Spectrum Singers is thrilled to have been chosen to take part in the prestigious 2016/17 Adopt a Composer scheme, which pairs amateur choirs, orchestras or ensembles with up-and-coming composers for 12 months. 

At a special launch event hosted by Making Music in London, the Penarth-based chamber choir was announced as one of just seven successful ensembles in the UK who will participate in this year’s exciting project, culminating in a premiere performance of a brand new piece composed especially for them.

Now in its 16th year, Adopt a Composer is run by Making Music in partnership with Sound and Music, in association with BBC Radio 3, and funded by PRS For Music Foundation and the Philip and Dorothy Green Music Trust. The scheme works exclusively with composers at the start of their careers, giving them crucial compositional experience. In return, the voluntary music group has a piece of music written around its own styles and ability. The project gives excellent exposure for both the composer and group, with recordings of many of the pieces broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Spectrum Singers has been paired with Rosie Clements, who holds a first-class BMus in composition from Birmingham Conservatoire. “I’m really excited to be working with Spectrum Singers and can’t wait to get started,” said Rosie, who works as a composer, events manager and educator, and has been Artistic Director of the Frontiers Festival, lead administrator for the Young Composers Project and Champion Coordinator for TEDxBrum 2016.

“I’m absolutely delighted Spectrum has been selected for Adopt a Composer as we’re passionate about new music. It gives us the chance to be ambassadors for something unique, created especially with our singers in mind,” said David Hutchings, musical director of Spectrum Singers. “We’ve known for a little while that we’d been chosen and keeping it secret has been so difficult. It wasn’t until the launch last weekend though that we found out who we’d been paired with. It’s so exciting to discover Rosie already has lots of good ideas that fit with our choir’s philosophy.”

The choir were encouraged to apply for the scheme by one of the young composers selected in 2012/13. Welsh composer Sarah Lianne Lewis lives in Penarth and is a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church where the choir rehearse on Wednesday evenings. Since participating in the scheme her career has taken off and she’s gone on to receive many awards and commendations. Her new work for symphony orchestra, premiered by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 earlier this year.

“I’m so pleased Spectrum Singers will get to experience Adopt a Composer this year,” said Sarah. “It’s a wonderful thing as a composer to have the opportunity to collaborate and create something for the ensemble that is bespoke.”

Spectrum Singers will premiere the new composition at a local venue during the summer of 2017. You can follow the choir’s progress on our Facebook page ‘Spectrum Singers’.