Release Date: 17 January 2020
In this new partnership with the NYC we present choral works by four talented young composers Lillie Harris, Joanna Ward, Shruthi Rajasekar and Harry Baker. Their works experiment with a variety of styles and approaches to writing for voice, with themes ranging from the U.S.A.-Mexico border crisis, the impact of technology on our lives, and the John Franklin expedition.
'NYC has always championed new music, from a glittering back-catalogue by distinguished composers to a burgeoning pipeline of new commissions from an increasingly broad spectrum of international composers. It has always been an important aim to offer opportunities to young composers to write for voices, and so the Young Composers Scheme was born. We celebrate the diversity of our choral repertoire, and the chance to push the boundaries of what choral music is and can be through the programming of imaginative and captivating performance programmes. The first year of the Scheme has seen our first cohort of Young Composers involved in a dizzying array of activities, including mentoring from an impressive roster of professional composers including Eleanor Alberga, Jonathan Dove, Anna Meredith and Toby Young, workshops, rehearsals and composing retreats and writing for a number of the NYC ensembles, including the National Youth Choir. Our young singers have been actively involved throughout the process – the result is four original and refreshing choral works which have been professionally recorded by the flagship National Youth Choir.' - Ben Parry, NYC Artistic Director/Conductor
National Youth Choir of Great Britain
NYCGB Octet
Ben Parry conductor
TRACK LISTING
1. Shruthi Rajasekar Numbers
2. Lillie Harris Not Been Found
3. Harry Baker Might Live Happy
4. Lillie Harris Margaret
5. Joanna Ward I CANNOT GET TO MY LOVE...
6. Shruthi Rajasekar did you know
7. Harry Baker Moments
AUDIO
REVIEWS
‘a fine snapshot of the National Youth Choir’s Young Composers scheme’ BBC Radio 3 Record Review
'Numbers is a great title for a piece: a series of sung numbers and overlapping time signatures that is funky to conduct and fun for the singers' The Guardian
FUNDERS
The 2019 Young Composers Scheme was kindly supported by:
The Garrick Charitable Trust
RVW Trust
Lord and Lady Lurgan Trust
With the friendly support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation
PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund
Leche Trust
Michael Tippett Musical Foundation
RECORDING CREDITS
Harry Baker’s Might Live Happy, Lillie Harris’ Not Been Found, and Shruthi Rajasekar’s Numbers were recorded at Mountview Academy, Peckham on 8 September 2019.
Recording Engineer, Mixer and Editor: DAVID JONES (Sonus Audio)
Harry Baker’s Moments, Lillie Harris’ Margaret, Shruthi Rajasekar’s did you know, and Joanna Ward’s I CANNOT GET TO MY LOVE... were recorded at Love Electric Studios, Hornsey on 20 September 2019.
Recording Engineer and Mixer: ANDY HUGHES
Producer and Editor: BEN PARRY
(P) 2020 NMC Recordings Ltd
© 2020 NMC Recordings Ltd
Catalogue number: NMC DL3038
Release Date: 17 January 2020