Composition at Cambridge

“Cambridge has world-class composition teaching, an active new music scene and many accomplished performers; it is the ideal place to develop as a composer.”

“Being a composer at Cambridge really is a fantastic experience with numerous opportunities for performances.”

Toby, third-year undergraduate

Joe, third- year undergraduate

“One of the things I loved most about composition at Cambridge was the diversity of musical interests and specialisms among the people I’ve met. Whether one’s interest is community music making, gamelan, liturgical music, theatre, pop or electroacoustic music, there will be a group to collaborate with.”

Kate, third-year undergraduate

“Cambridge has a vibrant composition scene, and is a great place to develop a sense of musical taste and stylistic identity.”

Alex, second-year undergraduate

“Within just a few weeks of arriving at Cambridge as a Music undergraduate my work had been heard by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies; after just one term my string quartet was being premiered at Kettle’s Yard. And it’s been upwards all the way from there!”

Rhiannon, third-year undergraduate

“Cambridge has an exceptionally high density of student concerts, and the opportunities for performances of your compositions are probably better than anywhere else in the country.”

Ben, third-year undergraduate

To find out more about studying Music at Cambridge University, visit our website at www.mus.cam.ac.uk

Faculty of Music, University of Cambridge 11 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DP

“Although I hadn’t previously considered myself ‘a composer, I decided to take the option within first year, and I’m extremely glad I did!

The composing community is unusually diverse, tightknit, and welcoming to the first-years, and the Composers’ Workshops are a great place to meet. I’ve particularly enjoyed getting involved with the New Music Ensemble, which puts on a concert every term, almost always comprised of student compositions ...

For a composer, Cambridge is a fascinating place to get a whole load of ideas and opinions, with several organisations set up that are more than willing to play your music.”

COMPOSITION AT CAMBRIDGE Five things you might not know about Composition at Cambridge:

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The Music Faculty staff contains no fewer than four practising, professional composers, in addition to two honorary professors of composition

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There are regular visits and talks from world-leading composers, including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, George Benjamin and Julian Anderson

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Cambridge offers a wealth of opportunities to hear your works performed by both students and professional musicians, including members of the Britten Sinfonia, one of the most significant commissioners of new music

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One-to-one composition tuition is offered to all students as well as training in harmony, counterpoint, orchestration and opportunities for film composition

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Our series of Composers’ Workshops provides a friendly, lively new-music community where ideas are shared and debated

Alice, first-year undergraduate

"The Music Faculty at Cambridge is a very stimulating environment which upholds the highest standards of current compositional trends. I have been able to develop my composing just as I wanted to under the supervision of a superb team of top composers who are friendly yet challenging to the right degree. Opportunities for creating projects through the college system provide unbeatable value compared to those at conservatoires."

Susie, MPhil student

Britten Sinfonia Composers’ Workshop

Richard Causton

Jeremy Thurlow

The flourishing music scene in Cambridge provides numerous opportunities for composers to hear their work performed at the highest level. Free Composition features as an option in each year of the Music Tripos and is taught by means of one-toone supervisions with composers on the Faculty’s staff; these include Richard Causton, Jeremy Thurlow and John Hopkins. Teaching centres on the acquisition of skills and a sound compositional technique; it incorporates learning how to score, structure pieces and develop ideas.

Students benefit from access to a recording studio comprising a state-of-the-art control room and an acoustically treated recording room. A range of music production software is available, including Digidesign Pro Tools and Sadie 5. Introductory sessions on studio techniques are held periodically

John Hopkins

Julian Anderson

for anyone who wants to learn, and everyone has the opportunity to record their performance in the West Road Concert Hall.

The Faculty also has a thriving Javanese gamelan group which regularly performs contemporary music, including new pieces composed by students.

Composers who prefer to work in more traditional idioms have ample opportunity to pursue their interests throughout the Music Tripos. Papers involving stylistic composition are offered in each of the three years, and composers can also take options in orchestration and film-score composition. All in all, this adds up to a very rich range of choices.

Trevor Wishart

Alexander Goehr

The individual teaching is complemented by weekly Composers’ Workshops which include demonstration of instrumental, vocal and electronic techniques, workshop performances of student compositions, and presentations from visiting composers. In recent months the Workshops have included talks from distinguished composers such as George Benjamin, Julian Anderson, Trevor Wishart, Jeremy Dale Roberts, Alexander Goehr, Cheryl Frances-Hoad and Robin Holloway, and forthcoming visitors include Sir Harrison Birtwistle.

The Faculty hosts an annual workshop with members of the Britten Sinfonia where student composers hear their works performed and receive feedback from the conductor, players and a specially-invited guest composer. In recent years these have included Oliver Knussen, James

Cheryl Frances-Hoad

Robin Holloway

Macmillan, Colin Matthews, John Woolrich, Nico Muhly and Luke Bedford. Following this workshop, one student is commissioned to write a new piece which is often broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and toured nationwide by the orchestra.

The Cambridge University New Music Ensemble offers a termly showcase of world premières by current Cambridge students, and the Faculty also enjoys a strong relationship with Kettle’s Yard, the principal modern-art gallery in Cambridge, which has a long tradition of promoting new composition by students and offering opportunities for new work to be presented to the public. An exciting recent development is Chapel Lates, a late-night, new-music series organised at King’s College by Richard Causton.