editionpeters.com Several of her recordings with Ensemble X are available on the NMC and Avie labels nmcrec.co.uk avie-records.com. errollynwallen.com

Errollyn Wallen now lives in a lighthouse at the

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | BBC YOUNG MUSICIAN 2020

BBC Young Musician 2020 Percussionist Fang Zhang is the latest winner of the BBC Young Musician competition. Clare Stevens reports on the three finalists’ long journey to the emotional conclusion of the 2020 event

The category finals of BBC Young Musician 2020 proceeded at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in Cardiff very much as usual. The 25 competitors presented the specialist juries with the difficult task of assessing performers of remarkable ability, looking for the five young musicians who demonstrated the most impressive combinations of technical skill, musical understanding and that very special star quality that nobody can quite define. After some intense discussions in the jury room, one by one the category winners emerged: 18-year-old French horn player Annemarie Federle (Brass); 19-year-old violinist Coco Tomita (Strings); 18-year-old oboist Ewan Millar (Wind); 17-year-old Fang Zhang (Percussion); and 17-year-old Thomas Luke (Piano).

In late March 2020 the five young musicians went on to repeat their recital programmes in the semifinal, in front of an enthusiastic audience. Jury chair Angela Dixon, chief executive of Saffron Hall concert hall in Suffolk, announced that ‘in no particular order’ the three players going through to the Grand Final were Ewan Millar, Annemarie Federle and Fang Zhang, telling the TV presenters later that ‘music, music and music got them through – their musicianship, their commitment to the music and their performance’.

Music, in circumstances very different from normal; Millar began the second year of his music degree at Oxford University, shoe-horning his studies around oboe practice in a way that he had never intended.

Fast forward to 25 April 2021, and Federle finally took her place in front of a distanced BBC Philharmonic to perform the Horn Concerto Op 58 by Ruth Gipps in a Grand Final that had been delayed by almost a year. For oboist Nicholas Daniel, who in 1980 was the second winner of the competition and this year was a commentator on the final, it was ‘completely shocking to see those three incredible young musicians walk out onto that extended stage in an empty hall, with the judges so close and no audience other than the presenters and the cameras. It looked like a concert when we watched it later on television, but it really didn’t feel like it for those of us who were there … until they started to play. Then you could feel their performance instincts kick in.’

Asked how it felt to be in that position, and whether she was able to enjoy the performance in those strange circumstances, Federle says that she definitely did. ‘For the past year I’ve been doing very little performing, but I have done a few recitals without audience, so in some ways that made it easier. In the previous rounds the jury was lit up, so And then … everything stopped. The Grand Final we were very aware of them, and the final didn’t should have taken place in the Bridgewater Hall, feel that different. We were encouraged to treat the Manchester, in May 2020, with the three competitors playing concertos with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, orchestra as the audience, to bow to them afterwards, which helped. It was the first time I’d played the piece conducted by Mark Wigglesworth; but like everything with an orchestra, so I really enjoyed that aspect of it, else it fell victim to the pandemic. The BBC decided especially working with them in the rehearsals and all not to broadcast the semi-final until they could do so in tandem with the concerto final, so the trio could not the musical interaction between the soloist and the wind principals.’ even reveal to anyone other than immediate family and their teachers that they had got through.

Both the French horn and the oboe are notoriously

Left: Fang Zhang Photo: Fabio di Paola / PA Wire

Worse, they had absolutely no idea when they would be performing in the last stage of the competition. Possible dates were pencilled into diaries and rubbed out again as lockdowns came and went.

Zhang, a pupil at Chetham’s School in Manchester, went home to his family in China. In September Federle began her first year at the Royal Academy of

difficult instruments technically, and the jurors and the broadcast presenters were all in awe of Federle’s and Millar’s ability to deliver spinetingling, technically flawless performances in such a situation. But in the end it was Fang Zhang, playing Japanese composer Keiko Abe’s solo marimba piece ‘Prism Rhapsody’ in an arrangement with orchestra by Iain Farrington, Continued overleaf È

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who produced that extra special magic that earned him the title.

Above: French horn player Annemarie Federle Photo: Fabio di Paola / PA Wire

‘They were all incredibly assured and confident, but something indefinable happened when Fang was playing,’ says Dixon. ‘He was absolutely laser-focused and had complete command of his instrument, which he played with incredible dexterity, but at the same time he managed to connect with the conductor, the orchestra and with us in a very charming way.

He drew so much out of his marimba, and evoked a very emotional response from everyone in the room. People were looking at each other afterwards, stunned – gasping and crying. I wondered how much of the atmosphere he created would come across on television, but evidently it did.’

Fang Zhang had been studying at Chetham’s since September 2018 when he entered the competition. He is a member of China Youth Percussion Orchestra, with which he has been performing around the world since he was 11 years old. Among his tutors are international percussion luminaries such as Royal Northern College of Music Deputy Director of Percussion Le Yu, and Chen ShaoLun, president of the Shanghai National Percussion Association. He has already won prizes at international percussion competitions in the USA, Japan, and his native China.

‘I am honoured and delighted to win BBC Young Musician 2020, and feel so lucky considering the talent of the other finalists,’ he says. ‘The BBC team is amazing, and I want to thank them and my schools, Chetham’s School of Music and Qingdao Percussion College, for supporting me through the whole programme in every possible way.’

the whole array of tuned and untuned instruments available to them, often testing their fitness as well as their musicianship as they sprint from drum kit to tubular bells to vibraphone, bongos, glockenspiel, gong or temple bells. It was a testament to his confidence, says Dixon, that Zhang chose to perform only on the marimba. She feels he benefited from confounding expectations and opting for a relatively unshowy piece that simply demonstrated his skill on one instrument and his innate musicality. ‘He elicited a kaleidoscope of colours and expression from it that deeply moved the jury and presenters,’ she says.

‘It was a privilege to be one of the few people to hear his performance live.’

Nicholas Daniel says ‘The achievement for all three finalists to perform so brilliantly in this particular year is something that cannot be overstated. One reason why young people play so well in this competition in normal years is that it’s a culmination of many rounds, with an end goal. This year nobody knew when or indeed if that end goal was going to happen.

Annemarie, Ewan and Fang have spent a year at home since the pandemic started and their previous round ended, working on Zoom, perhaps with some faceto-face lessons involving much stress, distancing, travel and thought … the massive effort required to get them to the level of playing we heard in the hall is something I will never forget.’

Conductor Mark Wigglesworth was perhaps the person best placed on the day to assess the professionalism as well as the musicianship of the three performers. ‘BBC Young Musician is always a glorious celebration of the future, but especially this year, it offered a much needed sense of Zhang is only the second percussionist to win the optimism to everyone in the classical music world,’ competition since the category was introduced in 1994, says Wigglesworth. ‘All three finalists showed a following Adrian Spillett in 1998. Previous percussion tremendous passion and determination to maintain finalists have tended to perform concertos that used their commitment to the competition across a year of

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uncertain silence. They play with humility and respect, Federle says that the difficulty of the Gipps piece but daring and personality too, encouraging all who hear was one of the reasons why she chose to play it them to look forward to more positive times ahead.’ in the final. ‘To non horn players Gipps makes the challenging bits sound easy and natural, but it has a The competition has given Federle and Millar the massive range, from very, very high to very low – right experience of a hugely high-pressure performing at the beginning, in the tenth bar, you have to play the environment and public showcase, with the added highest note of the whole piece, which is hard. It really benefit, as Daniel points out, of not winning, so they can complete their education away from the spotlight jumps around, and there are lots of quiet, fast and agile passages. and build their future careers at their own pace.

Millar feels this is a good thing, as he is still undecided about his future path. ‘I’ve been told by my musical heroes that being in the final is the thing that puts you on the threshold of the profession, not whether you win or not. I realise that as a result of this exposure I may be in a position to help expand the repertoire and inspire more people to play the oboe, and these are very noble aims, but I can’t immediately capitalise on it. I want to get the formal qualifications and consolidate my technique before I do too many public performances; I don’t want to be too presumptuous about my own ability, I want to take my time, and then if people still remember me in a few years’ time, that will be great.’

Angela Dixon said: ‘Each of the three finalists was fantastic in a different way, and each of them really could have won it. Annemarie had such poise; the French horn is such an unpredictable instrument, but she walked on stage like someone who has utterly tamed it. We knew she had absolutely no issue whatsoever with any of the technical challenges that lie ahead; it’s going to do exactly what she wants it to do. And it was great that she gave us the chance to hear the rarely played Ruth Gipps concerto.’

I discovered the piece on a CD of British horn concertos played by one of my teachers, David Pyatt.

When I heard it for the first time I was intrigued, and thought it would work well for the competition because there’s so little horn repertoire.’

More than 40 years since its inception, BBC Young Musician still plays a vital part in British musical life, inspiring younger players and offering concert programmers and the general public a chance to see and hear the stars of the future. ‘We will surely remember the 2020 edition as unique and ultimately very special,’ says Paul Bullock, executive editor of the event. ‘The three finalists have shown extraordinary resilience over the past year; to see and hear them perform alongside the BBC Philharmonic was both thrilling and deeply moving.’

The Grand Final of BBC Young Musician 2020 is available on iPlayer for 12 months.

More information about the competition can be found most easily by googling ‘BBC Young Musician’.

The next edition of the competition is currently scheduled for 2022.

Below: Oboist Ewan Miller Photo: Fabio di Paola / PA Wire

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | RETURNING PERFORMANCES

Back to work?

Indoors or outdoors, performances are slowly beginning to return, but for some musicians it's been a stop-start process and the extension of restrictions announced on 14 June adds still more uncertainty.

Clare Stevens reports

Following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions on 17 May some musicians returned to performance work at weddings, within the hospitality industry, at organised events and even in gardens across the UK, coming up with innovative solutions to return to performing.

social distancing, as part of the government’s planned series of test events that were allowed to proceed outside the current rules. We've yet to see if this will set the precedent for future events.

Raisa Pankalainen is part of a vinyl DJ duo MILK X COOKIES and has been able to do a few gigs at Howling Hops, a tank bar, brewery and kitchen in Hackney Wick, North London, where food is now served indoors, outdoors and to take away, with strict rules regarding seating, distancing, mixing of households and recording of contact details. ‘Their indoor space is really big and airy, as it is in a warehouse-style ‘Experiencing the thrill of world-class music up building,’ she explains. ‘They have security guys to front, and sharing it with neighbours without even make sure that people do not dance etc. The DJ's are having to travel is something very special,’ says playing inside but there are also speakers outside for Barr. ‘We believe in the extraordinary power of art in the people to enjoy the music at the terrace. They have outdoor surroundings, so we carry on in all weathers except high wind, under gazebos if it's wet. Our events certain decibel limits to make sure people don’t have to shout over the music. are fully compliant with the latest COVID-19 Secure ‘The DJ's have their own area where we play, and guidelines and DCMS rules on outside performances, there is a lot of space between the decks and the with the audience sitting in correctly-spaced bubbles audience – but obviously when people get drunk they and a range of standard protocols in place to make suddenly have the urge to come to talk to the DJ and sure their visits are safe. Wine and canapés from make song requests or give high fives (if they like the our catering partners Al Fresco Feasts are served at set!); or if they are not happy, they will let you know. people’s seats in the interval.’

Obviously during COVID-19 this gives us some anxiety, The success of Stockwell Live! has inspired Barr as we don’t want to interact with strangers very closely. to set up Out to Perform, a campaigning organisation Stuart Barr, a former music director for the singer Shirley Bassey, launched Stockwell Live! last year in his South London garden, as a way of bringing live music back into the lives of his neighbours in the safest possible way and offering work to a few of the performers whose livelihoods have been hit by the pandemic.

Above: Clare Stevens Photo: Bruce Childs

aiming to unleash new outdoor performances across the sector by lobbying for safe regulatory easement, creating partnerships and helping artists to earn (outtoperform.com).

Some venues are permitting indoor performances, such as the Friends Meeting House in Brighton, where violinist Sian Philipps was scheduled to give a recital on 21 June celebrating the summer solstice, supported by the RVW Trust and including a performance of Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending, together with music by Sally Beamish, Finzi and Wellesz.

Left: Raisa Pankalainen Photo: Jan Trygg

The BRIT Awards took place at their traditional venue, the O2 Arena in Greenwich, on 11 May with a limited live audience of key workers, and without

‘But even if dancing is not allowed and we have decibel limits, it has been great to be back behind decks again. You can feel the energy from the crowd and you can see how people are enjoying the music, seeing friends and being back in some kind of normality.

The livestreaming from home cannot beat that.’

Among the first companies out of the starting gates when audiences were allowed to return for outdoor performances was Mid Wales Opera (MWO), which very quickly put together a ‘Sounds of Summer’ tour of 40-minute outdoor recitals featuring their musical director Jonathan Lyness on an electronic keyboard with two singers, and joined at some of the concerts by harpist Elfair Grug Dyer or clarinettist Peryn Clement-Evans. Six different singers were Continued overleaf È

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Organisers of larger-scale events, however, are still having to be more cautious or even pessimistic.

Stage 3 of the roadmap included special provision Tickets were just £5, the programmes were for large outdoor venues such as arenas, permitting repeated three times in each venue and audiences up to 10,000 people or 25% of their total seated were invited to stand or bring their own chairs for capacity, whichever is lower, to attend events if they the no-frills experience in the garden of the Judge’s could be spaced appropriately, or just 4,000 or 50% Lodgings, Presteigne which kicked off the tour. The of the total capacity if they cannot be seated. Stage 4 recitals were advertised as going ahead ‘whatever the weather’ and in this case individual gazebos were should remove those caps, but at the time of writing the extension to Stage 3 in England had just been provided for each household group in the audience announced with musicians beginning to digest its as well as one for the performers, much needed implications. While 'test events' involving numbers on a day of sunshine and showers that included a that exceed the guidelines are to continue, they are torrential downpour two minutes before the start of primarily sporting fixtures such as the UEFA Euro 2021 the first concert. Fortunately there was no rain the tournament and Wimbledon. The government seems next day at the unique Willow Globe Theatre near to have paid little attention to the outcomes from arts Llandrindod Wells, where there was no cover at all, activity such as the Royal Choral Society’s Messiah but the following weekend brought much wetter in the Royal Albert Hall on 30 May, which resulted in weather before the tour ended in warm sunshine.

100% negative testing for participants, a week after While audience members stoically entered into the the concert. Many insurance companies are unwilling spirit of the occasion, huddled in waterproofs, MWO’s to take the risk of backing events, and as a result many enterprise illustrated the difficulties of outdoor performances for the musicians; cold, damp conditions music festivals that had hoped to go ahead this summer have changed their minds and cancelled, rescheduled are far from ideal for instruments and voices. to later in the year, or scaled back their plans.

Violinist Hannah Roper and pianist and singer Love Supreme Jazz Festival in Sussex is one of Alan Durman performed in an unglamorous garage those that will not go ahead, although the organisers last August in the brief period when concerts were say they are devastated not to be able to host the allowed, as well as under a gazebo in the beautiful event on the first weekend of July, having explored all Water Garden of The Vine in the village of Tarrington, avenues to make it happen.

Herefordshire. The success of these pilot events with A very recent cancellation is Nozstock: The Hidden distanced audiences gave them the confidence to Valley, another Herefordshire event, which was to plan The Vine Chamber Music Festival, taking place over the last two weekends of July, when their guests have happened 22–25 July and waited until the last possible moment before announcing, on 4 June will include Latin/Jazz duo Eliana Veinberga (voice) postponement to 2022. and Francisco Garcia de Paredes (guitar). With Stage 3 of the government’s roadmap having proceeded ‘Words can’t even begin to explain how we feel as planned since 17 May, they have released all the about having to postpone again,’ says the organisers’ tickets for their concerts, with capacity carefully statement. ‘We’ve been working tirelessly to figure managed to ensure social distancing is possible. They out ways that we can deliver a safe and secure event, have chosen not to offer refunds if their customers which lives up to the expectations we’ve set for our want to cancel tickets, but their COVID-19 information really special and intimate festival. Ultimately, despite page includes a commitment to offer refunds if calls from the industry, COVID cancellation insurance government restrictions force cancellation of the has not yet been implemented and we have run out event. With an outdoor venue, where ventilation is of time. Economically, we cannot keep pushing on as good as it gets, and a small audience, they are without this in place, especially with production costs optimistic that this will not be necessary. rising every day and recent reports of increased cases able to take part over three weekends in May and June, at six venues across Wales and one in England.

See page six to read more about our COVID-19 campaigning

Top left: Willow Globe Photo: Mid Wales Opera Top middle: Hannah Roper Photo: Sammy Southall Photography Top right: Sound Festival Aberdeen Harbour Above: Sheku Kanneh-Mason at the Royal Albert Hall Photo: BBC Jude Edginton

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | RETURNING PERFORMANCES

and a possible delay to the roadmap. If we were to go ahead, the financial risk could affect Nozstock’s future beyond this year. ‘ But there have been many good news stories over the past few weeks. In Croydon on 4 June members of the public including many families with children queued in the rain around the outside of the Fairfield Halls to get in to a repeated concert by the London Mozart Players featuring Mendelssohn’s Hebrides overture and Dvorak’s cello concerto with Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Up the road at the Southbank Centre, Kanneh-Mason played the same piece with Chineke! in the first concert of a celebratory bank holiday weekend marking the reopening of the Royal Festival Hall and the start of the Southbank Summer Reunion, a festival of indoor and outdoor performances across all genres.

Over in East Anglia, Britten Pears Arts is hosting a Summer Season of weekend concerts ‘in the spirit of the Aldeburgh Festival’ at Snape Maltings.

The ‘Already Gone’ series of three concerts in London, Manchester and Birmingham by professional chamber choir Echo features world premieres by the winners of Echo’s inaugural composition competition, alongside established repertoire by composers ranging from Hildegarde of Bingen to Britten.

Alongside the live tickets, the ensemble is offering a digital package that gives an exclusive sneak peak behind the scenes as they prepare to perform in front of a live audience for the first time in 15 months.

‘We are so excited to be bringing live vocal music back, in person, to venues across the UK this summer,’ said conductor Sarah Latto. ‘It has been an incredibly tough year for everyone, but there is light at the end of the tunnel, and we hope that this “cities” tour will

be the first of many. By allowing new and old music to inform and inspire one another and by providing a supportive network for our competition winners, we hope these tours will help us to continue breaking down barriers of age and background for emerging composers and young musicians.’

North of the border, Aberdeen’s new music festival Sound staged its first live concerts since the start of the pandemic over the weekend of 12/13 June. unboundsound began on Saturday afternoon with a concert in Queen’s Cross Church when the festival’s associate Red Note Ensemble was joined by acclaimed horn player, Richard Watkins. Next day Red Note gave a second concert in the church featuring works written specially by neurodivergent composers.

Sunday morning saw nine young performers with four professional players recreate Esther Swift's The Call, written in response to the restrictions of the past year, on Aberdeen beach. In the afternoon Pete Stollery’s Call was performed in the harbour. A community piece for multiple horn players, interacting with one another across the harbour entrance, it was conceived specially for unboundsound, and culminated with all the ships in the harbour sounding their horns in celebration of the first signs of our emergence from lock down.

At the beginning of June Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) released details of its plans to present over 170 classical and contemporary music, theatre, opera, dance and spoken word performances between 7–29 August. Measures to ensure audience safety include outdoor venues, audience members seated in bubbles and, in a first for the International Festival, online access to 21 free full-length performances.

Photo: Ingridi Alves

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | RETURNING PERFORMANCES

gathering in churchyards, parks and gardens to sing a cappella. For larger choirs and those preparing complex repertoire for concerts with professional orchestras, rehearsing outdoors ranges from challenging to impossible. For the first time ever, four of the BBC Proms concerts have been listed as ‘mystery concerts’, with no details provided of repertoire or performers; one assumes that if regulations change this is where the BBC’s own Symphony Chorus, currently not listed among the ensembles appearing during the season, might be slotted in.

Above: EIF Launch 2021 Photo: Ryan Buchanan

See page 28 for guidance on contracts for those performing at weddings and civil ceremonies

Alongside operas and orchestral concerts, EIF features a contemporary music line-up including London-based guitar bands Black Midi and Black Country, New Road; new jazz from Kokoroko, The Comet is Coming and Moses Boyd; and iconic female voices including Laura Mvula, Nadine Shah and Kathryn Joseph.

The BBC Proms has also announced details of 52 concerts over 44 days 30 July–11 September, involving more than 2,000 musicians, from which at least 50 will be making their BBC Proms debuts.

Marking the 150th anniversary of the Royal Albert Hall and 80 years since the venue became home to the BBC Proms, there is a celebration of the hall’s magnificent organ across five concerts.

There can be few instruments more suited to physically distanced concert performances than the Royal Albert Hall organ, which allows the player to sit in splendid isolation at the console high above the stage. It stood in for an entire orchestra, supplemented only by a solo trumpeter, for the famous ‘The trumpet shall sound’ aria, at the Royal Choral Society’s performance of Handel’s Messiah on 30 May, when 113 singers were ranged across the stage and up the choirstalls, with two metres between them in every direction.

It had been hoped that this concert would herald the return of amateur choral singing across the UK, but as we go to print it is a lone event, staged using a generous interpretation of the government guidance belatedly issued on 18 May that seemed to allow nonprofessional choral performances to go ahead if linked to commercial activity. Most amateur choirs, venues and, crucially, insurance companies, initially stuck to a stricter interpretation of the rules, which permit amateurs to sing only in groups of six indoors or 30 outdoors.

Community choirs and smaller choral societies have spent the past few weeks setting up electronic keyboards in stable yards and sports stadia, or

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It’s a similar story at the Three Choirs Festival in Worcester. Ticket sales for the four concerts involving the Festival Chorus have been suspended pending the next government announcements; contingents of singers have been rehearsing outdoors in chilly and sometimes wet cathedral gardens because the guidance prevents them from rehearsing inside, however vast and draughty the building may be, but at some stage they do need to meet as a single chorus.

Should their concerts have to be cancelled, not only will the amateur singers lose out and the audience be deprived of a core part of the festival experience, but two professional orchestras, the Philharmonia and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, may lose significant amounts of work.

So as the summer of 2021 begins, the picture for musicians is very mixed. Professional singers and instrumentalists may provide music for weddings and parties; but amateur church choirs are restricted to six members at a time and congregations may not sing hymns. Outdoor pop festivals, if not already cancelled, look very vulnerable to the rapid spread of the Delta variant of coronavirus; but chamber music is doing well, with concert series restarting at many different venues.

Cellist Alice Neary, for example, thought she would have to present Penarth Chamber Music Festival online for a second year when her local council was reluctant to allow an audience in the Pier Pavilion, despite the Welsh government's ruling that live music could resume, but an appeal for second thoughts proved successful, and the pier concerts will go ahead, together with performances to larger audiences of staff and students at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Opera festivals also seem to be very resilient.

While its splendid, open-sided temporary auditorium was inundated by a spectacular hailstorm just as rehearsals were beginning, Opera Holland Park got off to a very good start with its public performances, and the vast lawns surrounding Garsington’s pavilionlike theatre allow ample space for distanced picnic gazebos and were drenched in sunshine for some of this season’s first performances. This may not be a normal year, but it has already provided some memorable experiences for artists and audiences alike.

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development The ISM provides you with opportunities to build up your skills in the digital arena with our advice pages and webinars. We also have a collection of professional development videos and resources available to members and the wider music sector through our sister charity, the ISM Trust.

Discover how to rehearse and record online in real time

For gigging musicians, bands, groups and collaborative artists, being able to rehearse together online has proven extremely challenging, with the inherent latency in systems like Zoom and Skype making this a frustrating and seemingly impossible process. This is where Online Real-time Music (ORM) can help you.

ORM uses freely available software, alongside equipment that you may already have at your disposal, to create direct links between you and your fellow musicians so that you can rehearse together over distances up to around 300 miles with as much latency as you would find if you were a few metres apart in the same room.

One of the very few positives from the pandemic has been the ability of musicians to adapt to making music online. As the post-COVID landscape begins to emerge, it is very likely that many musicians will continue to take advantage of digital communications With online video and audio conferencing platforms technology as part of their portfolio careers. such as Zoom and Skype, the systems put an emphasis on the quality of the stream, meaning that the amount of data they are collecting and sending is very high, and it is the size of these data packets, coupled with the speed of your internet, that causes higher latency and lag. ORM strips away the data to the bare essentials, so that these packets are as streamlined as possible and can be transferred at a much faster rate.

Double bassist and physicist John J Williams introduced the principles behind ORM in a free webinar on Friday 11 June, which you can watch here: ism.org/orm-webinar If you are more confident in using tech, ISM members can also access John’s exclusive six-lesson video tutorial, which takes you through setting up your own ORM digital rehearsal room step by step: ism.org/orm See page 12 for a summary of Julia Haferkorn’s research into livestreaming musical performances

Primary Music Toolkit This practical toolkit, commissioned by the ISM Trust and written by Dr Alison Daubney PhD, aims to help primary school teachers better understand what music teaching is and how it can be utilised even more to bring the primary curriculum to life.

Primary teachers can use it to spread the magic of music through their inspiring curriculum and to permeate the cultural fabric of their schools. The Primary Music Toolkit was the winner of the 2019 Music Teacher Awards for Excellence in Primary/Early Years music. ismtrust.org/primary-toolkit

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | LEGAL & BUSINESS

Returning to work at weddings and civil ceremonies Professional harpist Anna Wynne, ISM’s Information and Advice Officer, provides guidance on contracts for those performing at weddings and civil ceremonies

As restrictions ease and people begin to have larger weddings and civil ceremonies, more musicians may be asked to perform at these events. The future is still uncertain and there are concerns that restrictions may be re-introduced on a partial or local basis to deal with new COVID variants or surges in cases. So now it is more important than ever to enter into a written contract with your clients, setting out the obligations and commitments of both parties. Try not to rely on a verbal agreement, as the terms of the agreement are harder to prove if there is any dispute.

Above: Anna Wynne, ISM’s Information and Advice Officer Photo: Yvonne Thompson

In this feature we take you through some of the items that your contract should include, but make sure you receive legal advice before entering a contract. ISM members can contact legal@ism.org for free legal advice on any queries you have about contracts, or if you would like your contract to be reviewed.

Force majeure clauses ‘Force majeure’ in contract law generally describes unforeseeable events or circumstances beyond the control of the parties involved, which may prevent, hinder or delay in fulfilling the purpose of a contract.

Force majeure clauses are contractual clauses that alter the obligations and liabilities of the parties under a contract. A ‘force majeure’ event can include pandemic, war, famine or strikes.

There is no legal definition of ‘force majeure’, so any clauses should be drafted clearly to include the relevant ‘force majeure’ events in plain English and to explain what will happen to the contract if one of these events happens. For example, your force majeure clause could allow you to postpone performance of the contract for an agreed period, so there is the chance of earning the originally agreed fees when circumstances permit.

If you receive a contract containing a force majeure clause (or if you offer your own contract with a force majeure clause), take advice on the likely effects of the clause to be sure you understand what could happen if the clause is invoked.

Non-refundable deposits Many musicians have tried to rely on retaining a contractual non-refundable deposit. However, these are likely to be considered unfair terms under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

But it is reasonable to retain some of the monies paid prior to the actual performance where you have undertaken administrative work, incurred costs, undertaken rehearsals etc. To help achieve this, consider adding a clause which allows your time and effort for administrative work and rehearsals to be recognised. In the event that the wedding or civil ceremony does not take place, you may be able to It is worth thinking about including such a clause in retain a proportion of the overall fee for any work order to prevent your clients simply claiming that the completed prior to the actual engagement. Even with contract has been frustrated (eg because they cannot this type of clause in place, you will need to evidence now have the number of guests originally intended because of COVID restrictions) and therefore they have the work you are claiming the money for. If individual circumstances allow you to rely on the clause, the cost no obligation to pay fees or to fulfil any other agreed items. A force majeure clause will generally relieve the will have to be proportional to the amount of work parties of some of their obligations, and it is important done and you would need to be able to provide a written bill with a proper fee structure for each piece to understand the effects if such a clause is invoked. of work completed. So it is important to document all your costs as you go along in order to have the evidence to rely on at a later date.

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | LEGAL & BUSINESS

Cancellation of the contract Over the past year, some clients have tried to rely on the legal doctrine of frustration (when it is impossible to perform a contract due to events outside of anyone’s control) as a reason to cancel the services of musicians at their events. Frustration brings the obligations of the parties to an end. If a client claims that a contract has been frustrated it will be down to you to prove that it has not. It is better to create contractual obligations which limit the client’s ability to claim frustration. A well-drafted force majeure and a robust cancellation clause are likely to help protect your position. If in doubt, seek advice.

2. If you are performing outside, stipulate that you expect to perform in a shaded, level area. The shade needs to protect you and your instrument from the sun or the rain.

3. Have you been informed how long you are expected to play for, and is there a provision for rest breaks? Most people stipulate between 10 to 15 minutes after completion of the first hour.

4. Are there provisions for refreshments? Depending upon the length of the engagement, you may want to request only drinks or sandwiches.

5. Are overtime charges mentioned and have you set out what happens if you cannot stay past the agreed contractual finishing time?

6. The contract should state what happens if the terms and conditions are not followed, ie the client must remedy the situation, or you are entitled to Make sure the ‘terms and conditions’ section of the refuse to perform but will still be paid; and you contract also includes what will happen on the day: should stipulate that amendments to the contract 1. Will you be performing indoors or outdoors, and do must be made in writing and by a certain date. you have enough space to set up your instrument?

For the latest guidance on government advice to You may want to state that it will be your decision prevent the spread of COVID-19, read our countryon the day to perform outside, and that you can specific pages for England, Northern Ireland, change your mind mid-performance, dependent Scotland and Wales at ism.org.covid-19, and to read upon weather conditions.

Anna Wynne’s feature in full see ism.org/blog/ musicians-contracts

Practical considerations

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS We welcome your brief news (max. 150 words) and high-res images. Please email mj@ism.org The next deadline for copy is 28 July for the September/October 2021 issue

Steuart Bedford, FISM

As a student at Oxford University Bedford put on some performances of Britten’s Albert Herring in the Playhouse, and not long after graduating he launched his professional career with John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 1967. He conducted his own edition of Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) and followed that with the first modern British performances of Donizetti’s Belisario, also at the RAM.

In 1971 Bedford was appointed musical director of the English Opera Group, 31/07/1939–15/02/2021 which grew into the larger English Music Theatre while he was at the ISM member since 1964 helm. He developed a distinguished The conductor Steuart Bedford was international career, worked regularly best known for his association with at Glyndebourne, and from 1993 had the works of Benjamin Britten, a strong relationship with Garsington working closely with the composer at Opera, where he conducted a series Aldeburgh and acknowledged as his of productions of Mozart’s operas. He ‘heir apparent’. Bedford assisted on the was an artistic director of Aldeburgh 1966 Decca recording of A Midsummer Festival from 1974 to 1998, and as Night’s Dream, took over rehearsals recently as 2013 conducted Tim for the filming of the TV opera Owen Albery’s production of Peter Grimes Wingrave while Britten recovered from on Aldeburgh beach. He returned to an operation in 1970 and conducted Garsington to conduct Death in Venice the world premiere of Death in Venice in 2015, and his last professional in 1973 at the Aldeburgh Festival and engagement before retiring due to at Covent Garden, the first European the effects of Parkinson’s Disease was performances of Paul Bunyan, and the Albert Herring at the Grange Festival premiere of the scena Phaedra with in 2017.

Dame Janet Baker in 1976.

Bedford’s first marriage to the soprano Bedford was born into a musical family; Norma Burrowes ended in divorce; he was the grandson of the singer Liza he is survived by two daughters, Lehmann and composer and inventor Charmian, a singer, and Joanna, Herbert Bedford and his mother was education manager of Opera North, the singer Lesley Duff, a member of from his second marriage to Celia Britten’s English Opera Group. His elder Harding, the company manager of brother David was a distinguished EMT, who died in April 2020. composer and his younger brother He was held in very high regard by Peter was a professional singer; colleagues in the profession; his both predeceased him. agents Harrison Parrott spoke for

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many when they paid tribute to him on his death, stating: ‘Steuart was an exceptional musician and a wonderful human being whom we are all grateful to have known and worked with for so many years. His vast knowledge and always unselfish devotion to music and his fellow musicians will be an immense loss to the musical world.’

Malcolm Goldring, FISM

12/07/1949–12/05/2021 ISM member since 2005 Malcolm Goldring studied the oboe at the Royal College of Music before continuing postgraduate education studies at the Universities of Durham and Nottingham. In a rich and varied career including teaching and lecturing in schools and colleges, he was Music Inspector for the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, and Assistant Principal at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Goldring was a regular choral adjudicator at home and abroad.

In 1975 he founded the Midland Festival Chorus (MFC) which began life as a choral workshop in Leicestershire and became a large chorus of over 200 singers drawn from all over the country and from abroad. Its annual concerts moved from the De Montfort

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

Hall in Leicester to Warwick Arts Centre and eventually to Worcester Cathedral. Goldring conducted most of the major British orchestras in MFC’s performances. He was also conductor of the Sitwell Singers in Derby.

In 1990 Goldring was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship and as a result toured the United States and Canada studying the development of youth and children’s choirs. He was the MD of the former British Federation of Young Choirs and then Artistic Director of Sing UK, which created exceptional opportunities for young people from any background to learn and perform the major works of the choral repertoire alongside

Take Ten new jazz and blues inspired piano pieces

Take Ten is a fresh and exciting collection of jazz and blues inspired pieces for piano just published by June Armstrong.

professional orchestras and artists.

Through his experience of working with the European Choral Association – Europa Cantat – at international singing events, Goldring was determined to bring a similar festival to the UK, and in 2013 Sing UK held the UK’s first internationally collaborative choral festival, the Worcester International Festival for Young Singers.

Anne Renshaw, Goldring’s friend and colleague at SingUK, writes: ‘Malcolm was an innately gifted conductor, educator, and communicator. Driven by a dedication to access and opportunity in music education, he inspired countless people of all ages and

used as a vehicle for early exploration in improvisation. In June Armstrong’s YouTube playlist ‘Improvising with Take Ten’ she applies one simple idea to demonstrate improvising with each piece.

June Armstrong has published 19 volumes of educational piano music, ranging from Beginner level to Diploma level. She specialises in writing atmospheric music which can be accessed at an early age such as the popular Alphabet, Toy Box, Safari and Paint Box books. Her music has been selected by all major examination boards. All her music is available to view, listen and purchase at junearmstrong.com

backgrounds over a lifetime career.

Uncompromising on high standards, he drew the very best out of every participant. His belief in people, his musical integrity and personal humility ensured the quality of experience for all those with whom he worked, and he placed that experience over and above any personal aspirations he may have had. As a result he leaves a wonderful legacy in the generations of people, young and not so young, whose lives he touched and whose discovery of the joys that music can bring came at his hands.’

of Spetses (AKSS) established in 1923 and accredited by the Greek Ministry of Education. A group of professional musicians from various countries will be lecturing on the courses.

The cost for students who register before June 30th is 1300€/1130£/1560$.

The cost for those who register on 1 July or later will be 1560€/1360£/1890$.

For ISM members, there will be a 5% discount.

Registration fees are included in the aforesaid prices and are not refundable. Flight cost will be covered by the participants. aegeanmusiccourses.com

Summer music on a Greek island Vasiliki Dimakopoulou is thrilled to introduce you to Aegean Music Courses, a music summer program that will take place on Spetses island, Greece from 8 – 16 August 2021.

The pieces in Take Ten are all written in five finger position and can be played at elementary to early intermediate level. They can also be

Aegean Music Courses are music courses designed for both undergraduate and graduate students who wish to expand their musical abilities and skills under the guidance of instructors with extensive professional experience and expertise.

The seminar will be held at the Anargyrios and Korgialenios School Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

Confessions describes Christopher's Anglo-Italian upbringing, moving on to take in the many countries he has visited writing features and reviews, including tours by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Sir Simon Rattle. It also covers school teaching in the Birmingham area, lecturing at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Chris’s conducting experiences and even clients at his ill-starred music shop in Moseley.

mailchi.mp/informance/ismmember-offers for more information on ISM member discounts).

Marie Miller bows out with a duet recording

Marie Miller is now finishing her career as an opera singer and is recording a CD of duets on 25 September at the National Opera Studio, with Aeron Glyn Preston and LLiving Li v with schizophrenia Grace Worrall, to celebrate her long TTara Tar Ta a Leiper and her husband Cameron It takes us through the CBSO years career. Miller, a lirico spinto soprano, from the Town Hall Birmingham have h a recently published a book studied with the Welsh tenor Edgar to Symphony Hall and from Louis en entitled Is this real? about living with Evans (principal tenor at the ROH schizophrenia. Tara, from the north east Fremaux to Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla. sch for 30 years) and has performed of Scotland, runs a teaching studio, title and central roles in over 40 There are some fascinating tales con conducts, examines and performs. operas including the title roles in of world-leading soloists and This book tells of her husband’s illness conductors and many stories both Verdi’s Aida and Puccini’s Madama and how it impacts daily life. It is coButterfly, Abigaille in Verdi’s Nabucco funny and poignant. written, with each author telling their and leading soprano roles including story and including dialogue between Available from the publishers Brewin Marguerite in Gounod’s Faust and Books and on Amazon (£11.95), with all the couple. It is useful for anyone Leonora in Verdi’s Il Trovatore. proceeds going to the Gwyn Williams working within the mental health Her favourite roles include Ciao Ciao sector, carers and educators who may Bursary fund for young string players.

San (Butterfly), Violetta (La Traviata), wish to understand this debilitating and Lady Billows (in Britten’s illness better.

Practising the Piano – Albert Herring). She is well-known throughout the UK, with past Piano Day 2021 Online One reader said about the book that performances at the Lyric and Polish it is an ‘amazing and enlightening Events Festival theatres in Hammersmith, Wimbledon book; a hard and very emotional 29 March was Piano Day 2021 Theatre, Kenneth More theatre, read and I realise just how little I (the 88th day of the year!) and we Kenwood, St Mary Abbott’s theatre, knew about the condition. I feel that celebrated with a weekend festival London open air theatres, and the many people could gain so much featuring a bumper line-up of online Minack Theatre in Cornwall. Miller’s more understanding from reading events. These included a workshop performances can be viewed at your book, both professionals and on practising, technique, sight-reading musicteachers.co.uk. Following her laypeople like me.’ Is this real? and interpretation, a performance eight years’ tuition with Edgar Evans, is available from Amazon and workshop and a special lectureMiller plans to continue teaching vocal most booksellers. performance on Baroque style. technique to students. Her new CD will be available after 25 September.

CConfessions of a music critic If you missed any of these events, you Co can purchase access to the recordings Confessions of a Music Critic grew out Co and resources from the following page: of one of the talks Christopher Morley mailchi.mp/informance/pianoregularly gives on the music club circuit, day-2021. ISM members are entitled re an and draws on his experiences of over to 30% discounts on all of our online 50 years of writing for the Birmingham workshops and on subscriptions to Po Post as well as periodicals. our Online Academy (please visit

Obituaries: We are sorry to announce the deaths of the following members: Mr Steuart Bedford FISM of Aldeburgh

Mrs Christine Hubbard FISM of Rochester

Ms Maria Noakes MISM of St. Albans

Mr Malcolm Goldring FISM of Markfield, Leics

Ms Heather Hynan FISM of Weston-super-Mare

Ms Elizabeth Porter FISM of Banstead

Nick Higton MISM of Purley

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

TESTIMONIALS I must say thank you very much indeed for the strong, practical support you are giving to us members throughout this pandemic.

Your research and the authoritative statements are invaluable. Brilliant work!

John Bryden FISM, ISM member since 1971 I have been most impressed by the detailed information ISM has provided throughout the pandemic. It’s been truly wonderful and so impressively managed.

So a big ‘thank you’.

Fiona Gates MISM, ISM member since 2017

Congratulations, and thanks for a very engaging and informative presentation on the work of ISM [in the lunchtime session of Building for the future]. I’m already a member (and thanks for all that you do …) but learned a lot more about ISM membership by chance so win win!

Alison Davies MISM, ISM member since 2018 I thank the ISM for providing this treatment physio pilot scheme. I’ve had a telephone consultation and am going to my first face-to-face appointment tomorrow, and really appreciate this opportunity as I wouldn’t be able to afford treatment otherwise. The physio I spoke to was so helpful and gave me some much needed hope!

As always, the ISM surpasses itself in providing prompt, professional advice, even providing a bespoke template for a letter that I didn’t ask for, and which is much better than mine.

ISM member since 1998 Thanks for the invite [to the ISM Music Education Teach Meets in May]. I really love sessions like that, I came away with loads of things to think about in terms of moving forward in our school. I hope there will be more soon!

Dan Jones, Creative Arts Lead, Allens Croft Primary School

ISM member

Classified advertising HOW TO BOOK: please send advertisement copy with payment (cheques payable to the ‘Incorporated Society of Musicians’ or T: 020 7221 3499 with credit card details) to the ISM, 4–5 Inverness Mews, London W2 3JQ or email mj@ism.org. Copy date by 28 July for the September/October 2021 issue.

PRIVATE AND TRADE 50p per word, minimum £5. Advertisements from ISM members are half-price (i.e. 25p per word, minimum £2.50). Name, address and contact details must be paid for if included. Box numbers £2 extra. Prices include VAT. A series of six or more identical insertions qualifies for 10% discount.

French horns, several from £150.

01747 828552 Various brass, woodwind and stringed instruments for sale, rental or both.

Tel: 07974 412269.

Student cellos, mostly German, various sizes, from £100. Tel. 07974 412269

Double bass paesold concert model 590. Excellent condition cost £3k plus in 1997, £750 ONO. 01747 828552 Double bass shipping case, VGC. Any offers. 07974 412269 Tuba! Besson 928 EEb. £3750.

07974 412269.

Bassoons several. 07974 412269

Play: A psychological toolkit for optimal music performance This essential hands-on guide will help you manage performance anxiety and reach your full potential as a musician. It is packed with approachable practical strategies to help you overcome common psychological obstacles and optimise your musical performances.

Written by Gregory Daubney (CPsychol, MSc) and Dr Alison Daubney (PhD), two experts in the field of performance psychology, Play is the perfect guide for any musician wanting to improve their performances by focusing on wellbeing and tackling performance anxiety.

ISM members can buy the guide in print for £8 and as a print-ready PDF for £4.

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS We welcome your brief news (max. 150 words for platinum and gold members, max. 100 words for silver members) and good high-res images. Please email mj@ism.org. The next deadline is 28 July for the September/October 2021 issue

Scottish Association of Music Education ‘Where words fail, music speaks,’ said Hans Christian Andersen. Indeed, and this is not disputed, but first, the following words from the Scottish Association of Music Education (SAME) are not yet failing.

here sma.ac.uk/questioning-thegap-in-music-literacy-in-england/.

Please send any queries or comments to Hilary at mcqueenSMA@gmail.com

Naxos UK

Naxos UK have added a new title to their bestselling range of children’s books about classical music by ‘It is often said that music is a universal acclaimed author Genevieve Helsby: language: no one is untouched by Those Amazing Musical Instruments music. Sounds and music are in us (RRP £12.99). Naxos are offering a free from our very first breath and hearing copy of the book for the first 10 ISM – and even before – and as soon as teacher members who request a free intelligence abounds within the school trial of Naxos MusicBox, their human, opinion, likes and dislikes online resource for KS2 and KS3, before of music – styles, genres, repertoire, the end of August 2021. Contact Julian Edwards jedwards@naxosmusic. tunes etc – form and are expressed.

Put another way, everyone has an co.uk 07768 448381 for details. opinion on music and everyone is an expert! So far, so good …’

To read the rest of this news on the evolution of SAME and how the organisation has responded to the musical needs of children in Scotland over the past year, visit same.org.uk/history

The Society for Music Analysis commissioned Dr Hilary McQueen to investigate whether music literacy knowledge has declined in students applying for music degrees. The twoyear project ended in December 2020 and included a survey, interviews, a study day and an extensive literature review. Findings indicate that concern about a decline was justified to some extent, although it depends on one’s definition of music literacy. There were different views on what a sociallyjust music curriculum would be, with implications for progression in music education. The report can be found

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The songs and resources can be accessed freely at portsmouthmusichub.org/ songsource

Royal Northern College of Music The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) has unveiled its new Studio 8: the UK’s first Meyer Constellation system in higher education.

The Society for Music Analysis Is there a gap in music literacy?

Lettuce Sing! links in with a nationwide campaign from ITV and Veg Power to encourage children and young people to eat more vegetables: ‘Veg Power – Eat Them To Defeat Them’.

Lettuce Sing! celebrates fruit and vegetables and raises awareness of the importance of eating ‘Five A Day’.

Songs include issues around food waste, fruit and vegetables from around the world and they encourage children and young people to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Portsmouth Music Hub

Completed by R&W Technologies, the state-of-the-art audio-visual system is designed to enhance the user’s holistic auditory experience by creating multiple sonic environments in one physical space.

Portsmouth Music Hub’s Lettuce Sing!

– a brand new collection of 10 songs, aimed at KS 1 and 2 – was launched on 24 May to celebrate the United Nations International Year of Fruits and Audio equipment manufacturer Vegetables 2021.

Meyer Sound Laboratories described the project as a showcase for the

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

industry that shines a spotlight on the exciting teaching, research and artistic applications on offer at the RNCM. The Manchester-based conservatoire also recently announced the appointment of Rhiannon McKay-Smith as its new Director of Development.

a group setting facilitated by a course leader. Supportive and engaging video material is provided by experts in their field covering basic pedagogy, vocal health, the changing voice, teaching different singing styles, running a business, setting up your studio and motivating your students. The first course will run throughout September and costs just £80 in total. Booking now OPEN! To access all these events and take part in our member only forums come and join us – the only UK organisation dedicated to singing teachers! aotos.org.uk

Commencing in September, Rhiannon – currently Co-Director of Development at The Lowry – replaces Suzie Thompson, who enjoyed seven successful years in post. Suzie said: ‘Working at the RNCM has been a privilege and a joy. I’d like to wish Rhiannon all the very best in this role which has, without doubt, been the best of my career.’

The Musicians’ Chapel Annual Services

The Friends of the Musicians’ Chapel have arranged for the postponed 2020 Service of Thanksgiving for the lives and work of musicians rncm.ac.uk inscribed in the Musicians’ Book of Remembrance will be held in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (St Association of Teachers Sepulchre’s), Holborn Viaduct, London of Singing EC1A 2DQ on Wednesday 29 September 2021 at 5.00 pm (please note new Autumn conference time). The Service will be conducted The Association of Teachers of Singing by the Priest-in-Charge, The Reverend (AOTOS) Autumn Conference is back Nick Mottershead, and the music at St Paul’s Girls’ School in London will be provided by the Choir of Holy on Sunday 31 October! 10-5. Theme: Sepulchre under the direction of Peter ‘Giving Boys a Voice’ (Training the Asprey. The Address will be given by male voice from child to young adult).

The Very Reverend Dr Victor Stock, Guest speakers include Anita Morrison, Dean-Emeritus of Guildford and a Martin Ashley and Sam Oladeinde. former Rector of St Mary-le-Bow. NEW: ‘Essentials’ teaching The Friends of the Musicians’ Chapel course launch AGM will be held on the same day at 2.15 pm (please note new time) in AOTOS is launching a brand new the Henry Wood Room at the Church, accredited online course for singing followed by tea. teachers called ‘Essentials’. Offering unique hands-on guidance to people The Friends of the Musicians’ Chapel who want to teach singing well and have also arranged for a Requiem for are beginning that journey, it will all departed musicians to be sung show aspiring singing teachers how to in Holy Sepulchre on Wednesday 3 acquire the basic skills needed to start November at 5.00 pm (please note teaching safely and with confidence. new time).

Aimed at people who have been teaching for up to four years, the course is run online in four sessions in

ABRSM Build performance skills with ABRSM’s newest exam Performance Grades are digitally assessed exams that focus entirely on performance. They bring the essential performance skills of communication, interpretation and storytelling to a regulated qualification. Performance Grades are equivalent in demand and value to ABRSM’s existing Practical Grades, but have a different emphasis with a focus on performance, and offer an additional route to progress.

Available at Grades 1 to 8, Performance Grades offer an opportunity to explore a variety of repertoire, develop musical skills and gain recognition for your achievement. They are assessed entirely from recordings, so they can take place at home, at school or in a community setting, offering great flexibility and accessibility to candidates of all ages.

These exams are a permanent offering from ABRSM and there will be a monthly exam session. Find out more and join the 100,000+ musicians globally who have now taken a Performance Grade exam. abrsm.org/en/performancegrades

Continued overleaf È

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

and more. If travel to North America is in your future, the BAM! Bulletin is essential reading.

Collins Music We’re delighted that the next book in the How to teach series is out now! How to teach Composition in the secondary classroom, 50 inspiring ideas by Rachel Shapey is packed full of concise and easy to implement ideas to tackle everything from starters and plenaries, project ideas and composition techniques to technology and assessment.

We have recently published a new guide to help users get comfortable with Visit collins.co.uk/music to find Dorico, our next-generation music out more. notation and composition software, as quickly and easily as possible. Called First Steps, it is designed to lead you by the hand through the creation of two projects: a charming piano miniature, and an excerpt of a song for small jazz ensemble. If you’ve been thinking about giving Dorico a try but you’re worried about the learning curve, First Steps might be just what you need.

You can find the new First Steps guide on a special Resources page that is absolutely jam-packed with useful information about learning and using Dorico. We recommend you check it out! Find it at dorico.com/resources

BAM! Baird Artists Management Every month BAM! Baird Artists Management produces the BAM! Bulletin which provides updates on the latest North American crossborder issues. If you are interested, you can subscribe to the newsletter at bairdartists.com. The April/May issue contains information on travel updates from the CDC in America, current information from USCIS on RFE extensions, a theatre re-opening manual, which states are re-opening and when, research into the spread of COVID-19 by the playing of musical instruments, upcoming conferences

36

EFDSS

The RSCM works with every age and stage, from children through to young adults and lifelong learners.

Search ‘Education Plan’ at rscm.org.uk.

Royal Welsh College Since the start of the pandemic, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) has developed new ways to reach its audiences while its doors have remained closed, presenting both filmed and livestreamed performances from internationally renowned artists as well as its in-house talent.

This May Atmospheres, the College’s annual three-day festival of new and original music was presented online, with livestreamed and on demand performance and film as well as radio features on the festival’s very own Atmospheres Radio. Atmospheres showcases the latest from RWCMD’s Composition Department’s upand-coming composers with world premiere performances of electronic, contemporary, and operatic music. rwcmd.ac.uk

The English Folk Dance and Song Society has added several comprehensive sets of materials to its free Resource Bank for educators, including multimedia resources on Learning by Ear for ensembles, and Folk Music Starting Points for young musicians who play any instrument and their music efdss.org/ resourcebank teachers and leaders.

All resources are free to view and download. See

Image: Alice Elke

Steinberg

There are also handy guides for teaching primary music, secondary music, instrumental and singing lessons and whole-class instrumental lessons available now.

teams and network of RSCM tutors, the RSCM is uniquely placed to provide the ongoing training needed to support those striving to be the best they can be.

Royal School of Church Music The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) has launched an exciting new plan for its future education work.

A vision for the future: making music do more is designed to support and nurture all those involved in making music in churches and schools.

Through its national web of local

Impulse Music Consultants It is heartening to see, countrywide, the gradual revival of concert and festival planning from Aldeburgh to St Andrews, from Bath to Presteigne and not forgetting the recent launch of the 2021 BBC Proms. Musicians everywhere are opening up their

ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

diaries and filling them with music-making.

As well as exploring some of the benefits of making music, Get Playing features a Music Service finder to help connect new learners across the UK with a music hub/service near them.

Join in on social media and celebrate musical learning in all its forms with #GetPlaying

Promotion is a byword for Impulse and we are here to help you get the message out about your music.

Whether you need a new website to spotlight your activities, a platform for selling your sheet music and music tracks or a special push for an event, we Try it here: musicmark.org.uk/ getplaying have the skills and experience to help you, and for ISM members we offer a 10% discount across all our services.

More than that, we offer free entries on our event listings to all musicians.

Simply email the date, place, performers and programme together with an image to contact@impulsemusic.co.uk and we will make sure you are there for all to see. impulse-music.co.uk

Music Mark Music Mark have launched #GetPlaying – a campaign which encourages new learners across the UK to engage with their local Music Hub/Service whilst celebrating the joy of musical learning!

Severn Arts With summer fast approaching we are busy taking school bookings for September and preparing a summer online offer.

Expert Panel for developing the Model Music Curriculum, and will be launching our Music Box! Our Music Box will be taking to the road delivering taster music sessions across the county. severnarts.org.uk

Music Teachers Board Music Teachers Board (MTB) is pleased to announce the launch of its new percussion syllabus and handbooks, with new syllabuses for harp and tuba being introduced for September 2021.

We are pleased to see so many teachers have enjoyed taking MTB exams over the last term with over 1,300 exam centres across 45 countries offering our qualifications. mtbexams.com

On Make Music Day we premiered In Our Reflections a specially commissioned piece combining a wonderful score written by David Cowell, a spoken word poem by our 2020 Young Poet Laureate, Ellie Dart and instrumental and vocal parts performed by around 500 young people from across Worcestershire.

In July we are hosting a teacher CPD event with guest speaker Simon Toyne, member of the Government’s

Join the ISM Members’ Community on Facebook Stay connected to your fellow ISM members by joining over discuss hot topics, the group offers you a chance to network 1,500 other music professionals in our exclusive Facebook and feel supported by your peers. group. A space to share stories and ideas, ask questions and Access the group at facebook.com/groups/myismis

ISM membership – set up a Direct Debit to save money Take the hassle out of renewing your membership by setting up an annual Direct Debit. Your ISM membership will automatically renew every year and you won’t have to contact us unless you wish to cancel or change your payment method.

If you are a full member, you will get £10 off your membership fee if you pay by annual Direct Debit.

It’s quick and easy to set up Direct Debit payments. Simply log in at ism.org/direct-debit, call us on 020 72213499 or email membership@ism.org

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ISM MUSIC JOURNAL JULY/AUGUST 2021 | NEWS FROM OUR CORPORATE MEMBERS

to consolidate learning and offer an extra layer of fun.

We are very grateful to all our corporate members for their support.

Stay tuned …

PLATINUM CORPORATE MEMBERS Sign up to our newsletter at collins.

GOLD CORPORATE MEMBERS

co.uk/music and follow us on Twitter

ABRSM

Allianz Musical Insurance

Newmoon Insurance Services

Benslow Music Instrument Loan Scheme Black Dress Code Classic FM

nkoda

Collins Music Henri Selmer Paris

BAM! Baird Artists Management Consulting

NMC Recordings

Impulse Music Consultants

Duet Group

Park Lane Group

Middlesex University

London College of Music Examinations Music Mark

Hal Leonard Europe Ltd

Portsmouth Music Hub

Music Teachers’ Board musicteacher.com

Insure4Music

Rocksteady Music School

Kawai

The Royal Central School Of Speech & Drama The Royal Philharmonic Society

Stainer & Bell Ltd

Lark Music Leeds Conservatoire

Trinity College London

Take it away

London College of Music

Victoria College Exams

The Curious Piano Teachers

National Preparatory School Orchestras Oxford University Press Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH The Academy of Music & Sound The Piano Teachers’ Course UK

Mark Allen Group

Yamaha Music Europe GmbH (UK)

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Trybooking.com

Musicians Insurance Services

Tutti University of St Andrews VLT Legal Services Ltd Voice Workshop Ltd

For further information about our different levels of corporate membership and a full list of over 180 corporate members, visit ism.org.

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Composition in the secondary classroom 978-1-4279-2737-8

Written by RACHEL SHAPEY Concise and easy to implement ideas to tackle everything from starters and plenaries, project ideas and composition techniques to technology and assessment.

This practical handbook will invigorate composition in the classroom and beyond!

50

978-1-4279-2739-2

978-1-4279-2738-5

INSPIRING IDEAS

collins.co.uk/music

Out now!

978-0-00-841290-6

978-0-00-841291-3

Ask me a question Kit Downes Musician Tell us a little about yourself I play the piano, organ, cello and compose.

I love travelling and reading.

Amazing to hear improvisers playing in such a ‘chamber’-like way – with such intense focus on dynamics and phrasing.

Early on, being in a choir when I was around I always come back to listening to Ravel also – the string quartet in particular. eight years of age was a big influence on me, singing everything from Palestrina What was the last CD or music to Pärt seven days a week. Then listening download that you purchased? to records by my heroes – such as Oscar My friend Petter Eldh’s new live album – Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Bill Frisell etc.

Koma Saxo (live) – which is a blast.

Then later again, once I was studying, I was very influenced by my teachers and What are your plans for the future? mentors, such as John Taylor, Iain Ballamy, To get through the pandemic as sane as and Nick Smart. I am lucky to have lots of possible, then pick up where I left off, inspiring people in my life, and they are hopefully! Also to try and continue all the a constant and powerful influence on me cross-European collaborations I was part of and my music. before Brexit. It feels even more important What would you say is your greatest to reach out now. achievement to date?

Finally, what is your ISM membership Recording my piano trio album for ECM to you?

Records (last week). But it is difficult to Who (or what) has most influenced you and your career?

quantify achievements etc in a field like this, as sometimes the biggest musical breakthroughs happen on your own in a practice room!

Who is your all-time favourite artist and why?

I can’t pick one thing of course, but at the moment I have been feeling very inspired

by Jimmy Guiffre’s trio record called ‘61.

Kit Downes is a BBC Jazz Award winning, Mercury Music Award nominated, solo recording artist for ECM Records. He has toured the world playing piano, church organ and harmonium with his own bands (ENEMY, Troyka and Elt) as well as with artists such as Squarepusher, Empirical, Benny Greb and Sam Amidon. He has written commissions for Cheltenham Music Festival, London Contemporary Orchestra, Ensemble Klang at ReWire Festival, the Scottish Ensemble, Cologne Philharmonie and the Wellcome Trust.

Kit performs solo pipe organ and solo piano concerts and also plays in collaborations with saxophonist Tom Challenger, cellist Lucy Railton, composer Shiva Feshareki and with I really value how ISM has helped me, in a ENEMY. He is also currently working few different ways, most recently with the with violinist Aidan O’Rourke, composer Max de Wardener and in an organ trio access to the Viva La Visa scheme, which with Reinier Baas and Jonas Burgwinkel. has hugely helped to de-mystify the extremely complicated travel regulations He teaches at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he himself around both Brexit and Covid. studied and where he now holds a Fellowship.

Kitdownes.com @kitdownes

Recommend ISM membership to a friend With music professionals working in an increasingly uncertain world, ISM membership is more essential than ever. You can help to grow the ISM community by encouraging your friends and colleagues to join.

We’ll also give you money off your next year’s membership fee every time someone you recommend joins us at the full or early career rate – £20 off if you are a full rate member, or £10 off if you are an early

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career rate member. If they join at the full rate, we’ll give them £10 off their membership fee too.

Send the name and email address of the friend(s) you are recommending to membership@ism.org. Ask your friend to quote the code FULLREC if they are joining us at the full rate or EARLYREC if they are joining at the early career rate.

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