CMRC Seminar (Summer Week 5): Public Pillory and/or Supportive Safe Space – The Challenges of Composition Workshops and Performance Masterclasses (Led by Stef Conner)
Event details
Have you ever participated in a musical professional development scheme or workshop opportunity and found yourself breaking out in a cold sweat, wondering how something that was supposedly designed to support you can be so scary and humiliating? Many musical careers are built on the foundations of competitions and schemes, which are designed to support and nurture young and/or unrecognised talent, often with a specific aim to break down barriers to participation and provide opportunities for underrepresented music creators. In a perfect world, these schemes would be truly meritocratic, accessible, and non-discriminatory, offering opportunities for music makers to develop skills and create new work in nurturing, supportive environments. Of course the real world is not perfect and the opportunities that are supposed to help can sometimes feel brutal, humiliating, and intimidating. However hard organisations try to compensate for the inequality in our society and education system through their outreach strategies, it often seems like they are doomed to fail, as barriers to participation remain rife in our industry.
In this session, we will share our own experiences of composition workshops and masterclasses, – as participants, organisers, and/or supporting staff – reflecting on how things have improved, what more needs to be done, and (of course) what strategies can help us boost our chances of being selected to participate in them, and make the most of the opportunities when we do participate. What are the features of a truly open, safe space for music learning and creation? How and when should we speak out when we feel things are not being done right? How can we effectively manage stress and anxiety in workshop situations? What more can we do to help each other and to combat social inequality and nepotism, as we move into positions of influence in our own careers? Whether you’re a seasoned masterclass participant, a panel member, someone interested in designing your own initiatives, or just hoping to participate in existing schemes, please come along to share your views and learn from the experiences of others.
Join us for a discussion session concerning an aspect of contemporary music practice and research – topic to be announced.
Meeting ID: 974 1147 1887
Passcode: 030134