News

Give youth a chance! Manchester’s prestigious RNCM put fate of new production in hands of youngsters

By Eve Commander

Manchester’s prestigious musical college is looking for young talent to create a powerful new work with a message of hope for today’s society.

The Royal Northern College of Music are asking 15 to 25 year-olds with a passion for the arts to help compose and perform a modern musical piece which will premiere at the world-famous Bridgewater Hall this March.

Over the next two and a half months, they will work with the composer Michael Betteridge, RNCM students and multi-media artists in workshops to produce a piece that encapsulates ideas of hope triumphing over adversity.

The opportunity is part of the RNCM Outreach program and aims to help young performers get into music.

A spokeswoman said: “Taking part in the project, you’ll have the chance to work alongside industry professionals as well as networking with interesting and innovative people. You’ll share ideas, build your confidence, develop your career and take part in something truly ground-breaking!”

They added: “There will be some focus on working with ‘voices’ in the broadest sense but you don’t need to be a singer to participate– we would also love to hear from instrumentalists, dancers, actors, artists and film-makers.”

The piece will respond to themes within Michael Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, in particular the Kristallnacht pogrom against the Jews in 1938.

Written as a message of hope and optimism against poverty, war, oppression and prejudice, the RNCM hope the group will be able to deliver to today’s society.

They plan to perform a variation of the piece at the Imperial War Museum North in July to mark the anniversary of the First World War.

The RNCM are also trying to recruit 13-19 year olds for a production of Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera which will be staged in the RNCM Studio Theatre from 23-26 April.

For more information on how to take part and workshop dates see their website.

Image courtesy of Gene Hunt, with thanks

For more on this story and many others, follow Mancunian Matters on Twitter and Facebook.

Related Articles