Sound and Music’s Young Voices cohort has unveiled an exciting new project: The Young Voices Zine. This inspiring publication offers a unique snapshot of life as a young music creator in the UK today, blending reflections, advice, and creative tools for fellow composers.
Who are the Young Voices?
The Young Voices is a dynamic group of talented young composers, aged 14–18, who work closely with Sound and Music to shape the future of its youth programming. Often alumni of the Sound and Music’s In the Making programme, these outstanding individuals come together to share feedback and ideas with the our team.
Through regular Zoom sessions, they provide vital feedback, helping to ensure that Sound and Music’s initiatives are engaging, relevant, and inspiring for young composers. In these sessions, members discuss a range of topics, from improving the our website to suggesting leaders for future workshops and planning youth-centred events. They are also encouraged to take an active role in programming, whether as participants, viewers, or even hosts.
Beyond their advisory role, the Young Voices gain unique opportunities to collaborate with other youth advocacy groups, such as participating in workshops at Music for Youth’s national festival. Membership in the group offers not only valuable experiences but also practical benefits, including references for future job or placement applications and a certificate recognizing their contributions.
The Journey to the Zine
The Young Voices Zine is the result of a year-long creative process, reflecting the group’s collective and individual journeys as composers. The 2023/24 cohort—Afsheen, Mia, Keziah, Catriona, Atharv, Diego, Charlie, Kimon, Sam GL, Sam W, Emily, and Elsa—collaborated on the Zine, drawing from their diverse experiences to craft a publication for their peers.
Workshops earlier this year focused on developing the Zine, with participants responding to prompts that encouraged self-reflection, skill sharing, and collaborative creativity. The Zine features a rich mix of content, including:
- Creative prompts designed to spark new musical ideas.
- Reflective writings about their journeys as young composers.
- Composer toolkits highlighting essential resources and advice for music creators.
- A graphic score, collaboratively created over Zoom, showcasing their experimental side.
- A manifesto articulating key demands and issues that young composers believe should be addressed to better support the UK’s music creators of tomorrow.
The Young Voices Zine: A Resource for Peers
The Young Voices Zine is more than a celebration of creativity—it’s a vital toolkit for young composers across the UK. Created by young composers for their peers, it offers a wealth of insights, resources, and inspiration to empower the next generation of music creators.
Inside its pages, readers will find reflective pieces on overcoming challenges, step-by-step guides to mastering new skills, and creative prompts designed to spark fresh ideas. The Zine also features the Young Voices Manifesto, a bold statement that highlights the critical areas where young composers need support, such as greater access to instruments, software, and financial resources.
By addressing these challenges, the Zine aims to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment where all young talents can thrive, regardless of their background or means. Whether through practical advice or imaginative composition briefs, the Young Voices Zine serves as a beacon for young composers navigating the music industry and developing their craft.
Download the Young Voices Zine
About Sound and Music
Sound and Music is the UK’s charity for new music and sound. Our mission is to be the base camp for anyone in the UK who wants to make, experience or support new music and sound to shape the modern world.
We deliver artist-centred development programmes and essential funding to young, emerging and established artists breaking new ground across music-making in the UK. We lead research, campaigns, networks, archives and collections to further originality, discovery and equity within music.
For over 15 years Sound and Music has worked with thousands of music creators and hundreds of organisations to boost musical creativity, careers, cultures and communities; progressing inclusion and representation within new music in the UK.
Sound and Music is committed to empowering young composers and amplifying their voices through projects like the Young Voices Zine. If you are or know a young composer interested in joining Young Voices, stay tuned for updates on how future cohorts will be selected by subscribing to our newsletter.
Download the Young Voices Zine
In the Making: Artist Development for Young Composers
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