CoMA MidWinter Composers Course: 2nd – 6th January, 2025
CoMA is thrilled to announce the return of our mid-winter five-day intensive composition course, in partnership with Allcomers Music. This course has an impressive track record in taking early-stage composers onto an entirely new level, providing the technical capacity and confidence to realise more ambitious musical projects.
**UPDATE: Deadline extended to Wednesday 4th December! 2 spots available, first-come-first-served!**
Award-winning composer Gavin Higgins joins us in residence as the primary tutor, offering friendly and supportive advice to composers at all stages of their development, whilst challenging them to push their skills and knowledge. With a focus on string writing, composers are required to write for amateur strings as well as for a professional string trio. In addition there is the option for participants to create and perform works together as a composers’ ensemble.
We actively encourage applicants from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, specifically those from the Global Majority, d/Deaf and disabled people, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds and LGBTQ+ identifying people.
Two 50% funded spaces are reserved and available for those who are:
- from the Global Majority* and/or identify as disabled
AND - face financial barriers meaning you wouldn’t be able to pay full price
*Global Majority includes people who are from African and Caribbean diasporas, people who are South Asian, East Asian, South East Asian, North African, Middle Eastern and ethnically mixed heritages.
Applications for the 50% Funded Places are now closed.
Course content
The course offers composers:
- Pre-course guidance on writing for mixed ability amateur strings, with the option to write for an orchestra of around 30 players or for smaller sized ensembles. Both options requiring an independent double bass part
- Group tuition classes and one-to-one composition tutorials with Gavin Higgins
- Attendance at all workshops, performing composers’ submitted works with feedback offered by professional string players and by the amateur players
- Sessions with a professional string trio to inspire and develop new musical ideas
- Opportunity to come together as a ‘composers ensemble’ to create a collective work for performance on the final day
- Right to record all composition sessions
- Private concert by the string tutors in the Jacqueline du Pré Music Building
Composer guidelines
CoMA Midwinter Composer Guidelines
Booking
There are 8 places available on the Midwinter Composers Course which are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
**UPDATE: Deadline extended to Wednesday 4th December! 2 spots available, first-come-first-served!**
Fee for the course: £530
This includes tuition and participation in all sessions.
There are additional fees for accommodation and food, varying between £160 – £388.
Please visit the application form to see the different options & prices available.
Discounted fee is available for full time students (proof of ID required).
Students may use the discount code MWCSTUDENT2025 to receive a discount of £100.
They must also upload evidence of their full-time student ID.
To secure your position, apply by Wednesday 4th December.