Study Visit: Composition Workshop

Join OCA’s Andy Glover and Chris Lawry on Saturday 11th April 2015 between 9.30am and 5pm for a composition workshop at MAC Birmingham. The day will consist of advice and discussion on writing for String Quartets and for Flute & Piano featuring, in the morning session, The Take Four String Quartet and, in the afternoon, The Buchner Duo.
Students are welcome to attend just as observers but are also encouraged to submit a short piece (up to 4min) for consideration to be workshopped by either ensemble. The day will also be a chance to meet up and network with fellow students and OCA staff, plus your OCASA music representative Martin Richardson will also be available to speak to.
Due to time and room restrictions, spaces will be limited for this event and allocated on a first come first served basis. Places are free to OCA students. To book your place, and to receive further information, email enquiries@oca-uk.com as soon as possible, stating whether you would like to attend as either an observer or composer. Also, if composing, please also indicate whether you might be submitting a piece for String Quartet or Flute & Piano or both. Students living outside of the UK are also encouraged to submit pieces as we will try to make provision for feedback from the day.

Guidelines for Composers

Scores and parts should be sent, as PDFs or Sibelius files, by email no later than the 1st March 2015. Look out for a series of WeAreOCA blog posts to follow shortly which should help you research and write your compositions.
Piece for string quartet:
Write a short piece for string quartet (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello) with a duration of up to four minutes long. Base your composition on an aspect of, or in response to, the La Folía piece found below. This could be derived from melodic, harmonic, rhythmic elements or other aspects, and can be written in any style. Research the background to La Folía and compose your own unique interpretation or variation.

Marin Marais’ scores can be found on IMSLP here.
Include a short programme note with your submission and please do not forget to produce a score and individual parts for each of the players. Any queries, please email.
Piece for Flute & Piano:
Write a short piece for Flute & Piano with a duration of up to four minutes long. Base your piece on an aspect of, or in response to, either of the two English folk songs found below. Students can also submit a Flute & Piano piece based on the La Folía piece above. Your response could be derived from melodic, harmonic, rhythmic or lyrical aspects of the folk songs, and can be written in any style. Research the background to either The Captain’s Apprentice or Lovely Joan and compose your own unique response.
Song 1: The Captain’s Apprentice

The score and background to the song can be viewed or downloaded from HERE

Song 2: Lovely Joan

The score and lyrics to the song can be viewed or downloaded from HERE

The piano part should be written for a standard upright piano (without any additional prepared elements) and the flute part should be for either a standard modern transverse flute in C (full range) or simple key flute (up to D above the stave). Include a short programme note with your submission and please do not forget to produce a score featuring both parts for the pianist and the individual part for the flautist. Any queries, please email.