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Does working as a composer in education, the community or with amateurs affect your professional standing? Versatility is one of the main skills required by a composer
working in education: a thorough under-standing of craft and technique;
an ability to communicate; an ability to perform, to manage, to work quickly,
to understand many ways of doing things (not just your own) and a certain
lack of insecurity. Ironically these abilities can be seen as negative - "jack
of all trades" - by those wishing to dismiss composers working in
this arena. However if we go back a few centuries, all of the above attributes
are what were the "everyday" for the likes of Haydn, Mozart
and Bach and to be celebrated as all-embracing genius rather than a suspicious
plethora of skills. Some of this negativity comes from within the composing
world itself and an insecurity born of the absence of some of these skills.
Many composers don’t have a good grasp of craft; they do what they
do and can't do anything else; they may not be able to work with other
musicians as performers; they may need years to write a piece. All these
shortcomings are turned into virtues that, in turn, dismiss the versatile
composer. On a more simple note, the ego has to be left behind in many
situations, and encounters with young people who don't know who you are
or recognise the "extraordinary depths of your talent" can be
sobering, humbling and further raise the insecurity. What happens in the music world to seal this view of composers
in education? Ensembles, orchestras etc ask someone to work as a "composer"
on their education programmes, but then don't actually commission said
composer. Instead they are more likely to go for a usual, more high-profile
suspect who probably wouldn’t go near a school or amateurs. This
gives an all round bad impression as kids are often taken to concerts
and are given no evidence that the person they are working with is able
to do the job. It also means that, if you are good at education work,
you are pigeon-holed into writing works for this arena, doing workshops
etc but not really of the calibre to write for the grown-up situation.
On recent occasions orchestras have appointed a composer in residence
with demands in the job description of being able to do outreach work
and in the end have had to appoint a second composer to do this because
the person they appointed, though published and high-profile, can't. Work in this area has become a way of supplementing income
and, therefore, on all sides has often become cynical. The world of performers
and composers has taken the attitude "I'd rather not be teaching
I'm only doing it until my career takes off". Gone are the days of
assuredness of craft and career that allows someone actually to enjoy
the idea of passing their skills on without it seeming like they have
failed. With this thought, therefore, goes the idea that education work
is for losers, no hopers or not-quite-good enough types. The profession
has been guilty of using terms like "Composer in Education or Community"
which suggests that there is a difference. Because of "easy" funding situations organisations
have been guilty of commissioning works for the education/ community repertoire
knowing it will get financial support. This has led to composers' only
opportunities being to accept a commission for this kind of thing to get
any work commissioned and then being saddled with the reputation that
this is the only kind of composition of which they are capable. Ironically,
although pieces for amateurs, children or the community are often regarded
as low-grade work, it is often more of an art to tailor one's work than
to "do what you fancy" for skilled players. The work of a well-known
composer who decides to write a piece for children or amateurs is regarded
with approval, interest and taken seriously within the context of their
other work. Is this the best way round to do this kind of work? Unfortunately: 1. The quality of work in education can vary – true
of all composition. 2. The attitude has been liberal and woolly and left people
feeling that it is just "playing at it", entertain-ment and
has no relevance: this has often been true. 3. The pressure has been there to give work to young composers
but to keep it out of sight in case it all goes wrong. Education has been
seen as a good place for this.Perhaps more composers should be given the
opportunity anyway: the chance to fail. Not the chance to fail because
it’s only kids and amateurs. We would welcome any responses to the articles featured in new notes. Click here to read what other people have thought about recent cover articles. The monthly listings magazine new
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