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Society of Saint Gregory: Liturgy and Music alive in the Church today

Composers' Forum

The 2012-2014 programme will begin in December, after which there will be 4 sessions a year. Attendance will be open to all who have an interest in composition (whether or not they are composers, and whether or not they are SSG members).

Each session will usually include:

  • A presentation on a topic of interest and assistance to composers and their development.
  • Presentation topics will include:
  • Composition case-studies (e.g. word setting, writing accompaniments, arranging for instruments, etc).
  • Sourcing texts for composers to use.
  • Unpicking the Liturgy Office’s Composers’ Guide and Permission to Publish Process.
  • Using software to notate liturgical music (including chant).
  • A session at which work-in-progress and unpublished works can be presented and critiqued by those present.
  • Some analysis of published works by established composers to identify and improve our own techniques, led, whenever possible, by the composers themselves. At least once a year, a distinguished ‘mainstream’ Catholic composer will be invited to speak to the Forum.

We hope to have something for everyone – from novices to established composers – and to provide a forum in which composers at all stages of development will be able to both give and receive. There will be regular venues in London, the Midlands and the North of England. Keyboards (and an accompanist), and projection and audio equipment will be available.

The first meeting of the SSG Composers’ Forum will take place on Saturday 1 December. We will publish further details of this and subsequent meetings in a couple of weeks or so, when we have confirmed of dates, venues and topics for 2012 and early 2013.

The meetings will be conducted and co-ordinated by Alan Smith and Keith Ainsworth. Initially, meetings of the Composers’ Forum will be funded by the Society of Saint Gregory, as a service to its members and to the wider Church and composers and musicians generally.

 

Related links:
Society of St Gregory webpage